Last month, Rachel Abrams, a board member of a right-wing pro-Israel organization, wrote a controversial blog post calling for Palestinian militants — and their children — to be fed to sharks. After Abrams linked the blog on Twitter, Washington Post neoconservative opinion blogger Jennifer Rubin retweeted it, eliciting another round of controversy. Now, the Post’s ombudsman, Patrick Pexton, weighed in to declare his “disappointment” with Rubin. He noted that she is not bound by newsroom ethical guidelines on social media, but if she was, her tweet would have violated them. Nor are retweets endorsements. “But in this case Rubin told me that she did agree with Abrams,” wrote Pexton. “Rubin did damage to The Post and the credibility that keeps it afloat.”
Update:
Washington Post editorial page editor Fred Hiatt defended Rubin:
As a general matter I think it isn’t wise for me to comment on the work of the ombudsman, who is entitled to his views, and over whom I do not have editorial control.
However, I will say this: I think Jennifer is an excellent journalist and a relentless reporter. I think because she has strong views, and because she is as willing to take on her home team, as it were, as the visitors, she comes under more scrutiny than many and is often the target of unjustified criticism. I think she brings enormous value to the Post.