Fox News co-president Jack Abernethy issued a statement of support for embattled news host Laura Ingraham on Monday.
“We cannot and will not allow voices to be censored by agenda-driven Intimidation efforts,” Abernethy said. “We look forward to having Laura Ingraham back hosting her program next Monday when she returns from spring vacation with her children.”
READ MORE: Fox News host Laura Ingraham taking vacation as advertisers flee amid Parkland controversy
Ingraham has come under fire after issuing a tweet mocking 17-year-old Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg’s failure to get into four colleges.
WATCH: Fox News’ Laura Ingraham tweets apology for mocking Florida school shooting survivor on Twitter
In response to Ingraham’s tweet, Hogg suggested a boycott of companies who advertise on the The Ingraham Angle.
On Thursday, Ingraham tweeted an apology “in the spirit of Holy Week,” saying she was sorry for any hurt or upset she had caused Hogg or any of the “brave victims” of Parkland.
Hogg dismissed Ingraham’s apology, telling the New York Times, “She only apologized after we went after her advertisers.
“It kind of speaks for itself.”
READ MORE: Advertisers ditch Fox News’ Laura Ingraham after she mocks Parkland shooting survivor on Twitter
On Twitter, Hogg said he would only accept the apology if Ingraham denounced the way Fox News treated him and his friends.
“It’s time to love thy neighbor, not mudsling at children,” Hogg tweeted.
On Friday, Ingraham announced on her show that she was taking a one-week vacation, causing many to speculate over her future with the network.
Former Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly was involved in an advertiser boycott in April 2017 when he also announced he was taking a vacation. The network fired him a short time later.
A Fox News spokeswoman said Ingraham was taking a pre-planned spring vacation with her children.
This is not the first recent controversy involving Ingraham.
READ MORE: Fox News host slammed for telling LeBron James to ‘shut up and dribble’
She was ripped online in February after she told Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James to “shut up and dribble.”
The comments came as James and Golden State Warriors player Kevin Durant appeared on an episode of video series Rolling with the Champion.
In the video, the duo talks about their introduction to basketball, as well as federal and racial politics, including discussing U.S. President Donald Trump.
“The No. 1 job in America… is someone who doesn’t understand the people. And really don’t give a f**k about the people,” James said on the show.
— With files from Global News’ Rebecca Joseph and Reuters
Comments