Eric Boehlert, who spent much of his career as a media critic dedicated to calling out right-wing misinformation, died Monday in a bike accident at the age of 57.
Boehlert wrote for various outlets such as Media Matters for America, Salon, Daily Kos, and most recently, as the founder of the Press Run website. Journalist Soledad O’Brien announced the news on Twitter, calling Boehlert “a fierce and fearless defender of the truth.”
“A terrible loss,” O’Brien said. “We’ve lost an awesome human being, handsome/cool/witty dude who kicked ass on our behalf. Crazy devotion to facts, context and good reporting. Enemy of BS, fake news.”
According to the information shared, Boehlert was hit by a train while biking in Montclair, New Jersey. Police in Montclair reported on Tuesday that a man riding a bicycle was struck and killed by a New Jersey Transit train.
“I’m devastated for his family and friends and will miss his critical work to counteract misinformation and media bias. What a loss,” Former Secretary of State and Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton tweeted.
“We are better for having known and worked with such a thoughtful, fearless and passionate media critic. It was always a treat when Eric would visit the D.C. office; while he was direct and unsparing on social media, he was equally as warm, inspiring, and helpful to his colleagues,” Media Matters said in a statement.
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
