Joe Williams the reporter who said Romney is more comfortable around white people is FIRED



The Politico reporter who said that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was more comfortable around white people has lost his job.

Journalist Joe Williams, who made the controversial comments just over a week ago on MSNBC, was let go by the political website in an announcement made on Saturday morning by the editor, John Harris.

'After some cordial discussions, Joe Williams and I mutually decided that the best step for him is to begin a transition to the next phase of his career,' wrote Harris.

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Joe Williams has been fired from the website Politico after a cumulative series of controversial remarks aimed at Mitt Romney and his presidential campaign

Already suspended from his job for saying that the former Massachusetts governor was 'very comfortable' around 'white folks', Williams had tried to claim that he was the victim of a right-wing smear campaign.

However, as commentators and conservative websites trawled through Williams' Twitter account postings, they discovered other pointed examples of his apparent biased towards Romney.

Upon his initial suspension by Politico , the website claimed that his comments on MSNBC 'fell short of our standards for fairness and judgement'.

Referring to his tweets, he was also cited for 'an unacceptable number' of statements and for not being able to 'cover politics fairly and free of partisan bias.'

Joe Williams speaking on Martin Bashir's MSNBC show where he made controversial comments regarding Mitt Romney

'Joe is an experienced and respected journalist, with keen insights into politics,' said the statement from John Harris.

'After nearly 30 years in the business, he has the authority and is ready to give voice to his insights and conclusions in a new setting.'

Williams himself was reported by Politico to have responded, 'While I'm disappointed at the circumstances of my departure, I'm grateful to John Harris for giving me an opportunity to work with him at Politico.'

Before his suspension for making racially-charged statements about Mitt Romney Joe Williams apparently had some other concerns about appropriate race relations in the political sphere.



White House reporter Joe Williams, who worked for Politico since April 2011, tweeted on March 30 of 2012, 'what's most irritating is the overlay of blatant racism. that's the secret sauce in the Politico s***burger'.



The controversy began while speaking as a contributor during Martin Bashir's MSNBC show , Williams, who is African-American said that Romney is more at ease when he makes his frequent appearances on Fox News Channel and implied that race is a consideration.

Joe Williams has been fired from the website Politico after suggesting that Mitt Romney was more comfortable around white people

Saying that Romney 'is very, very comfortable' during his appearances on 'Fox and Friends', Mr Williams went on to comment, 'They're white folks who are very much relaxed in their own company.'

With a history of describing Romney and other Republicans in a controversial manner on his Twitter account, Williams was suspended after a meeting with Politico's founding editors John Harris and Jim VandeHei.

Shortly after the suspension was announced, his Twitter feed became private.



The Daily Caller was able to still view the account somehow, and asked Williams about the 'special sauce' Tweet.

He responded that on March 30 'I was having a bad day,' and then directed any further questions to his attorney.

'Regrettably, an unacceptable number of Joe Williams's public statements on cable and Twitter have called into question his commitment to this responsibility,' the Politico editors said at the time of his suspension.



They have not publicly commented about his allegations of racism at the political news outlet.



'(The MSNBC) appearance came in the context of other remarks on Twitter that, cumulatively, require us to make clear that our standards are serious, and so are the consequences for disregarding them.



Mitt Romney has made numerous appearances on Fox News Channel especially on 'Fox and Friends'

'This is true for all POLITICO journalists, including an experienced and well-respected voice like Joe Williams.



'Following discussion of this matter with editors, Joe has been suspended while we review the matter.'



Making frequent references to racial factors during his MSNBC appearances, Mr. Williams stepped over the line it seems with his opinions last week.



'And (Romney's appearances on Fox & Friends are) unscripted. It’s the only time they let Mitt off the leash. But it also points out a larger problem he’s got to solve if he wants to be successful come this fall.



'Romney is very, very comfortable, it seems, with people who are like him.



'That’s one of the reasons why he seems so stiff and awkward in town hall settings, why he can’t relate to people other than that.



'But when he comes on ‘Fox & Friends,’ they’re like him.



'They’re white folks who are very much relaxed in their own company.'

One of the jibes aimed at Mitt Romney from Joe Williams which pokes fun at his perceived wealth and eating habits

The suspension of Williams follows his continued ridicule of Romney on his Twitter feed.

He has made tweets that allude to Romney being served his food by a butler: 'Jeeves knows my tastes' he wrote when Romney said he has never eaten anything surprising.



Mr Williams controversial comments on Romney begin at 9m 30s



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