Politico criticized for tweet suggesting RNC speaker Alice Johnson 'propped up' by Trump agenda

Politico is being criticized for a tweet stating that criminal justice reform advocate  Alice Johnson is being "propped up," following her speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention.

"She’s been propped up as one of the most prominent beneficiaries of the terms of the First Step Act," reads part of the tweet, a summary of news story linked in the tweet.

The tweet also describes Johnson as a "key player in Trump’s criminal justice reform push."

In 2018, Johnson was granted clemency from her life sentence by the president, who was led to her case, in part, by reality star Kim Kardashian.  

Erielle Davidson, a senior policy analyst at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, wrote after the Politico tweet: "This headline removes agency from Alice in a way that is extremely uncomfortable and bizarre." 

Nan Hayworth, an advisory board member for the Trump 2020 campaign, wrote: "Alice Johnson is no one's prop. How dare you disrespect this amazing and powerful woman. You reveal yourselves in your derision."

GOP political analyst Melik Abdul wrote, "Tell us how you really feel bout Black woman, why don't ya!" 

Several other media outlets have derided the role black speakers have played at the RNC this week. Articles in the Daily Beast and the Nation called black speakers "tokens." Joy Reid of MSNBC said that black people were put on display to "make white Americans feel good about white nationalism."