Olbermann suspended for Dem contributions

[The Minx]

Link

(CNN) - Keith Olbermann, MSNBC's primetime firebrand host, has been suspended indefinitely for violating the ethics policies of his employer earlier this year when he donated to three Democrats seeking federal office, MSNBC announced Friday.

"I became aware of Keith's political contributions late last night. Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay," MSNBC President Phil Griffin said in a statement.

First reported by Politico and confirmed by Federal Election Commission filings, the primetime television host gave $2,400 – the maximum individual amount allowed – to each of the campaigns of Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway, and Arizona Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords. (View PDF's of FEC filings for Conway, Grijalva, and Giffords)

Conway lost his bid to Republican Rand Paul while Grijalva eked out a win over Tea Party-backed candidate Ruth McClung for a fifth term. Grijalva found himself in an increasingly competitive race after he announced his support of a boycott of Arizona businesses in response to the state's controversial new immigration law and often appeared on Olbermann's show where he found a sympathetic audience. CNN, meanwhile, has yet to declare a winner in Giffords' race, but the Democrat currently holds about a 3,000-vote lead with all precincts reporting.

The contributions may have violated an NBC policy that requires employers of the news organization to obtain permission ahead of any political donations or activities that could be deemed as a conflict of interest. CNN institutes a similar policy.

In a statement to Politico before the suspension was announced, Olbermann defended the contributions:

"One week ago, on the night of Thursday October 28 2010, after a discussion with a friend about the state of politics in Arizona, I donated $2,400 each to the re-election campaigns of Democratic Representatives Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords," he said in the statement. "I also donated the same amount to the campaign of Democratic Senatorial candidate Jack Conway in Kentucky."

Olbermann, as well as MSNBC executives, was a vocal critic of the $1 million donation by Fox News' parent News Corp. to the Republican Governor's Association earlier this year, saying at the time, "We now have another million reasons Fox News is the Republican news channel."

In a subsequent show, Olbermann also pressed House Majority Whip James Clyburn if there was a "legislative response" to a networks that "starts to shill for partisan causes."

A News Corp. spokesman defended the donation when it was first reported in August.

"News Corporation believes in the power of free markets, and the RGA's pro-business agenda supports our priorities at this most critical time for our economy," the spokesman said.

– CNN's Alexander Mooney and David DeSola contributed to this report

Well, that came out of the left field. Even though his ratings aren't stellar, he's pretty well known and I didn't think that they'd boot him like that (I'm assuming that these measly donations are just an excuse).

[frigidmagi]

From what I understand this is established MSNBC policy, journalist aren't suppose to donate. It's not an excuse when they fire you for breaking contract.

[SirNitram]

From what I understand this is established MSNBC policy, journalist aren't suppose to donate. It's not an excuse when they fire you for breaking contract.

No doubt. However, if they could be a little less obvious about ignoring conservative journalists making contributions(Particularly Scarsborough.), it wouldn't look like a bad joke and an excuse.

[frigidmagi]

Well now, considering Scarsborough works for MSNBC that is evidence of hypocrisy. Can I see your source Nitram?

Folks let me remind you that supposedly this is MSNBC company policy. So if you find reporters for other companies (Like Hannity who doesn't make a secret of his contributions) it doesn't have bearing on this.

On the flip side if MSNBC is enforcing this but only for reporters who make donations to a certain political party, then something stinks hardcore and it ain't dead fish.

[rhoenix]

Best I can find is that Scarborough donated about $4200 to Republican Derrick Kitts' failed 2006 Oregon House campaign.

I'm not seeing anything else on google yet, and opensecrets.org didn't turn up anything.

[SirNitram]

Scarsborough: 5000

Some further examples:

Contributor Occupation Date Amount Recipient
BUCHANAN, PATRICK
MCLEAN,VA 22101 SELF/COLUMNIST/WRITER 7/29/06 $1,000 Mountjoy, Richard (R)
BUCHANAN, PATRICK
MC LEAN,VA 22101 POLITICAL COMMENTATOR 5/31/05 $250 Allen, George (R)
BUCHANAN, PATRICK J
MCLEAN,VA 22101 SELF/AUTHOR/WRITER 12/26/07 $500 Schiffer, Paul R (R)
BUCHANAN, PATRICK J MR
MCLEAN,VA 22101 SELF EMPLOYED/POLITICAL COMMONTATOR 3/12/08 $250 Jones, Walter B Jr (R)
BUCHANAN, PATRICK J MR
MCLEAN,VA 22101 SELF EMPLOYED AND VARIOUS MEDIA COM 4/21/05 $250 America First National Cmte (3)

Pat Buchanan.

Not only MSNBC.

CNBC's:

Kudlow: 1000

Gary Kamisky: 1000

David Faber: 1500

And to wrap up the stupidity of this, here's perhaps a few hints of it: Link

Let's see. He's not with NBC News, and that's a clearly different set of rules as shown. Also, note the timing here. Politico runs the story, then the suspension. And only against an outspoken liberal, not the other big names in NBC channels who happen to be conservatives.

My diagnosis: More of IOKIYAR. It's okay if you're a republican.

[SirNitram]

Olbermann is back on Tuesday. Suspending him through Monday was apparently 'appropriate'. Or more likely, they couldn't keep coming up with reasons why he got punished and the others didn't.