CNN's Jake Tapper issues blistering condemnation of Trump's attempt to 'exploit the tragic death' of Joe Scarborough's intern

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published 29 November 2017

CNN's Jake Tapper issued a blistering condemnation of President Trump's tweet citing the 2001 death of Joe Scarborough's intern on Wednesday. "This is the president attempting to exploit the tragic death of a young woman — one who had heart problems and hit her head when she fell — to score a cheap spurious political point," Tapper tweeted. "Indecent. Inhumane."

Trump had tweeted several responses to the news that NBC's Matt Lauer had been fired over "inappropriate sexual" workplace behavior, including this one (Trump initially deleted the tweet, and then reposted it):

Trump was making reference to Lori Klausutis, who was found dead at 28 in Scarborough's office when Scarborough — now an MSNBC host — was still a Florida congressman. At the time, The Associated Press wrote that "preliminary findings from the medical examiner’s office showed no foul play or any outward indication of suicide." The St. Petersburg Times later wrote that "medical examiner Dr. Michael Berkland has said Klausutis, 28, of Niceville, lost consciousness because of an abnormal heart rhythm and fell, hitting her head on a desk. The head injury caused the death, Berkland said."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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