Journalist Killed In Montclair Train Fatality Was ‘Defender Of Truth’

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A “fearless defender of truth” died in Montclair this week. But although Eric Boehlert is gone, his memory and legacy will endure, a wave of grief-stricken mourners say.

Boehlert, a well-respected media critic and journalist, has been identified as the man who was killed while riding his bicycle in Montclair on Monday, The New York Times reported.

According to NJ Transit, Montclair-Boonton Line train 1087 struck and fatally injured an adult male on a bicycle near Watchung Avenue station. No injuries were reported to the seven customers or the crew on board at the time. Read More: NJ Transit Train Fatally Strikes Man Riding Bike In Montclair

Fellow journalist Soledad O'Brien spoke about Boehlert’s death in a series of tweets on Wednesday:

“Just got crushing news from Tracy Breslin, wife of @EricBoehlert, https://pressrun.media. Has died in a bike accident, age 57. Adored his kids Jane and Ben, his dogs, biking and running and basketball and good friends, a fierce and fearless defender of the truth. Eric was an amazing friend. He fought to rescue journalism and democracy, which need saving. Worked at Rolling Stone, Billboard, founded Media Matters and Salon, Pressrun on Substack. Brutal to bad media on Twitter, sweetest guy in real life. A terrible loss. 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. ‘We can’t mend this American mess if we don’t fix the press.’ Deep condolences to his family. We all hurt inside for Tracy, Ben, Jane and anyone who loves democracy and journalism. Press Run is not dead. Eric’s friends will make sure this important part of his legacy [carries] on. Quoting Eric: ‘Stay healthy. Be Kind.’”

Boehlert and Breslin are longtime Montclair residents. Although she doesn't know the circumstances of the accident, Breslin said her husband – an avid biker – had lights on his bicycle and wore reflective gear, NorthJersey.com reported.

MOURNING A MEDIA ICON

A look at Boehlert’s profile on the Press Run website gives a glimpse into some of the projects that have brought him pride over the years:

“I'm a veteran media critic who has been monitoring right-wing misinformation for years, first as a staff writer for Salon, for ten years as a senior fellow at Media Matters for America, and most recently as a media critic at Daily Kos. (In my previous life professionally, I wrote about the music industry as a staff writer at Billboard and Rolling Stone.) I've documented how GOP propaganda infects the so-called liberal media culture inside the Beltway, which thrives on false equivalencies while normalizing atrocious Republican behavior. To date, I've written three books, including ‘Lapdogs: How The Press Rolled Over For Bush,’ and ‘Bloggers on the Bus: How The Internet Changed Politics and the Press.’ A frequent cable news commentator, I've made hundreds of television appearances discussing the media, and have been quoted in dozens of publications, including BuzzFeed, the Washington Post, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal. I'm also a Twitter thorn in the side of the D.C. press.”

The news of Boehlert’s passing inspired words of condolence from public figures such as Hillary Clinton and Jon Stewart.

“Eric Boehlert’s death is terrible news,” Clinton wrote. “I’m devastated for his family and friends and will miss his critical work to counteract misinformation and media bias. What a loss.”

“Rest in peace, Eric Boehlert,” Stewart tweeted. “Greatly admired his passion and tenacity.”

Montclair Councilman Peter Yacobellis said Boehlert’s death is a devastating loss for the entire township. Yacobellis issued the following statement on Wednesday:

“Sadly, today I join Secretary Hillary Clinton and other leaders in expressing sorrow and regret for the loss of my constituent and Montclair resident, Eric Boehlert, who died earlier this week after being struck by a train while on his bicycle. Eric's work, defending truth and defeating bias, has never been as important as it is today in this era of relentless misinformation. My heart breaks knowing how devastating a loss this is for Eric's family and friends and the entire Township of Montclair. But also the loss this is for America and protecting the integrity of the first amendment. His death remains under investigation by the NJ Transit police and I look forward to seeing the results of the investigation when they are made public, to see if there is something to learn, something to do to perhaps prevent another tragedy like this from happening in the future.”

“I'm certain I speak for the people of this town in sending light and love to Eric's friends and family in this very difficult time,” Yacobellis concluded.

U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill also offered words of condolence.

"Saddened to hear of the tragic passing of Eric Boehlert," Sherrill wrote online. "Eric was a father, a member of our Montclair community, and a critical part of our democracy. My heart is with his family, friends, and colleagues."

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