Former ESPN reporter Britt McHenry is out as a State Department press adviser after a video showed her throwing a drink at a fan during a Washington Wizards game.
Story Snapshot
- McHenry’s exit from the State Department was reported Friday, October 23, about a month after she joined as a press adviser.
- Video shows her throwing a drink at a fan during the Wizards’ home opener against the Milwaukee Bucks.
- People close to McHenry say fans behind her were making crude remarks about model Winnie Harlow, the fiancée of Bucks player Kyle Kuzma.
- McHenry told reporters she signed a resignation letter, and the State Department said it does not comment on internal personnel matters.
- She left her section to a chorus of boos, and according to reports she had been named that same Wednesday, before the game, to lead press and outside relations for a team inside the State Department.
What Happened At Capital One Arena
The clash took place Wednesday, October 21, at Capital One Arena in Washington, where the Wizards opened their home season against the Bucks. A video of the moment shows McHenry tossing the rest of her drink at a man she appeared to be arguing with. She left her section to a chorus of boos, and the video shows security walking her toward the exit. McHenry was a TV sports reporter for ESPN from 2014 to 2017 and later a Fox News commentator before she took the State Department job in September.
Her side tells a different story about how it started. People close to her said fans behind her made crude comments about Harlow, a well-known fashion model engaged to Kuzma, along with other remarks aimed at women. According to reports, McHenry first asked fans to “ease up” on heckling Kuzma, who played for the Wizards before he was traded to the Bucks. Reports also say a fan threw a drink at her before she threw one back. One witness claims she threw a burger at a fan before people started recording.
A Fast Exit From The Job
The video spread quickly online, and by Friday, October 23, several outlets reported that McHenry was no longer working at the State Department. McHenry herself said she signed a resignation letter. A source familiar with the matter told reporters she was pushed to resign because of the incident. Some headlines said she was “fired,” while others said she “resigned” or was “let go.”
The timing stung even more because of a reported promotion. According to reports, McHenry was named that same Wednesday, before the game, to lead press and outside relations for a team inside the State Department. The State Department did not confirm why she left. A spokesperson said only that the department does not comment on internal personnel matters.
Why Off-Duty Behavior Can Cost A Government Job
Federal workers can be disciplined for things they do on their own time. The rule is that there has to be a “nexus,” which means a clear link between the behavior and the job. An agency can show that link if the conduct hurts the person’s work, costs the trust of their bosses, or gets in the way of the agency’s mission, according to the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, the federal panel that hears job appeals from government workers.
For someone whose job is speaking for the government, trust and public image are the whole job. Federal personnel guidance says that when off-duty actions are the reason for discipline, the agency must show they affect the person’s ability to do the work assigned. A press adviser caught on a viral video in a fight with a fan is the kind of case where that link is easy to see.
Sources:
washingtontimes.com, washingtontimes.com, yahoo.com, pagesix.com, washingtonsun.com, wjno.iheart.com, mspb.gov, opm.gov