SPJ Director of Communications, Scott Leadingham said the group initially considered removing Thomas’ name from the award following her comments last summer. He says the decision isn’t being rushed and may be based on the discretion of both SPJ’s headquarters staff and board of directors.

The Society of Professional Journalists’ executive committee is expected to meet Jan. 8 in Nashville, Tenn., to discuss whether or not to revoke its Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was first distributed in 2000. Past recipients include former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw. SPJ is reconsidering the award because of the remarks Thomas made at a diversity workshop in Dearborn on Dec. 2. During her speech at the conference Thomas said, “…Congress, the White House and Hollywood, Wall Street are owned by Zionists. No question in my opinion…”

Thomas, a legendary White House correspondent and former Hearst Newspaper columnist who covered every presidential administration in the United States from Dwight Eisenhower to John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama also stirred up controversy last May during a Jewish American Heritage Month celebration at the White House. During the event, a rabbi asked Thomas, “Any comments on Israel?” to which Thomas replied, “Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine.”

SPJ Director of Communications, Scott Leadingham said the group initially considered removing Thomas’ name from the award following her comments last summer. He says the decision isn’t being rushed and may be based on the discretion of both SPJ’s headquarters staff and board of directors. “It’s not just the executive board, the full board can take up the issue,” he said.

SPJ’s online publication, Quill, has been open for accepting input on the controversy. Letters have been sent to quill@spj.org.

The society’s President, Hagit Limor, says it’s uncertain whether a decision will be reached on Saturday. “It’s an agenda item to discuss,” Limor said. “We meet and talk to discuss things. Some require action, some don’t require action.”

According to The Detroit News, Limor has received hundreds of emails on the controversy that include mixed reactions. SPJ has nearly 10,000 members. 

Thomas’ alma mater Wayne State University issued a statement calling Thomas’ most recent remarks anti-Semitic and removed her name from its annual Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity Award the day after she made the comments. Thomas graduated from WSU in 1942 and is among its most notable alumni.

“…They will be considering it in a considerate process,” Leadingham said.