Former ESPN writer Jemele Hill, who is now with The Atlantic, deleted a tweet that many saw as an assassination joke during President Trump’s State of the Union on Tuesday night. Hill was responding to a comedian’s tweet during the address, where the latter hoped Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) would interrupt the speech with an outburst. Hill replied, “GETCHO HAND OUT MY POCKET.” This was reportedly shouted prior to Malcolm X’s assassination in 1965; it was meant to distract his bodyguards.
Hill apologized for the post. She noted that she has used this reference other times in a way that was meant to suggest escaping from a certain situation. Despite being against everything he stands for, she wouldn’t wish harm on President Trump, and that she apologizes that this tweet started an “absurd assumption.” The former ESPN writer has called President Trump a white supremacist on Twitter in the past (via The Wrap):
Atlantic staff writer Jemele Hill offered an apology on Wednesday after tweeting out an ambiguous quotation during President Trump’s State of the Union address, which a number of people then took as a call to violence against the president.
“Let me be clear: I have often disagreed with many of the president’s policies, his behavior and rhetoric, but I would never call for violence against him, or any person. I apologize for breathing life into such an absurd assumption,” Hill said in a tweeted apology Wednesday evening.
“If there’s a chance someone could arrive at that conclusion, I’d rather just say I’m sorry and move on,” she added in a follow-up explaining her decision.
[…]
Reps for Hill and to the Atlantic did not immediately respond to request for comment from TheWrap.
So, FYI .. i literally have used GETCHO HAND OUT OF MY POCKET a bunch of other times on Twitter, and always in a manner where you want to escape or distract from a situation. Never in a way that was harmful or malicious. pic.twitter.com/Hk7JLvwrdV
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 7, 2019
Let me be clear: I have often disagreed with many of the president’s policies, his behavior and rhetoric, but I would never call for violence against him, or any person. I apologize for breathing life into such an absurd assumption.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 7, 2019
The Secret Service is also aware of the post. Of course, as always, they don’t comment on such matters, but they are “aware” of it (via Washington Examiner):
The Secret Service has been informed of a tweet about President Trump by former ESPN personality Jemele Hill that referenced Malcolm X's assassination.
“While the Secret Service is aware of the subject’s comments, we cannot confirm or comment on the absence or existence of specific investigations. We can say, however, the Secret Service investigates all threats related to our protectees," the agency told the Washington Examiner via email.
The Atlantic sure is taking their sweet time addressing this matter.