“There Will Be No Recess Appointments”: Controversy Over Deleted Post by New Yorker Journalist
Photograph: Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images
On Monday, it was revealed that Jane Mayer, a staff writer for The New Yorker, had deleted a social media post she shared the previous day concerning Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The post, which stirred significant online discussion, included a claim attributed to McConnell.
Florida Voice News’ assistant news director Eric Daugherty highlighted the now-deleted post and shared a screenshot on X (formerly Twitter). In the post, Mayer wrote: “Message to Trump Team: ‘There will be no recess appointments,’ Sen. Mitch McConnell said tonight at a Washington gathering.”
Daugherty expressed suspicion over the post’s removal, writing on X, “Something sketchy is going on.” He further commented: “This news of McConnell telling Trump ‘no recess appointments’ has been DELETED by the D.C.-based New Yorker reporter…. AFTER a sitting US Senator (@BasedMikeLee) and basically the entirety of X got wind of the news. It is a SEVERE F-up for a reporter with a news organization to somehow devise a quote out of nowhere and attribute it to the wrong person.
The event is reportedly in DC, and this reporter is based there.” Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) also weighed in, responding to Mayer’s deleted tweet with: “McConnell is no longer the Senate GOP leader.” The context behind Lee’s statement lies in recent developments within the Senate GOP leadership. McConnell had announced in February his intention to step down as Senate GOP leader in November. On Monday, Republican colleagues elected Senator John Thune (R-SD) to succeed him, as reported by USA Today.
Daugherty and others questioned the motivations behind Mayer’s decision to delete the post, emphasizing the absence of a retraction or correction. “Was she given a command by a higher-up because of the blowback?” Daugherty speculated. Senator Lee, who appeared equally puzzled, asked Daugherty directly: “Any idea why the original post was deleted?”
The incident has drawn attention to journalistic standards and the handling of misreported or contentious claims in high-stakes political reporting. For now, the reason behind Mayer’s deletion remains unclear, leaving room for continued speculation and debate over the veracity and implications of her original post.
