Liz Wahl

{{Infobox person

| name = Liz Wahl

| image = Liz Wahl on RT America (cropped).png

| caption = Wahl in 2012

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|5|27}}

| birth_place = Subic Naval Base, Philippines

| education = Fairfield University

| occupation = {{hlist|Journalist|correspondent|activist}}

| party = Democratic

}}

Liz Wahl (born May 27, 1985) is an American journalist. She was a correspondent for the Russian government-sponsored RT television network from 2011 to 2014 but left the network following a harshly critical on-air resignation that went viral.

Early life

Wahl was born at the U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay in the Philippines to a Filipina mother{{cite web|url=http://www.philstar.com/cebu-news/2014/04/20/1314025/exclusive-controversial-fil-am-news-anchor-liz-wahl-talks-freeman|title=Controversial Fil-Am news anchor Liz Wahl talks to The FREEMAN.|website=The Philippine STAR }} and a Hungarian American father. She was raised in Connecticut. She graduated from Fairfield University.{{cite web|url=http://www.linkedin.com/pub/liz-wahl/13/246/315|title=Liz Wahl|first=Liz|last=Wahl|access-date=April 25, 2014}} Her paternal grandparents were refugees from Hungary, who fled the on-coming Soviet invasion during the Hungarian Uprising. Wahl cited her grandparents' experience as a factor in her public denunciation of RT and the network's coverage of the Russo-Ukrainian War.

Career

=RT America=

File:Liz Wahl on RT America.png, March 16, 2012]]

Wahl worked at the United States branch of RT since 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2019/08/15/liz-wahl-the-cable-news-anchor-who-resigned-on-air-wants-to-bring-a-global-perspective-to-district-23|title=Liz Wahl, the Cable News Anchor Who Resigned On-Air, Wants to Bring a Global Perspective to District 23|last=Estrada|first=Jade Esteban|website=San Antonio Current|language=en|access-date=2019-08-20|archive-date=September 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190914081859/https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/archives/2019/08/15/liz-wahl-the-cable-news-anchor-who-resigned-on-air-wants-to-bring-a-global-perspective-to-district-23|url-status=dead}} She and colleague Abby Martin began criticizing RT’s coverage of the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation on-air on March 3, 2014. On March 5, 2014, Wahl went off script and resigned her job during her live segment while denouncing her employer RT.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2014/03/05/rt-journalist-quits-live-on-air-citing-russian-intervention-in-crimea/|title=RT journalist quits live on air, citing Russian intervention in Crimea|last=Taylor|first=Adam|newspaper=The Washington Post}} Wahl stated "I cannot be part of a network funded by the Russian government that whitewashes the actions of Putin."{{Citation |title=RT Anchor Quits on Air | date=March 5, 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55izx6rbCqg |language=en |access-date=2022-03-22}}

The video of Wahl's resignation immediately went viral on the internet, with millions of hits on YouTube. She appeared on three major American cable news outlets – CNN,{{Citation |title=Russia Today anchor resigns on-air | date=March 5, 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE3hGrf4s8I |language=en |access-date=2022-03-22}} Fox News, and MSNBC – was also invited to appear on The View, and the shows of Anderson Cooper, and Stephen Colbert for additional interviews.

Then RT Breaking the Set host Abby Martin criticised Wahl’s on-air resignation, which she said was a publicity stunt engineered by Bill Kristol's Foreign Policy Initiative think tank.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2017-rt-media/|title=At RT, News Breaks You|last=van Zuylen-Wood|first=Simon|date=May 4, 2017|website=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2019-03-15}} Barbara Walters initially voiced criticism of Wahl, saying she should not be treated like a hero, but Walters recanted afterwards and praised Wahl's efforts.

Politico published Wahl's tell-all firsthand story where she detailed her early career, how she was recruited to RT, her frustrations working for the Russian-funded network. Wahl's contact, James Kirchick, admitted to having foreknowledge of her resignation but denied suggestions that he had orchestrated the event, stating that Wahl did what she did out of her own volition and that she initially reached out to him months earlier following his own on-air protest on the network against anti-gay legislation in Russia. Wahl told David Weigel writing for Slate that her detractors were behaving as though her contact with Kirchick were part of a conspiracy. It began following his unexpected criticism of Russia's anti-gay laws during his appearance on RT.{{cite news|last=Weigel|first=David|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2014/03/19/an_afternoon_with_liz_wahl_the_reporter_who_quit_rt_and_hasn_t_heard_the.html|title=An Afternoon With Liz Wahl, the Reporter Who Quit RT and Hasn't Heard the End of It|work=Slate|date=March 19, 2014|access-date=December 8, 2019}}

=Post-RT career=

Wahl has reported for Newsy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsy.com/stories/truthers-when-conspiracy-meets-reality/|title=Truthers: When Conspiracy Meets Reality|last=Wahl|first=Liz|website=Newsy|date=March 21, 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-08-20}} Wahl spoke at a peace conference in the Hague and addressed the Parliament of Canada on foreign interference in the digital era.

In January 2019, Wahl announced her candidacy in the 2020 election for the United States House of Representatives {{ushr|TX|23}} as a Democrat. Wahl failed to appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on March 3, 2020.{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/423788-ex-rt-anchor-who-quit-live-on-air-announces-bid-for-texas-gop-lawmakers|title=Ex-RT anchor who quit live on air announces bid for Texas GOP lawmaker's seat|first=John|last=Bowden|date=January 3, 2019|website=TheHill}}{{update inline|date=December 2021}}

References

{{Reflist|30em|

refs=

{{cite news

| url = http://www.thewrap.com/barbara-walters-rips-rt-anchor-quit-shes-hero/

| title = Barbara Walters Rips Russia Today Anchor Who Quit: She's Not 'A Hero' (Video)

| publisher = The Wrap

| author = James Crugnale

| date = March 7, 2014

| page =

| location =

| isbn =

| access-date = March 14, 2014

| quote = Barbara Walters has no sympathy for former Russia Today anchor Liz Wahl. The veteran ABC news correspondent took to "The View" Thursday to address the RT anchor's recent on-air resignation, in protest of the Russian government's pro-Putin propaganda on the network.

}}

{{cite news

| url = http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/03/barbara-walters-the-view-former-russian-times-anchor-liz-wahl.html

| title = Barbara Walters Is Not Impressed With Former RT Anchor Liz Wahl

| publisher = New York magazine

| author = Hallie

| date = March 7, 2014

| page =

| location =

| isbn =

| access-date = March 14, 2014

| quote = Walters's co-hosts gave some push back, but Babara held her ground, declaring, "I think what she did is fine — it's a personal choice, but don't make her a hero for protesting. She is working for the government."

}}

{{cite news

| url = http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/VIDEO-Stephen-Talks-Obamas-Appearance-on-Between-Two-Ferns-on-COLBERT-20140313#.UyMFxM5NYRs

| title = VIDEO: Stephen Talks Obama's Appearance on 'Between Two Ferns' on COLBERT

| publisher = Broadway World

| author =

| date = March 13, 2014

| page =

| location =

| isbn =

| access-date = March 14, 2014

| quote = On last night's The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, Obama appears on "Between Two Ferns," Liz Wahl discusses her resignation from Russia Today, the NSA hires an advice columnist, and Maria Shriver talks "Paycheck to Paycheck." Check out highlights from The March 12th broadcast below!

}}

{{cite news

| url = https://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/05/world/europe/russia-news-anchor-resigns/

| title = Anchor quits: I can't be part of network 'that whitewashes' Putin's actions

| publisher = CNN

| author = Greg Botelho

| date = March 6, 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140306015855/http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/05/world/europe/russia-news-anchor-resigns/

| archive-date = March 6, 2014

| access-date = March 14, 2014

| url-status = live

}}

{{cite news

| url = https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/03/06/russia_today_anchor_liz_wahl_quits_job_onair_in_protest.html

| title = Russia Today anchor Liz Wahl quits job on-air in protest

| publisher = Toronto Star

| author = Peter Edwards

| date = March 6, 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140306214443/http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/03/06/russia_today_anchor_liz_wahl_quits_job_onair_in_protest.html

| archive-date = March 6, 2014

| access-date = March 13, 2014

| url-status = live

| quote = She also noted that her partner is a physician who treats American soldiers on a daily basis.

}}

{{cite news

| url = http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/russia-today-anchor-liz-wahl-686372

| title = Russia Today Anchor Liz Wahl Quits Live On-Air

| work = The Hollywood Reporter

| author =

| date = March 5, 2014

| page =

| location =

| isbn =

| access-date = March 13, 2014

| quote =

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{{cite news

| author = James Kirchick

| title = Exclusive: RT Anchor Liz Wahl Explains Why She Quit|work = The Daily Beast|access-date = March 6, 2014

| date = March 5, 2014

| url = http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/05/exclusive-rt-today-anchor-liz-wahl-explains-why-she-quit.html

}}

{{cite news

| url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/liz-wahl-russia-today-anchor-quits-her-job-on-air-1.2562006

| title = Liz Wahl, Russia Today anchor, quits her job on air

| publisher = CBC News

| date = March 6, 2014

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140307024119/http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/liz-wahl-russia-today-anchor-quits-her-job-on-air-1.2562006

| archive-date = March 7, 2014

| access-date = March 13, 2014

| url-status = live

| quote = "My grandparents came here as refugees during the Hungarian revolution, ironically to escape the Soviet forces," Wahl said, adding she was "very lucky to have grown up here in the United States."

}}

{{cite news

| url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26468837

| title = Russia Today TV presenter Liz Wahl quits on air

| publisher = BBC News

| author = Katy Watson

| date = March 6, 2014

| page =

| location =

| isbn =

| access-date = March 13, 2014

| quote = For the second time American presenters on the Russian backed TV station Russia Today have gone off script to voice their personal concerns about Russia's occupation of the Crimea region of Ukraine.

}}

{{cite news

| url = http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/12/defending-putin-s-propagandists.html

| title = Defending Putin's Propagandists

| publisher = The Daily Beast

| author = Jamie Kirchick

| date = April 8, 2014

| page =

| location =

| isbn =

| access-date = August 14, 2014

| quote =

}}

{{cite news

| url = https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/03/liz-wahl-quit-russia-today-putins-pawn-104888/

| title = I was Putin's Pawn

| publisher = Politico

| author = Elizabeth Wahl

| date = April 8, 2014

| page =

| location =

| isbn =

| access-date = August 14, 2014

| quote =

}}

{{cite news| url =http://abc.go.com/shows/the-view/video/PL5554876/_m_VDKA0_lyp8idot| title =Liz Wahl on The View| publisher =The View| author =The View| date =April 8, 2014| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140516205101/http://abc.go.com/shows/the-view/video/PL5554876/_m_VDKA0_lyp8idot| archive-date =May 16, 2014| access-date =August 14, 2014| url-status =dead}}

}}