Omarosa Makes a Mess of the NABJ

When Page Six is reporting on the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) you know we have entered a new era.

It was an overheated Page Six story in the New York Post that reported “heavy drama” at the convention because of Omarosa Newman’s scheduled appearance. Of those who were admitted, eight stood and turned their backs to the stage. They were reported to be activists.

“New York Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones was scheduled to moderate a panel on police brutality on Friday, which featured Valerie Castile, Sandra Sterling, and the New Yorker’s Jelani Cobb. Hannah-Jones and Cobb pulled out of the panel, and Bounce TV’s Ed Gordon stepped in to serve as the event’s moderator,” Carlos Greer reported in the New York Post Thursday.

His piece was headlined, “Omarosa causes uproar at National Assoc. of Black Journalists conference.” Omarosa spat with an NABJ moderator spilled onto their guest of honor, AURN’S April Ryan, when President Trump’s aide allegedly tried stealing her thunder, but her camp denies that. Sources present close to April, AURN’s White House correspondent who was awarded Journalist of the Year at the National Association of Black Journalists this weekend, tell TMZ Omarosa continued her campaign of disruption during April’s celebration.

We’re told after her heated onstage exchange Friday with journalist and moderator Ed Gordon, Omarosa cornered CNN commentator Symone Sanders and verbally accosted her for talking trash on social media, suggesting Omarosa shouldn’t have been there at all.

Who at #NABJ17 said Omarosa and Philando Castille’s mother belong on the same panel? Does the President even believe black lives matter? pic.twitter.com/DVXvP9jXR9

— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) August 10, 2017

Other eyewitnesses tell us at some point Friday when April was being honored, Omarosa decided to crash the hotel bar where April and her friends were celebrating, sitting at a table nearby as an intimidation tactic. Fellow journalist Jarrett Hill posted a clip of himself making a toast, with a caption vowing not to allow Omarosa to steal April’s thunder. Sources close to Omarosa deny this account telling us she had no idea April was celebrating there and her presence simply happened by chance.

Omarosa, came to NABJ to make headlines in an effort to steal spotlight from and antagonize April Ryan – as she is being celebrated as NABJ’s 2017 Journalist of the Year. Following her verbal fight with Ed Gordon, she thought she’d stick around longer and come sit next to our table (April Ryan and company) to get a little more attention in the hotel’s restaurant and grill. After she arrived, and requested a table adjacent to ours – like she was in high school – our table paid her no mind, and decided we’d celebrate April. The supposed White House staffer sat idly by, in quiet. I rose for a toast, and invited the entire bar to join me. Congratulations on being true Black Excellence, April; for making a true impact and not just making headlines. Message: Sometimes when an adversary has come to steal your joy, you have to celebrate. Not today, Satan. Not today.

A post shared by Jarrett Hill (@jarretthill) on Aug 12, 2017 at 7:30pm PDT

Omarosa and April used to be pals before politics divided them. File this under Omarosa is a Hot Mess!!