CBS News chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford deleted a social media post and apologized on Sunday after praising a man who questioned Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed about the Muslim Brotherhood during a town hall meeting in Caro, Michigan. Crawford acknowledged on X that her post was a violation of CBS News standards.
Did You Know? Jan Crawford initially joined CBS News in 2009 after establishing a career covering the legal affairs beat for the Chicago Tribune and graduating from the University of Chicago law school.
Earlier, I tweeted a video from an Abdul El-Sayed town hall. I deleted that tweet because it was a violation of CBS News standards. I apologize.
Town hall questioner confronts official about the Muslim Brotherhood
The controversy began following a Saturday town hall where an individual identifying himself as “Tommy” asked El-Sayed if he would disavow the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed replied, “Sure. Yeah, absolutely. Why are you asking the question?” When the questioner stated it was because they are a terrorist group, El-Sayed responded, “But what are you implying? Do you assume that I wouldn’t? You’re asking the question because implicitly you assume that I’ll have dual loyalties, right?” Independent reporting later identified the questioner as Thomas Teepell, who worked as director of operations for Senator Josh Hawley until February, according to journalist Marisa Kabas.
Crawford posted a video of the exchange on X early Sunday morning, thanking the questioner and writing that she had to watch the clip twice to catch El-Sayed’s response. She characterized El-Sayed’s subsequent remarks as a “spectacular self own” that proved the questioner’s exact point. Within hours, the post drew heavy criticism from media reporters and political commentators. The Guardian media reporter Jeremy Barr reported internal backlash at the network over the post, while journalist AJ Katz and Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor questioned why a chief legal correspondent was engaging in editorializing on a public account. CNN political commentator Karen Finney accused Crawford of trying to help spread false and racist lies.
I’m told there was a lot of internal backlash at CBS News to the Jan Crawford tweet – which may be why she deleted it https://t.co/7EtHjkrjgG
Jan Crawford deleted social media post praising a hostile questioner
What did Jan Crawford say in her deleted post?
Crawford thanked a man named Tommy for questioning El-Sayed and stated that she had to watch the clip twice before calling El-Sayed’s response a spectacular self-own that proved the questioner’s point.
How did Abdul El-Sayed respond during the town hall?
El-Sayed immediately answered “Sure. Yeah, absolutely” before asking the questioner what they were implying and whether they assumed he held dual loyalties.
What reason did Crawford give for deleting her post?
Crawford stated on X that she deleted the tweet because it was a violation of CBS News standards and offered an apology.
How will major broadcast networks balance the digital commentary of veteran journalists with traditional neutrality requirements moving forward?
Jan Crawford is CBS News’ chief legal correspondent, not an opinion commentator. Pretty striking language from a broadcast network news journalist about a Democratic senate candidate on her public account. https://t.co/nWmzGaipL4
More on Jan Crawford
Very strange editorializing from a chief legal correspondent! More used to her editorializing to claim it’s not corrupt when Supreme Court justices take huge gifts from billionaires. https://t.co/46ei86HeXk
No Jan – you got caught red handed trying to help prop up a paid GOP operative who was there to spread false, racist lies about Abdul because he is Muslim. Shame on you. https://t.co/Qz9CtDy0OV
Keep reading