A Capital Gazette “thank you” letter to readers published Sunday took aim at President Donald Trump.
“We won’t forget being called an enemy of the people,” read the letter, which was published just 48 hours after the horrific shooting that rocked their newsroom on Thursday, killing five and wounding others. (RELATED: Defiant Capital Gazette Journalist: ‘We Are Putting Out A Damn Paper Tomorrow’)
The letter began with a touching tribute to those who were killed on Thursday, thanking readers and everyone who had reached out for the “outpouring of sympathy” the Gazette received in the aftermath of the tragedy.
We will never forget Rob Hiaasen, Gerald Fischman, Wendi Winters, John McNamara or Rebecca Smith, our five co-workers who were gunned down in a senseless attack.
Then came a solemn promise never to forget those who had marched, held vigils, and shown their support in other ways.
But the letter also promised to never forget those who responded to the shooting in ways that were less constructive and healing.
Here’s what else we won’t forget: Death threats and emails from people we don’t know celebrating our loss, or the people who called for one of our reporters to get fired because she got angry and cursed on national television after witnessing her friends getting shot.
The letter referenced President Trump’s comment calling the press an “enemy of the people,” continuing, “We won’t forget being called an enemy of the people. No, we won’t forget that. Because exposing evil, shining light on wrongs and fighting injustice is what we do.”
The editorial was signed by over two dozen members of the Capital Gazette staff:
Rick Hutzell, Jimmy DeButts, Dave Broughton, Marty Padden, Rachael Pacella, Chase Cook, Joshua McKerrow, Paul W. Gillespie, Jay Judge, Eleni Stylianou, Jeff Bill, Selene San Felice, Phil Davis, Danielle Ohl, Janel Cooley, E.B. Furgurson III, Ulysses Muñoz, Anthony Messenger, Bill Wagner, Bob Hough, Kim Welty, Mark Murphy, Thalia Juarez, Josh Roeder, Erin Hardy, John Evans, Mike Morea, Brian Burden, Ryan Morse, Jack Chavez, Chris Gorham, Greg Nucifora and Trif Alatzas.
