Boehlert’s spouse, Tracy Breslin, informed the Bergen Record her husband was the bike owner that N.J. Transit stated was struck by a prepare on Monday night time. The couple have two grownup kids.
News of Boehlert’s loss of life provoked an outpouring of grief on-line from pals and followers of his media criticism, which began showing in liberal publications akin to Media Matters for America, Daily Kos and Salon in the mid 2000s, earlier than he later turned distinguished on social media and cable news.
“Adored his kids Jane and Ben, his dogs, biking and running and basketball and good friends, a fierce and fearless defender of the truth,” veteran journalist and commentator Soledad O’Brien wrote on Twitter. “Eric was an amazing friend. He fought to rescue journalism and democracy, which need saving.”
Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Will Bunch informed The Post he knew Boehlert for greater than a decade, and known as him “one of the great human beings in journalism — just a good-natured dad, sports lover and outdoorsman who also happened to be a relentless pit bull in the public arena in calling out misinformation or shoddy work in the media, whether it was his bête noire, Fox News, or often at mainstream outlets like the New York Times.”
Hillary Clinton tweeted: “I’m devastated for his family and friends and will miss his critical work to counteract misinformation and media bias. What a loss.”
Boehlert coated the music trade for Rolling Stone and Billboard early in his profession, earlier than he turned his consideration to media criticism. He contributed to the liberal media watchdog Media Matters for greater than a decade beginning in the mid-2000s and likewise labored as a senior author for Salon and a media critic at Daily Kos. He took intention at each right-wing media and mainstream shops for what he noticed as their failings, and in early 2020 he began his personal liberal e-newsletter known as Press Run as a result of, as he wrote, “we can’t fix America if we don’t fix the press.”
“When a radical White House player is eagerly chipping away at our freedoms and the Constitution, we need the press to stand up to the unprecedented challenge at hand — a press corps that doesn’t wallow in ‘Both Sides’ journalism as a way to escape the wrath from Republicans,” he wrote in February 2020.
“His passing is a real loss for truth and will leave a void in the broader media landscape,” Media Matters stated in an announcement. “Eric’s sharp wit and biting insight shone through in his fierce writing.”
Salon stated in an announcement that “his passing is a huge loss to media criticism and liberal journalism.”
While N.J. Transit wouldn’t affirm that Boehlert was the sufferer, the company reported a passenger prepare struck and killed a bike owner at about 9:40 p.m. on Monday close to Watchung Avenue station in Montclair. No different accidents had been reported.
Breslin informed the Record on Wednesday that she didn’t know specifics about her husband’s accident however stated Boehlert usually biked at night time round Montclair, with lights and protecting clothes.
She added that Boehlert was energetic in group organizations and “loved living in Montclair,” a city about 20 miles outdoors of New York City. “This was his spot,” she stated.
The health worker’s workplace and Montclair Police didn’t instantly reply to an inquiry from The Post. The N.J. Transit Police Department is main the investigation, which is ongoing.
This article has been up to date with feedback from Boehlert’s household and pals.