Yashar Ali

Yashar Ali (born Yashar Hedayat; November 23, 1979) is an American journalist who has contributed to HuffPost, NBC News, and New York magazine. In 2019, Ali was included in Time Magazine’s list of the most influential people on the internet, in part due to his large Twitter presence.[1]

Yashar Ali
Born
Yashar Ali Hedayat

(1979-11-23) November 23, 1979
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationJournalist

Early life and career

Ali was born into an Iranian family in Chicago. He grew up in Oak Park, Illinois,[2] and attended Holy Cross High School in River Grove. Ali later moved to Los Angeles, working as a television production assistant on shows like E.R. and Chicago Hope.[3]

Following his stint working in TV, he began working on various Democratic Party campaigns including Steve Westly's 2006 campaign for governor and Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign. According to The San Francisco Chronicle, Ali also worked as a federal lobbyist and has given thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates.[4] Ali served as then-San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom's deputy chief of staff.[4][5] After working in California Democratic Party politics, Ali moved to New York City and contributed to multiple media publications.

On August 4, 2017, Ali reported allegations that Fox News commentator Eric Bolling had sent unsolicited lewd text messages and photos to three female colleagues at Fox News or Fox Business Network.[6] In response to the report, Bolling filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit in New York against Ali.[7] Ali said he stood behind the accuracy of his story and would protect his sources.[8]

In October 2020, Ali reported allegations that the mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, witnessed sexual misconduct by his top aide, Rick Jacobs, but took no action. Within this piece, Ali disclosed that he had been forcibly kissed by Jacobs multiple times.[9] It has been suggested that this reporting led to Garcetti not being chosen for a role in the Biden Administration.

Personal life

Ali describes himself as a Roman Catholic. He is openly gay.[10] He is well known for his love of elephants, and often posts content related to them.

During the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing financial crisis, Ali offered direct financial support through apps such as Venmo to assist people in need.[11]

See also

References
  1. "Time 25 Most Influential People on the Internet: President Donald Trump and World Record Egg Included in List". Evening Standard. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  2. Perlberg, Steven (October 25, 2017). "Who Is Yashar?". Buzzfeed News.
  3. "Backed by Hillary and Bill Clinton, might Stanford University start 'Stephanie Tubbs Jones Voting Rights Center? ' (video)". Cleveland.com. 2016-08-29. Retrieved 2017-10-15.
  4. "Campaign loyalists now in Newsom's inner circle". The San Francisco Chronicle. 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2017-10-15.
  5. "Fox News Host Eric Bolling Sues Journalist for $50M Over Lewd Photo Allegation". The Hollywood Reporter. 2017-08-09. Retrieved 2017-10-15.
  6. Ali, Yashar (August 4, 2017). "Fox News Host Sent Unsolicited Lewd Text Messages To Colleagues, Sources Say". HuffPost. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  7. "Fox News host Eric Bolling is suing a reporter for $50 million over story about sexual harassment allegations". Business Insider. August 9, 2017. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  8. "Eric Bolling Plans to Sue HuffPost Contributor Yashar Ali Over Harassment Story (UPDATE)". www.mediaite.com. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
  9. "Mayor of Los Angeles Repeatedly Witnessed Top Adviser's Sexual Misconduct". Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  10. "A conservative writer attacked a gay journalist on Twitter. This outlet just dropped her". The Washington Post. 2019-03-31. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  11. "Can Venmo Samaritans get struggling Americans through the pandemic?". Retrieved 2020-11-19.
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