UltraViolet calls on CNN to Cancel Scheduled 2024 Town Hall Event with Donald Trump in New Hampshire
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, May 2, 2023
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
UltraViolet calls on CNN to Cancel Scheduled 2024 Town Hall Event with Donald Trump in New Hampshire
WASHINGTON, DC — Yesterday, CNN announced it would air a town hall event at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire next week featuring current 2024 GOP frontrunner and former President Donald Trump. According to reports, Trump will answer questions from New Hampshire Republicans and undeclared voters who plan to vote in the 2024 GOP presidential primary.
In response, Shaunna Thomas, co-founder and executive director of UltraViolet, a leading national gender equality advocacy organization, issued the following statement:
“Donald Trump is a flagrant misogynist on trial for rape, an insurrectionist under investigation for attempting to overturn an election, and a notorious liar under indictment for hush money payments to an adult film star from his political campaign. CNN’s decision to provide Trump with a platform is dangerous.
“We’ve been here before. We know what happens when a major network gives Donald Trump free airtime and an unfettered platform to spew lies and hate. It did not end well. CNN should cancel this event now.
“And while Trump is likely to be the 2024 Republican presidential nominee – that is no excuse to platform disinformation without a clear plan to contain and fact-check it. CNN has proven unable or unwilling to check Trump’s disinformation in the past – it is reasonable to suspect they will fail to do so again here.
“CNN’s decision to platform Trump, nearly a full year before the GOP primary begins, isn’t about fair discussion or debate – it’s about ratings, and CNN’s craven attempt to allow our democracy to be subverted in a rush for ad dollars once again. Shame on CNN.
“We urge CNN to cancel this event.”
UltraViolet has long taken issue with CNN’s platforming of disinformation and promoting misogynists. In February, UltraViolet urged CNN to suspend Don Lemon after Lemon’s misogynistic on-air comments about women in their “prime.” The network fired Lemon last week. In 2018, UltraViolet called for the immediate suspension of Chris Cuomo at CNN for advising his brother on how to defeat sexual abuse charges.
In 2020, UltraViolet and a coalition of progressive organizations asked television networks, including CNN, to provide a one-minute delay during the Republican National Convention to actively correct disinformation in real-time.
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