Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

White House staffer who mocked John McCain as ‘dying anyway’ loses job

Decision announced a little under a month after controversial comments were first revealed

Jeremy B. White
San Francisco
Wednesday 06 June 2018 04:36 EDT
Comments
Meghan McCain questions how Kelly Sadler could 'still have a job' after joking about 'dying' father

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A White House staffer who reportedly mocked Senator John McCain’s terminal illness has left her job.

“Kelly Sadler is no longer employed within the Executive Office of the President,” deputy White House press secretary Raj Shah said in a statement.

The Trump administration has been on the defensive since it was leaked that, during a conversation on rounding up enough votes to confirm Gina Haspel as CIA director, Ms Sadler said Mr McCain’s opposition did not matter because the Arizona Republican was “dying anyway”.

It has been a little under a month since the comment was first revealed. The White House initially declined to comment, saying it would not verify a leak, and has not issued a public apology.

After Mr Shah said last month Ms Haspel had called the McCain family to apologise, he declined to elaborate further on an “internal matter”.

“If you aren't able, in internal meetings, to speak your mind or convey thoughts or say anything that you feel without feeling like your colleagues will betray you, that creates a very difficult work environment”, Mr Shah said.

Among the more vocal critics of the remark was Mr McCain's daughter Meghan, who said she did not understand how Ms Sadler could “still have a job”

Mr McCain, a former prisoner of war in Vietnam and ardent opponent of CIA-sponsored torture of suspects was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer last year.

He has been a persistent antagonist of the Trump administration, criticising its foreign policy and casting the decisive vote to derail an effort to repeal the healthcare law championed by Barack Obama.

Donald Trump has responded by signalling his disdain for Mr McCain, whom he mocked during the presidential campaign by saying “I like people that weren't captured”.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in