Tucker Carlson says he will take ‘long-planned vacation’ after racist ex-staffer exposed

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Tucker Carlson, a popular anchor and commentator for Fox News says he’s taking an on-air break after his former lead staff writer was exposed for leaving racist, sexist, and misogynist remarks on digital message boards.

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Blake Neff resigned from his role as top writer for Tucker Carlson after his secret lifestyle became publicly known.

Believed to be making the comments anonymously, Neff was outed by a report on CNN Business after a tip led to an investigation. According to CNN, the writer posted hateful messages under the username CharlesXII on AutoAdmitwhere. On the platform, he was popular among users who reportedly knew of his career with Fox News.

After seeing the specifics of his derogatory, bigoted statements, the network disassociated themselves with Neff, who had been employed on Carlson’s staff since 2017.

“Neff’s abhorrent conduct on this forum was never divulged to the show or the network until Friday, at which point we swiftly accepted his resignation,” write Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and President Jay Wallace in a memo to current staff, according to CNN.

They continue “Make no mistake, actions such as his cannot and will not be tolerated at any time in any part of our work force.”

Carlson, who hosts Tucker Carlson Tonight one of Fox News’ top-ranked shows, finally addressed the issue on air. According to CNN Business, the political commentator said he does not support nor agree with the forum posts from his former top writer.

“It is wrong to attack people for qualities they cannot control. In this country, we judge people for what they do, not for how they were born. We often say that because we mean it,” Carlson said.

Although CNN reports alignment with AutoAdmitwhere’s ideologies and Carlson’s broadcast, the host distanced the writer’s personal beliefs from his own nightly rantings.

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Carlson will take a well-timed fishing vacation, relieving him of on-air duties for the next week. He says the vacation was long-planned before the incident but the Associated Press reports that at least six other times, Fox hosts have taken ‘vacations’ during times when their comments or behavior have been controversial.

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