NC state senator calls out 'jihad media' in Twitter rant

A North Carolina state senator took to Twitter Wednesday night and called multiple news outlets "jihad media."

The tweets are his response to various news articles, including coverage of the state budget bill.

Senator Dan Bishop, Republican from Mecklenburg County, is currently serving his first term in the Senate for District 39. Bishop was a one-term member of the N.C. House.

"Petty, jihad media, carrying water as always," Bishop wrote. "Torqued up over 3 hundredths of one percent of the general fund budget. Because, their boy."

Although Bishop tweets that his use of "jihad" in this case means "any vigorous, emotional crusade," he later agrees that the word is commonly used to associate with terrorists.

Bishop's Twitter rant even drew a response from Representative Grier Martin of Wake County.

On Thursday afternoon, Senator Berger released this statement:

It would probably be helpful for all sides to tone down the over-the-top rhetoric against those involved in various forms of public service, including so-called religious leaders using incendiary terms like 'all-white extremists,' 'hijackers,' and 'criminals' to describe public officials. (We have not seen the media hold those people to account.) While Sen. Berger wouldn't have used those words, he certainly understands Sen. Bishop's frustration with the overt liberal bias of some of the state's reporters