Detroit News Reporter Fired for Inflammatory Comment Directed at Michigan AG

Charlie LeDuff, the eccentric Detroit reporter who has become well-known for his outspoken and sometimes outlandish reporting, has been fired by the Detroit News for a vulgar, cryptic comment directed toward Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

LeDuff has built a reputation for frequently speaking out against Michigan Democrats like Nessel and Governor Gretchen Whitmer. He was no stranger to controversy during his tenure as a reporter for Detroit's WJBK-TV 2, and in addition to being a Pulitzer Prize winner, his career has been blemished by accusations of plagiarism.

Fired by the Detroit News

LeDuff's firing, however, was not the result of the right-wing content that has become the norm of his weekly Detroit News column. LeDuff was dismissed after he used a vulgar backronym on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. 

In a tweet directed at Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, LeDuff wrote, "See you next Tuesday," often expressed as "C U Next Tuesday" as a reference to the C-Word.

Gary Miles is the Editor and Publisher of the Detroit News. The paper acted quickly, firing LeDuff and issuing an email to staff members obtained by Detroit's Metro Times.

“While we stand by the journalism that we have published under his byline, I could not envision moving forward with his weekly column in light of recent events,” Miles wrote.

The controversy stemmed from LeDuff's allegations that Nessel stood by a personal injury lawyer who had been accused of wrongdoing. Nessel then accused LeDuff of peddling "sloppy journalism."

LeDuff Stands Behind His Words

The former News reporter stood behind his tweet, calling his own words "clever" because his column usually was published on Tuesdays.

“I’m not apologizing. I have nothing to apologize for. … I stand by it,” he told the Times. “I said something clever on my own space because I am f---ing pissed.”