#New York Times fires editor for profane gun group voicemail

The New York Times has fired an editor at its Wirecutter website for leaving expletive-laden voicemails with a gun rights organization last month.

The outlet announced the dismissal of Erin Marquis Friday, more than two weeks after she first made headlines for her rage following the Nov. 30 school shooting in Oxford, Mich. that left four students dead.

“The employee has been terminated from Wirecutter following our investigation related to inappropriate behavior,” a Times spokesperson said in a statement. “We expect our employees to behave in a way that is consistent with our values and commitment to the highest ethical standards.”

“Repeatedly invoking the New York Times’s name in an unprofessional way that imperils the reputation of Wirecutter, The Times, and all of our journalists is a clear violation of our policies and cannot be tolerated,” the statement continued. 

Earlier this month, audio surfaced online of a voicemail Marquis left with Great Lakes Gun Rights, a Michigan state affiliate of the National Association for Gun Rights. 

Marquis initially tweeted her displeasure with the organization after they sent out a press release about protecting gun rights. 

“Just got a press release from the Great lakes Gun Rights organization about protecting guns rights from democrats in Michigan and I am literally shaking with rage. I hope there is a God and they met that God someday,” she tweeted, according to Fox News. Marquis also shared the number and email address of the organization, telling followers to “make your displeasure known.” 

Shortly after Marquis published her Twitter post, the National Association for Gun Rights posted a video to YouTube that included the audio of Marquis’ voicemail. 

“Hi, I’m a journalist with the New York Times,” a woman says. “I’m just calling to wonder – I have two questions. How do you sleep at night? And aren’t you just a bit worried that there might be a hell? And when you meet God, he might send you there? That’s just my only question. The third question, the only people politicizing this seems to be you because you’re the only people I got a f—ing press release from. 

“Again, I am from the New York Times, and I’m letting everyone in the New York Times know what kind of f—ing a–holes you are,” she added. “Congrats on being a laughing stock.”

In a second message, Marquis raged: “You f—ing ghouls. I hope that there is a God in heaven so he judges you when you die.”

“Will the @nytimes apologize and reprimand their ‘reporter’ Erin Marquis?” asked the National Association for Gun Rights on Twitter.

The audio triggered an investigation and Marquis’ suspension by the Times.

Wirecutter is a product review website that was purchased by the Times in 2016.

Marquis has since deleted her Twitter account.