White House Official Fired for Tweeting Under Fake Name

This White House official didn't tweet anything that was classified. He tweeted his feelings on what was going on. He tweeted under an assumed name. So what was illegal or wrong about that? Doesn't it fall under free speech? He posted the truth. He posted his opinion. He didn't post anything illegal. Yet he got fired.

Side note - Don't Obama and his ilk use twitter and facebook ... posting self promoting lies and having others post it rather than post it themselves? Maybe someone should fire THEM for telling lies and for having others post under their names.

At least the White House official who got fired was telling the truth.

White House Official Fired for Tweeting Under Fake Name

A White House national security official was fired last week after being caught as the mystery Tweeter who has been tormenting the foreign policy community with insulting comments and revealing internal Obama administration information for over two years.

Jofi Joseph, a director in the non-proliferation section of the National Security Staff at the White House, has been surreptitiously tweeting under the moniker @natsecwonk, a Twitter feed famous inside Washington policy circles since it began in February, 2011 until it was shut down last week. Two administration officials confirmed that the mystery tweeter was Joseph, who has also worked at the State Department and on Capitol Hill for Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Joe Biden. Until recently, he was part of the administration's team working on negotiations with Iran.

During his time tweeting under the @natsecwonk name, Joseph openly criticized the policies of his White House bosses and often insulted their intellect and appearance. At different times, he insulted or criticized several top White House and State Department officials, including former National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, Secretary of State John Kerry, and many many others.

reply to post by FlyersFan

At least the White House official who got fired was telling the truth.

Of course they fired him for telling the truth.
If they fired people at the White House for lying, it would be empty.

reply to post by FlyersFan


So if you were in charge (or even just high up) in a company, and I went under and assumed name on twitter, and did the same thing he did, you wouldn't get mad, or fire me? You'd just pat me on the back and say "no hard feelings"?

It doesn't matter if it's the White House, or if it's IBM, or if it's some mom and pop place, you don't go online posting about how stupid they are, or things like he said.

Zaphod58
reply to post by FlyersFan

 

So if you were in charge (or even just high up) in a company, and I went under and assumed name on twitter, and did the same thing he did, you wouldn't get mad, or fire me? You'd just pat me on the back and say "no hard feelings"?

It doesn't matter if it's the White House, or if it's IBM, or if it's some mom and pop place, you don't go online posting about how stupid they are, or things like he said.

Well, of course they would fire him, they would be totally inept managers if they didn't.

I find it funny that they were being 'out-ed' through social media, though. The same White House that creates fake Facebook and twitter followers for the President and his programs got bit in the arse by the same social media telling the truth.

reply to post by butcherguy


I'm amused more and more by Washington, even though I tend to stay out of politics like someone avoiding the plague. But this guy just had to go regardless of "free speech" or not.

Zaphod58
reply to post by FlyersFan

 

So if you were in charge (or even just high up) in a company, and I went under and assumed name on twitter, and did the same thing he did, you wouldn't get mad, or fire me? You'd just pat me on the back and say "no hard feelings"?

It doesn't matter if it's the White House, or if it's IBM, or if it's some mom and pop place, you don't go online posting about how stupid they are, or things like he said.

Yep - I knew someone who got on their facebook page and posted awful stuff about where they worked, including insulting the boss. Well... the boss saw the posts and fired their butt. The boss had every right to do so. Freedom of speech just means you can't get arrested, it doesn't mean you can't get fired.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I don't have a problem with the WH firing him.

What I DO have a problem with is the following from the story you quoted:

a Twitter feed famous inside Washington policy circles since it began in February, 2011 until it was shut down last week.

Did he shut it down himself? If not, why was it shut down? By what authority?!?

Unless he was posting classified info sprinkled in among the insults, there is NO reason for Twitter to have shut down his account. Inside info does not mean classified info.

Anyone know the details here?

reply to post by FlyersFan



I had to read the title three times I couldn't understand why a white house official would be tweeking, under a fake name.

would love to know what this official has seen too.

reply to post by Stormdancer777

He said it was satire ... he apologized ... I think he wants his job back or something.
What I can't understand is why he was fired at all.
He didn't tweet anything that wasn't true, and he didn't tweet any secrets.

reply to post by Riffrafter


Yeah ... it was shut down ... that's really interesting isn't it.
Gotta wonder who in gov't forced that to be shut down.

FlyersFan
reply to post by Stormdancer777

 

He said it was satire ... he apologized ... I think he wants his job back or something.
What I can't understand is why he was fired at all.
He didn't tweet anything that wasn't true, and he didn't tweet any secrets.

hmmm, there is another topic on this with what he tweeted.