UPDATE: The NYT is reporting that Katie Rich has been suspended.
“She was suspended immediately after her tweet, and her suspension is indefinite, according to someone familiar with the plans at “S.N.L.,” who was not authorized by NBC to comment on personnel matters.”
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On Inauguration Day, a “Saturday Night Live” writer attacked President Donald Trump’s 10-year-old son on Twitter.
Katie Rich wrote in a now deleted tweet that the presidential son “will be this country’s first homeschool shooter” and faced an immediate backlash for attacking a 10-year-old boy. She has since deleted her social media accounts and personal web page.
![President Donald Trump shares a laugh with first lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump as they sit in the reviewing stand during Trump's inaugural parade on Pennsylvania Ave. outside the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)](https://pjmedia.com/trending/user-content/51/files/2017/01/Trump-family-1024x683.jpg)
President Donald Trump shares a laugh with first lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump as they sit in the reviewing stand during Trump’s inaugural parade on Pennsylvania Ave. outside the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
NBC has no comment on Rich’s behavior.
While a rep for “SNL” told us “NBC will not be commenting,” Rich’s name was not listed as a writer for the show’s latest episode which aired one day after Rich’s tweet. She has been a writer for “SNL” since 2013.
A petition on change.org demands that NBC fire the writer. So far, almost 50,000 people have signed the petition.
NBC’s website was full of outraged comments over Rich’s attack.
“Fire Katie Rich! She had no business attacking a 10 year old child,” one person wrote.
Someone else wrote, “Time for SNL to re-evaluate it’s mission and raise the bar for what constitutes humor and become a positive influence in our culture.”
Another added, “Katie Rich, along with NBC and SNL, who advocate her behavior are once again willing to stoop to the depths of hell for the sake of ratings, I suppose. The whole lot who think it’s funny to berate and dehumanize anyone, especially a child, is despicable and classless.”
The media’s reaction to Rich’s tweet is much different than the reaction they had to former Hill staffer Elizabeth Lauten.
Lauten wrote on her private Facebook page that the Obama girls should show “a little class” while at the 2014 Thanksgiving turkey pardoning event.
“Rise to the occasion. Dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at the bar,” Lauten wrote. “And certainly don’t make faces during televised, public events.”
![FILE - In this Nov. 26, 2014 file photo, President Barack Obama, joined by his daughters Malia, right, and Sasha, center, speaks at the White House, in Washington during the presidential turkey pardon ceremony, an annual Thanksgiving tradition. An aide to a Republican congressman has resigned after her critical comments about President Barack Obama's daughters touched off a backlash. Elizabeth Lauten, communications director to Rep. Stephen Fincher of Tennessee, commented on Malia and Sasha Obama's pose and dress at a White House ceremony last week in which the president pardoned a turkey. She wrote that the girls should have shown more class. Lauten later apologized for the comments on her Facebook page that had drawn harsh criticism.(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)](https://pjmedia.com/trending/user-content/51/files/2017/01/ObamaGirlsTgiving-1024x683.jpg)
In this Nov. 26, 2014 file photo, President Barack Obama, joined by his daughters Malia, right, and Sasha, center, speaks at the White House, in Washington during the presidential turkey pardon ceremony, an annual Thanksgiving tradition. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
Lauten was very apologetic about her comments.
“I quickly judged the two young ladies in a way that I would never have wanted to be judged myself as a teenager,” she wrote.
“After many hours of prayer, talking to my parents, and re-reading my words online I can see more clearly just how hurtful my words were. . . . I pledge to learn and grow (and I assure you I have) from this experience.”
She also resigned from her position on Capitol Hill.
Welcome to the Trump administration, where presidential children aren’t off limits anymore.
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