Conservative pundit who entered Pelosi's office on Jan. 6 fired for allegedly groping coworker

On Thursday, The Daily Beast reported that Elijah Schaffer, a right-wing podcaster considered a rising star at Glenn Beck's "The Blaze," has been fired over an accusation of sexual misconduct.

"On Sept. 24, The Blaze announced on Twitter that Schaffer had been 'terminated for violating company policies and standards' after an 'investigation regarding a personal matter.' Schaffer, a prominent conservative commentator who boasts more than 470,000 followers on Twitter, confirmed his firing on the site and announced plans to go independent, adding that it was 'a long time coming,'" said the report. "Schaffer’s firing surprised many in the right-wing media, where Schaffer has been seen as an up-and-comer since he rose to prominence covering riots in the aftermath of the 2020 murder of George Floyd. But the actual reason for Schaffer’s firing was not made public."

It turns out that Schaffer was fired after an investigation into a sexual harassment complaint made against him by a colleague, Sara Gonzales.

"The alleged incident took place in Dallas on Aug. 26, at the premiere of Uncle Tom II, a conservative film that Schaffer co-produced," said the report. "Gonzales and Schaffer were seated next to each other in the theater, according to a picture that Schaffer tweeted before the film. As the film played, according to a complaint made to management at The Blaze and described to The Daily Beast, an intoxicated Schaffer began to grope her breasts."

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Schaffer had previously gained notoriety after he followed Capitol rioters, whom he called "revolutionaries," into the building on January 6, including into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office. He was briefly investigated by federal authorities after tweeting a picture of Pelosi's inbox.

According to the report, even before this incident, Schaffer had had a rocky relationship with Beck over the latter's Mormon faith: "In May, Schaffer tweeted that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are 'going to hell' because 'Mormons are not Christians.' 'Assuming I’m one of the ‘many’ nice people, who the Lord has made clear to you is condemned, I just need to know if you still want a guy who is going to hell as a mentor?' Beck shot back."