What We Know About Loathsome Former WaPo Hack Taylor Lorenz After UnitedHealthCare CEO Assassinated: “We Want These Executives Dead”

After the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Taylor Lorenz, a former journalist with The Washington Post, made controversial statements on social media. Here's what is known about her actions and reactions following the event:

Lorenz posted on Bluesky, suggesting that the public's frustration with health insurance executives justified the assassination of Brian Thompson. She wrote, "And people wonder why we want these executives dead," in response to a report about changes in health insurance coverage by Blue Cross Blue Shield not paying for the full length of some surgeries' anesthesia. This statement was perceived as celebrating or justifying the murder.

Lorenz defended her post by stating it was meant to reflect public sentiment against insurance executives rather than a direct call for violence. She emphasized that healthcare executives prioritize profit over people's lives, which she argued was the root of the problem. However, she also shared posts and images that could be interpreted as promoting or at least not condemning further violence against similar figures in the industry.

Her comments received significant backlash from various quarters, with many critics arguing that her remarks were inappropriate, especially given the context of a recent assassination. There was a consensus among some observers that her statements trivialized a tragic event and could incite more violence.

This incident was not Lorenz's first controversy. She has been known for other contentious posts and actions, including calling for peaceful letter-writing campaigns to insurance executives, but her history of social media activity suggests a pattern of provocative statements.

Since leaving The Washington Post, Lorenz has been involved in independent journalism, which might explain her freedom to express views that could be seen as more extreme or unfiltered compared to when she was under the constraints of a traditional newsroom environment.

The discourse around Lorenz's reaction to the assassination includes a mix of criticism for her insensitivity and justification by those who share her sentiments about the healthcare industry's practices. Her statements have sparked a broader discussion on the ethics of public commentary by journalists, especially in the wake of violent events.