Former Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh said he was taken off the air during his radio show on Thursday night during a discussion about racial slurs.
"Just got kicked off the air until further notice," the Republican said in a message on Twitter. "Tried to have honest discussion about racist terms and management censored my language."
Walsh hosts a weekday show -- "The Joe Walsh Show" -- on Rolling Meadows-based WIND-AM 560. The show is also broadcast on WNYM-AM 970 in New York City. The stations, both branded "The Answer," are owned by Salem Communications.
Thursday evening's discussion centered on the controversial nickname of the Washington, D.C., Redskins football team.
The station keeps cutting me off. I don't know why
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) June 19, 2014
And here comes to the General Manager. It appears I can say Redskins, which is supposedly offensive, but when I say other words, commercial
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) June 19, 2014
Just got kicked off the air until further notice. Tried to have honest discussion about racist terms and management censored my language.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) June 20, 2014
Found out if I said Redskins or Cracker or Redneck Bible Thumper, I could stay on. But if I said Nigger or Spick, they cut me off.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) June 20, 2014
In a follow-up Tweet, he said he wasn't sure what would happen next.
"We'll find out Friday at 5 p.m.," he said.
The Daily Herald reportedly reached Walsh by phone after the incident.
Walsh said he wouldn't direct offensive terms at people but said he was making a point that the NFL team name isn't treated by the media as being as offensive as other offensive language, the newspaper reported.
A podcast of the radio show was not available on the WalshFreedom.com website Friday morning, but the Herald said Walsh questioned on the program why a CNN anchor could use the team name but wouldn't say an outdated term for black people. Walsh said the word, and the station abruptly went to a commercial.
NBC Chicago reached out to station management but did not receive a response as of 7 a.m. Friday.
The former 8th District representative joined the station about 15 months ago after one term in Congress. He was defeated in the November 2012 election by Tammy Duckworth.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office earlier this week cancelled six Washington Redskins trademarks, ruling that the polarizing moniker is "disparaging to Native Americans."
