Robin Caldwell

July 29, 2010 | District

Sherrod Tells NABJ She’s Suing Andrew Breitbart

Ousted USDA director, Shirley Sherrod, told a panel hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists that she plans to have contact with the blogger who is responsible for changing her life. Sherrod announced her plans to sue Andrew Breitbart for creating and fueling the digital lynch mob, which led to Tom Vilsack’s firing of the veteran USDA employee.

The panel, Context and Consequences: A Conversation with Shirley Sherrod, featured CNN anchor Don Lemon and two other journalists who asked Sherrod a number of questions about the circumstances surrounding her dismissal from the USDA. Shirley Sherrod stated that most of the individuals who rushed to judgement have apologized, except Breitbart who featured a snippet of a speech Sherrod gave in March, where she discloses having to deal with her own racism over twenty years ago.

Once Brietbart’s name was mentioned, the 62 year old from Georgia told the audience, “I wish Breitbart was here,” and proceeded to share that she plans a meeting with him in the near future. And she also dropped the “lawsuit” bombshell.

During the hour or so panel discussion, Sherrod mentioned that she’d like to invite the president to Georgia for a history lesson, and that she hasn’t had the time to review a draft of the job offer.