Finally the other shoe dropped on the Ed Schultz controversy on Wednesday.
In a release from MSNBC management, the network announced it would suspend Schultz for one week without pay for remarks he made on his Tuesday radio show calling conservative talker Laura Ingraham a “right-wing slut.” However, Schultz will be permitted to address the remarks on his Wednesday television show with the suspension beginning immediately afterwards:
“MSNBC management met with Ed Schultz this afternoon and accepted his offer to take one week of unpaid leave for the remarks he made yesterday on his radio program. Ed will address these remarks on his show tonight, and immediately following begin his leave. Remarks of this nature are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” the statement reads.
On his Tuesday radio program, Schultz took a shot at conservative talk show host Laura Ingraham for her criticism of President Barack Obama’s trip to Ireland, where he enjoyed a Guinness, while the Midwestern United States was being hit by severe weather.
“And what do the Republicans thinking about?” Schultz said. “They’re not thinking about their next-door neighbor. They’re just thinking about how much this is going to cost. President Obama is going to be visiting Joplin, Mo., on Sunday but you know what they’re talking about, like this right-wing slut, what’s her name?, Laura Ingraham? Yeah, she’s a talk slut. You see, she was, back in the day, praising President Reagan when he was drinking a beer overseas. But now that Obama’s doing it, they’re working him over.”
A watchdog group called for the suspension of Schultz earlier in the day. However, Ingraham dismissed Schultz’s comments in a Facebook posting earlier in the day.