The Babylon Bee’s CEO Seth Dillon offered The Washington Post reporter Dave Weigel three months’ salary to repost a joke on Twitter that got him suspended.
The Post suspended Weigel for a month without pay after he retweeted a joke by Youtuber Cam Harless that said “Every girl is bi. You just have to figure out if its polar or sexual.”
Fellow reporter Felicia Sonmez chastised the retweet.
Fantastic to work at a news outlet where retweets like this are allowed! pic.twitter.com/zs4dX4qprH
— Felicia Sonmez (@feliciasonmez) June 3, 2022
The Post’s chief spokesperson, Kristine Coratti Kelly, called Weigel’s retweet “reprehensible and demeaning” and said it would “not be tolerated.”
Weigel deleted the retweet and apologized for having retweeted the joke.
I just removed a retweet of an offensive joke. I apologize and did not mean to cause any harm.
— David Weigel (@daveweigel) June 3, 2022
Dillon chimed in Monday evening, offering Weigel three months’ salary to “have some respect for yourself.” (RELATED: The Washington Post Deletes Tweet Falsely Claiming George Floyd Was Shot)
“Wapo put @daveweigel on unpaid leave for a month because of a joke? Dave, I’m offering you 3 months’ salary to retract your apology, repost the joke, and quit. Have some respect for yourself.”
Wapo put @daveweigel on unpaid leave for a month because of a joke?
Dave, I’m offering you 3 months’ salary to retract your apology, repost the joke, and quit. Have some respect for yourself.
— Seth Dillon (@SethDillon) June 6, 2022
Weigel will return to the office on July 5, an out-of-office email sent to CNN said.