Britt McHenry made headlines this week for both of the worst possible reasons. On Wednesday, the 40-year-old was promoted to lead External Affairs&Press for State Department under secretary Jacob Helberg’s team. On Thursday, she was forced to resign, according to a source, after a Wizards-Bucks game at Capital One Arena ended with her escorted out for throwing a drink at fans. That’s a full career arc in under 24 hours.
The details depend on who’s telling it. A source says a heckler made crude remarks about Milwaukee Bucks player Kyle Kuzma and his fiancée, model Winnie Harlow, before a drink was thrown at McHenry. Video obtained by TMZ shows her tossing a drink back while fans chanted“Get her out!”The State Department declined to comment on internal personnel matters, and McHenry did not respond to requests for comment.
The story is familiar territory for anyone who follows press scandals: back in 2015, ESPN suspended McHenry after she was caught on camera berating a towing company employee. Two viral moments, one decade, and Washington’s reaction this time was almost immediate. What’s your take: should a caught-on-camera moment cost someone a brand-new job, or should the response matter more than the chants?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.