Attorney Plots to Get <em>WaPo's</em> Wemple Fired

WaPo media opinion writer Erik Wemple is on the receiving end of threats today after writing about the purported plagiarism of TWT and UPI Columnist Arnaud de Borchgrave (pictured here). He reported today that the columnist has taken a leave of absence. With heated stories comes heated emotions. And nasty threats like these from a prominent Washington Attorney issued in the comment section of Wemple's De Borchgrave story today. FishbowlDC has confirmed through Timothy Naegele (pictured below) that he wrote the commentary. "The comments speak for themselves," Naegele told FishbowlDC. "If you bothered to read other comments about Arnaud de Borchgrave, and the attacks on him, you would realize that other people feel exactly as I do." Oh, we bothered to read the other comments, Naegele. Touchy, touchy. by Timothy D. Naegele 9:07 AM EDT It bears repeating, Wemple, that you are a hack writer and nothing more. It is what you will always be. Arnaud de Borchgrave is brilliant, and he has done more in his lifetime than you would ever do if you had 20 lifetimes on the face of this earth. However, you must be salivating about what has happened to de Borchgrave. Lots of us will be following your every word from now on, to trip you up. And yes, rest assured, we will call for your swift ouster from the Post when you make any mistakes, which you surely will. Hopefully we can say "good riddance" to you, very soon. Another reader doubted the attorney's comments were really from him, saying, "I think this post must be from a troll masquerading as Naegele. There is no way that an experienced attorney would publicly post something like this." (Well, there is and he did.) We also reached out to Wemple for comment, asking if threats make him nervous, if he wishes he had half the life of De Borchgrave or, for that matter, his sexy name? Erik de Borchgrave or Arnaud Wemple both have a nice ring, don't they? Wempled replied to FishbowlDC: "Whenever I see stuff where people are taking aim at me, yes, it's a little jarring at first. But what he's proposing to do here is to become a very loyal reader, which I appreciate. As for the scrutiny, well, that already applies to me, and you, and the rest of us in this line of work. Wemple continued, "I cannot dispute the commenter's claim that I haven't done a fraction of the things that de Borchgrave has done on the face of this earth. He's had a long career. To your question as to whether I wish I had, no: I've been very happy. For years and years, I have enjoyed seeing his name. It's much cooler than mine." A third commenter takes Wemple to task for a different reason -- his caricature. We're going to practice Wemple's pointed eyebrow raise in the mirror later today. Read what that person has to say after the jump... "I would expect essentially identical vague, noncommittal, evasive language and "weirdness" from the Washington Post if the tables were turned and a Post columnist were revealed by the Times for identical misdoings. And the drawing that illustrates your blog--a portrait that could be perceived as an expression of smugness and self-satisfaction--doesn't help matters in a case like this."

Fishbowl

Attorney Plots to Get WaPo's Wemple Fired

Betsy Rothstein

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Betsy Rothstein