The Washington Examiner’s Joe Concha criticized a segment featuring journalist Taylor Lorenz appearing to advocate for Luigi Mangioni, arguing the man charged for killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was not practicing free speech by enacting violence.
Concha was referring to a segment aired by CNN over the weekend, in which the former Washington Post writer stated that some women view Mangionie as someone who seems to be “a morally good man.” Concha, who is a senior writer for the Washington Examiner, noted Lorenz’s comment was broadcast on television the same weekend that Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D-PA) house experienced an arson attack, which comes after other acts of political violence in recent years.
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“Steve Scalise, several other congressmen, being shot at on a baseball field before the Congressional baseball game that happened in northern Virginia,” Concha said on Fox News’s Hannity. “And then we saw Supreme Court justices like Brett Kavanaugh; literally somebody was arrested for attempting to murder him, while Democrats were running protests, angry protests, outside of his private residence. And all of this has just been tacitly like, ‘well, this is all free speech.’ No, I don’t think so. And watching that interview, by the way, if I could get it to the media side of this for a moment, with Taylor Lorenz, I mean, if given the choice between taking a cyanide pill, vacationing in Gaza, or watching that interview again, I’d consider the first two before the third option.”
Concha continued by slamming CNN’s choice to feature “lunatic” Lorenz after she said she “felt, quote-unquote, joy” when she first heard of Thompson’s murder by the “coward” Mangionie. He also rebuked “goofball” Donie O’Sullivan, who conducted the interview, for laughing with Lorenz while discussing Mangionie, suggesting he would fire him and his executive producer if the choice were up to him.
Independent journalist @TaylorLorenz on what media is getting wrong about Luigi Mangione fans.
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) April 13, 2025
Tonight on MisinfoNation: Extreme American 8p ET and PT on @CNN https://t.co/gMKMhdRmnr pic.twitter.com/JZJAJSMcnh
Concha added that CNN only cares if the content they produce is getting “buzz,” regardless of whether or not it is favorably viewed. However, the “crap” CNN is airing is not stopping them from falling behind other networks and their ratings, ranging from the Food Network, FreeForm, TLC, and the History Channel.
MAN ARRESTED NEAR UNITEDHEALTHCARE HEADQUARTERS MONTHS AFTER CEO ASSASSINATED
“And it’s just not journalism anymore. It’s activism and it’s the worst kind,” Concha stated.
This is beyond vile. Utterly heinous. https://t.co/FALa7zkCwn
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) April 13, 2025
Following Lorenz’s remarks going viral, the journalist has sought to argue that her words were taken out of context, and that she was “actually saying his supporters view” the man charged with killing Thompson view him in a favorable light, and was not saying she views Mangione in this manner. Among the critics of her original statement was White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who called her comments “beyond vile.”