Matt Taibbi
Role at the time: Journalist and author of the Racket News newsletter
Response to this claim
On November 19, 2018, Cea Weaver posted: “Impoverish the white middle class. Homeownership is racist / failed public policy.”
““Impoverish the white middle class” is fascinating because it shows the belief system isn’t about elevating historically disadvantaged groups, it’s something much weirder, and race-based.”
Taibbi's own post, quoting a Michelle Tandler post that listed Weaver's resurfaced wording on the day the posts circulated widely.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Why we used this label
The reference point is Weaver's November 2018 post calling to "impoverish the white middle class" and her related homeownership remarks. Taibbi rejects the stated goal by describing it as race-based rather than as help for disadvantaged groups, so we labeled it Condemned. Challenged the characterization is the closest alternative, but he does not dispute how the post has been described; he criticizes what it says. Evidence level: Taibbi's own post.