Reporter Pays for Accidental Profane Voicemail She Left Republican -- Just Ask Her Ex-Employer
A reporter who accidentally left a profane voicemail revealing her feelings about a Republican senatorial candidate in Michigan is no longer employed by her paper, according to a statement from the Huron Daily Tribune.
Brenda Battel, a journalist with the publication, had been trying to set up an appointment with John James, the GOP candidate challenging Democrat Sen. Debbie Stabenow.
According to The Daily Caller, Battel left the voicemail on Monday afternoon in the hopes of setting up an interview with James on Wednesday, the day after the midterms.
“Hi, my name is Brenda Battel, I’m a reporter with the Huron Daily Tribune in Bad Axe, Michigan,” she can be heard saying in the voicemail.
“I’m looking to set up an appointment with Mr. James for some time on Wednesday for a phone interview regarding the election results,” she continued.
“I’m probably going to send an email over to the info@johnjamesforsenate.com with some details. Um, if you’d like to call me back, my number is (deleted), extension (deleted). Thank you.”
And then she thought she hung up. She thought wrong.
“Man, if he beats her… Jesus! F—ing John James,” Battel can be heard saying.
“That would suck! Whew, I don’t think it’s going to happen though.”
Here’s the voicemail, which we warn you contains the uncensored language. NSFW, reader discretion is advised.
Well, James may or may not have the job he wants come Wednesday. You know who definitely won’t be working on Wednesday?
Brenda Battel.
“I have listened to the voicemail left by Brenda Battel to Mr. James’ campaign, and find no reason to defend this behavior,” Kate Hessling, editor of the Huron Daily Tribune, said in a statement.
“Brenda Battel’s employment has been immediately terminated.
“The Huron Daily Tribune sincerely apologizes to Mr. James and to the public,” she added. “These statements do not represent the views of the Tribune as a whole, nor do they reflect the actions of a responsible journalist.”
Well, no, it wouldn’t reflect the actions of a responsible journalist. The thing is, how many people in the media feel the exact same way about Republican candidates but know how to hang up a phone?
Battel deserved to be terminated, but let’s not pretend that she’s the only one who feels this way.
And just imagine if someone had done this to an African-American Democrat. Apparently, doing it to a Republican just gets you quietly terminated.
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