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ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith Slams Writer For Implying Georgia DA Fani Willis Was A DEI Hire

February 21, 2024

Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis charged Donald Trump with 13 felonies which she claimed was an attempt on his part to undermine the 2020 presidential election in a state Joe Biden won.

Willis also appointed special counsel Nathan Wade to the case, who she has since acknowledged she had a personal relationship with.

To most observers, this might seem like a conflict of interest. Willis denies there is any conflict of interest.

The whole mess led to Newsweek writer Kira Davis wondering if Willis, a black woman, was incompetent and only has her position due to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mandates.

That accusation ticked off ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

‘This Woman Should be Ashamed of Herself’

Kira Davis wrote that Willis’s recent defense of herself in court during her misconduct hearing revealed that the “diversity-first system” has become an “unmitigated disaster for hard-working Black Americans.”

During a Sunday broadcast, Smith took a moment away from sports to get political and blast Davis and her accusation.

“This woman should be ashamed of herself,” Smith said of Davis. “Because no matter what Fani Willis may have done wrong, it has absolutely nothing to do with diversity, equity, and inclusion. It has absolutely nothing to do with DEI.”

“The office that she has, no one is disputing that she’s qualified for it,” he insisted. “You may not like her and her personal choices — having a relationship with a contemporary. I get that part; but to sit up there and to say it’s a DEI issue just because she’s in her position is utterly ridiculous.”

DEI efforts are supposed to promote people from groups who are allegedly underrepresented in the workplace. Critics of DEI say that this means putting members of the minority community in positions they neither deserve or are necessarily suited for, in the name of political racial quotas.

Which is what Davis seemed to imply about Willis.

Smith also didn’t like Davis’ description of Willis as “angry” and “stupid.” According to him, these words message a certain kind of racism.

“By the way, a Black woman accusing Fani Willis of not being polished and classy and not being able to remain even-keeled,” Smith said, “while responding to an uncomfortable barrage of questions on the witness stand…”

“So, she had an attitude. She didn’t like being barraged with questions the way that she was, and so that attitude came out in her; and because of that, that compromises her qualifications?” Smith added.

Smith’s interpretation of Willis’ attitude and demeanor on the stand is not shared by everyone. Here is one of the episodes in question:

“It makes no sense, Ms. Davis,” Smith said. “It makes no sense whatsoever. You need to stop,” he finished.

DEI Hire or Not?

Stephen A. Smith is one of ESPN’s top personalities.

Willis is obviously in an important position, making charges that could affect a former – and possibly future – president of the United States.

Whether DEI being a part of Fani Willis being in that position is debatable.

But it’s clearly true at least one ESPN host doesn’t like that charge.

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