AP boss defends firing of pro-Palestinian writer despite employee backlash: She put our credibility 'at stake'

Associated Press managing editor Brian Carovillano defended the outlet's firing of its recently hired news associate Emily Wilder on Sunday, telling CNN's Brian Stelter that her social media activity put the AP's credibility “at stake.”

Wilder was fired earlier this month after a college Republican group drew attention to her past activism on Twitter and her involvement with Students for Justice in Palestine. The group referred to Wilder as an "anti-Israel agitator" for protesting Birthright, a Jewish student travel program to Israel. She called the program "nothing more than ethnic nationalist propaganda" and accused Israel of engaging in "the ethnic cleansing and displacement of Palestinians in Palestine." More than 100 AP staffers had signed an open letter slamming the company's firing of Wilder and demanded answers. AP senior executives reportedly acknowledged to staff that "mistakes" were made in the firing process, but ultimately stood by their decision to let her go.