Pentagon moves to fire Stars and Stripes publisher, editor-in-chief and Middle East reporter for insubordinationThe Pentagon on Friday moved to fire the publisher and editor-in-chief of Stars and Stripes, the U.S. military news outlet partly funded by American taxpayers, along with a reporter who covers the Middle East, according to people familiar with the matter.
The cause cited was insubordination tied to interviews they gave CBS News for a July “CBS Sunday Morning” segment.
Separation notices delivered Friday gave Publisher Max Lederer and Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin five days to appeal their dismissals. Reporter Lara Korte said she also received a firing notice.
In a statement to CBS News, he said: “According to the notice, I am being fired for stating in a CBS interview that censorship of news for service members would constitute a red line. The Pentagon’s public affairs office has charged me with insubordination. I stand by the principle that Stars and Stripes must remain editorially independent, as required by law and by the department’s own policies.” He added that he will respond through the required process.
In the “Sunday Morning” piece, Slavin was asked about red lines he would not cross. He replied: “‘Don’t run a perfectly accurate story, run this instead. Here it is, written by the Pentagon.’ That would be a red line.”
Korte called the firings “a shame for the institution and service members, who swore to defend the Constitution and deserve the right to a free and independent press.”