SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
Saudi Arabia's King Salman meets with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Riyadh to discuss the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. (Photo: Leah Millis/AFP/Getty Images)
The foundation named after slain journalist James Foley said it rescinded an award for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo because of the Trump administration's refusal to hold the Saudi government accountable for the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi, refuting the right-wing narrative that the move was forced by the organization's "media sponsors."
"In addition to advocating for the safe return of American hostages abroad, the promotion of journalists' safety is a key pillar of our foundation and this award would have been in conflict with that key principle."
--James W. Foley Foundation
In a statement issued late Thursday, the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation said its January 11 decision to withdraw Pompeo's award has been "mischaracterized by some media outlets."
"While it is accurate that our foundation intended to present our hostage freedom award to Secretary Pompeo until that date," the foundation said, "we ultimately decided we could not present the award as planned due to the dramatic change in circumstances when the administration did not press for genuine accountability from the Saudi government for the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi."
The foundation's statement came after conservative Washington Examiner columnist Paul Bedard claimed--citing anonymous sources--that the non-partisan organization's media partners "promised to boycott the event if Pompeo got the award."
Bedard's assertion was then picked up by other right-wing media outlets, including Newsmax and The Daily Caller.
Pompeo himself parroted the unsubstantiated narrative in an interview on "Fox & Friends" Friday morning.
"It sounds like some in the media, who are underwriting this event, sponsors for the event, said, 'If Pompeo's there, we won't be.'"
Watch:
\u201cFox's Ainsley Earhardt asks whether US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was the victim of "bullying" when an organization withdrew an award they'd planned to give him.\u201d— Bobby Lewis (@Bobby Lewis) 1554466736
But Pompeo's claim was in direct conflict with the foundation's own words from the night before.
The organization made clear that giving Pompeo a "Freedom Award" following the Trump administration's handling of the Khashoggi murder would have contradicted its mission.
"In addition to advocating for the safe return of American hostages abroad," the foundation said, "the protection of free speech and promotion of journalists' safety is a key pillar of our foundation and this award would have been in conflict with that key principle."
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
The foundation named after slain journalist James Foley said it rescinded an award for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo because of the Trump administration's refusal to hold the Saudi government accountable for the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi, refuting the right-wing narrative that the move was forced by the organization's "media sponsors."
"In addition to advocating for the safe return of American hostages abroad, the promotion of journalists' safety is a key pillar of our foundation and this award would have been in conflict with that key principle."
--James W. Foley Foundation
In a statement issued late Thursday, the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation said its January 11 decision to withdraw Pompeo's award has been "mischaracterized by some media outlets."
"While it is accurate that our foundation intended to present our hostage freedom award to Secretary Pompeo until that date," the foundation said, "we ultimately decided we could not present the award as planned due to the dramatic change in circumstances when the administration did not press for genuine accountability from the Saudi government for the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi."
The foundation's statement came after conservative Washington Examiner columnist Paul Bedard claimed--citing anonymous sources--that the non-partisan organization's media partners "promised to boycott the event if Pompeo got the award."
Bedard's assertion was then picked up by other right-wing media outlets, including Newsmax and The Daily Caller.
Pompeo himself parroted the unsubstantiated narrative in an interview on "Fox & Friends" Friday morning.
"It sounds like some in the media, who are underwriting this event, sponsors for the event, said, 'If Pompeo's there, we won't be.'"
Watch:
\u201cFox's Ainsley Earhardt asks whether US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was the victim of "bullying" when an organization withdrew an award they'd planned to give him.\u201d— Bobby Lewis (@Bobby Lewis) 1554466736
But Pompeo's claim was in direct conflict with the foundation's own words from the night before.
The organization made clear that giving Pompeo a "Freedom Award" following the Trump administration's handling of the Khashoggi murder would have contradicted its mission.
"In addition to advocating for the safe return of American hostages abroad," the foundation said, "the protection of free speech and promotion of journalists' safety is a key pillar of our foundation and this award would have been in conflict with that key principle."
The foundation named after slain journalist James Foley said it rescinded an award for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo because of the Trump administration's refusal to hold the Saudi government accountable for the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi, refuting the right-wing narrative that the move was forced by the organization's "media sponsors."
"In addition to advocating for the safe return of American hostages abroad, the promotion of journalists' safety is a key pillar of our foundation and this award would have been in conflict with that key principle."
--James W. Foley Foundation
In a statement issued late Thursday, the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation said its January 11 decision to withdraw Pompeo's award has been "mischaracterized by some media outlets."
"While it is accurate that our foundation intended to present our hostage freedom award to Secretary Pompeo until that date," the foundation said, "we ultimately decided we could not present the award as planned due to the dramatic change in circumstances when the administration did not press for genuine accountability from the Saudi government for the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi."
The foundation's statement came after conservative Washington Examiner columnist Paul Bedard claimed--citing anonymous sources--that the non-partisan organization's media partners "promised to boycott the event if Pompeo got the award."
Bedard's assertion was then picked up by other right-wing media outlets, including Newsmax and The Daily Caller.
Pompeo himself parroted the unsubstantiated narrative in an interview on "Fox & Friends" Friday morning.
"It sounds like some in the media, who are underwriting this event, sponsors for the event, said, 'If Pompeo's there, we won't be.'"
Watch:
\u201cFox's Ainsley Earhardt asks whether US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was the victim of "bullying" when an organization withdrew an award they'd planned to give him.\u201d— Bobby Lewis (@Bobby Lewis) 1554466736
But Pompeo's claim was in direct conflict with the foundation's own words from the night before.
The organization made clear that giving Pompeo a "Freedom Award" following the Trump administration's handling of the Khashoggi murder would have contradicted its mission.
"In addition to advocating for the safe return of American hostages abroad," the foundation said, "the protection of free speech and promotion of journalists' safety is a key pillar of our foundation and this award would have been in conflict with that key principle."