CNN ripped for hiring former Republican operative as political editor: ‘WTF?!?!’

CNN is facing blowback from news outlets, pundits and politicians, as well as some its own employees, for hiring a former Republican operative as its Washington bureau political editor.

The criticism comes after a Tuesday report that Sarah Isgur Flores, who served as spokeswoman to former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, had been hired by the news network. She also was a former political operative for Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Carly Fiorina.

CNN confirmed the hire to Politico, but has released no official announcement with details around its decision.

The Hill has reached out to CNN for comment.

{mosads}The headlines around the move were scathing, with many asking why the network would hire a political operative.

“CNN hires GOP operative with no journalism experience to coordinate its 2020 coverage,” reads one Vox headline.

“CNN Just Set the New Standard for Corporate Media’s Chickensh*t Catering to Republicans,” says another in Esquire.

“WTF?!?! CNN Staffers ‘Demoralized’ by Hiring of GOP Operative Sarah Isgur to Edit 2020 Coverage,” according to a Daily Beast report.

Political figures, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), also weighed in on the hire.

“Sorry, didn’t get the latest memo after 1,000 experienced and qualified journalists of all stripes were let go w/o warning a few weeks ago and still looking for work: are we still pretending that hires like these are evidence of a meritocracy?” she asked rhetorically.

Sorry, didn’t get the latest memo after 1,000 experienced + qualified journalists of all stripes were let go w/o warning a few weeks ago and still looking for work: are we still pretending that hires like these are evidence of a meritocracy? https://t.co/Qb9JNgcdT2

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 20, 2019

Many media members also pointed out Flores’s lack of journalism experience.

WHAT? Ex-Jeff Sessions spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores is joining CNN as a political editor. https://t.co/7WXuOnbMce

— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) February 19, 2019

But back to Sarah Isgur Flores and CNN for a second: Remember that she *pledged loyalty to Trump* in order to get her last job. But hey, sure, have her coordinate your 2020 coverage, CNN. Sure that’ll be fair and not full of empty podiums/free Trump ads. https://t.co/c8mhZzVpSZ

— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) February 19, 2019

Throwback to when Sarah Isgur Flores heckled Jeff Zucker about CNN’s Trump coverage in 2016!https://t.co/ZrT2AQSREk pic.twitter.com/9mxP64WYG9

— Katherine Miller (@katherinemiller) February 19, 2019

From Carly to Sessions to CNN: Sarah Isgur Flores https://t.co/jxeCuc4iIS

— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) February 19, 2019

How many thousands of qualified journalists would have to turn down this job before CNN would make this mistake? https://t.co/8wU4bgkhDG

— Lawrence O’Donnell (@Lawrence) February 20, 2019

.@CNN your political director called you the Clinton News Network pic.twitter.com/CZdejic3fF

— Jesse Lehrich (@JesseLehrich) February 19, 2019

CNN’s new political editor has worked for every Republican but hasn’t done any journalism pic.twitter.com/2q1oAgj7dB

— Simon Maloy (@SimonMaloy) February 19, 2019

CNN faced criticism earlier this year after hiring John Kasich, with some questioning why the network gave the former Republican governor of Ohio a national platform to ostensibly to push an eventual primary challenge to President Trump.

Updated at 9:57 a.m.