This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
A political analyst for the leftist MSNBC has been fired for his hate-filled comments about Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated at a Turning Points USA event in Utah on Wednesday.
The analyst, Matthew Dowd, had accused the conservative activist of "hate speech" and claimed that was the reason for the violence.
A report at Fox News said Dowd was on video suggesting "hateful" rhetoric from Charlie Kirk "led to his own assassination."
The report cited "two sources" familiar with the matter.
The network already had denounced Dowd's claims.
"During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable," MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler said in a statement. "We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise."
Dowd had been at ABC for years, then joined MSNBC in 2022.
After the shooting first was reported, Dowd told MSNBC's Katy Tur, "We don't know any of the full details of this yet. We don't know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration."
Then he said Kirk was "one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures in this, who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech or sort of aimed at certain groups. And I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions."
Dowd charged ahead with, "I think that's the environment we're in, that the people just — you can't stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have, and then saying these awful words, and not expect awful actions to take place. And that's the unfortunate environment we're in."
Dowd shortly later went to social media to try to soften his own rhetoric.
"In an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. I apologize for my tone and words. Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack. Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind," Dowd wrote.
The report confirmed, "Dowd, a Democrat who was formerly a Republican strategist and an independent, is one of the most rabidly anti-GOP voices on cable news. He made a failed bid for the Democratic nomination for Texas lieutenant governor in 2021."
Fox News' Jesse Watters was among those responding: "Dowd should be fired immediately; I expect him to be terminated within 24 hours. You can't say Charlie deserved to die. You just can't say that, and I hope he loses his job."
