Journalists giving money to political campaigns

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I broke down by organization who gave how much to which party/candidate after this article; kkk-ommentary is in bold.

 

Source...

 

Journalists Not Loath to Donate To Politicians

Media Companies' Policies Vary Widely

 

By Howard Kurtz

Washington Post Staff Writer

Sunday, January 18, 2004; Page A01

 

More than 100 journalists and executives at major media companies, from NBC's top executive to a Fox News anchor to reporters or editors for the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, CBS and ABC, have made political contributions in recent years.

 

Some of these donations, detailed in Federal Election Commission records, violate the companies' own policies. But these policies vary widely; some media firms allow donations, others bar them for newsroom employees but not business staffers, and still others restrict only those covering politics.

 

NBC chief executive Robert Wright has contributed &dol;8,000 since 1999, including &dol;3,500 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and &dol;1,000 to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Andrew Lack, a former NBC News chief, gave &dol;1,000 to Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) while NBC president, and Wright contributed &dol;1,500 -- after the House committee Tauzin chairs held hearings on the networks' election night failures. NBC spokeswoman Allison Gollust said the network allows its executives to make contributions and that Wright "does not make any decisions specific to news coverage."

 

Fox anchor Neil Cavuto, the network's managing editor for business, gave &dol;1,000 to a fundraising dinner for President Bush in 2002.

 

"I wish he hadn't," said Fox News Vice President John Moody, who responded by circulating a policy Friday that discourages such contributions. "I hope our people will follow the advice I've given to them voluntarily. The potential perception is that they favor one candidate over the other." But he said he wouldn't ban the practice.

 

A Fox producer for Oliver North, Griffin Jenkins, gave &dol;2,000 to the Bush-Cheney reelection committee.

 

Melanie Kirkpatrick, associate editor of the Wall Street Journal's editorial page, donated &dol;20,000 to the Republican National Committee and &dol;1,000 to Bush's 2000 presidential campaign. Editorial Page Editor Paul Gigot said there are no prohibitions for those on the opinion side of the newspaper and that Kirkpatrick had obtained permission from his predecessor, the late Robert Bartley.

 

Asked about his staff making political donations now, Gigot said: "I'd advise against it."

 

Such donations raise difficult questions: Do employees of news organizations give up certain civic rights? Or, in an age when polls show growing public perceptions of media bias, should the appearance of siding with a candidate or party be avoided at all costs?

 

"A good rule of thumb," said Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism, "is, if this were known publicly, would it cause the audience to have doubt about the credibility of this person's coverage?" That, he said, is often "a judgment call."

 

At the Post, business reporter Albert Crenshaw gave &dol;500 to Maryland Democratic House candidate Ira Shapiro in 2001. Crenshaw said his wife made the donation before he told her that he could not participate in such contributions. Sportswriter Mark Asher gave &dol;500 to Illinois Democratic House candidate Pete Dagher in 2002. He said his wife had worked with Dagher in the Clinton White House.

 

Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr. said he would discuss the matter with the reporters' editors. "You can't make political contributions at all," he said, citing the paper's policy.

 

For this story, the Post reviewed federal election records for the last five years in which donors identified themselves as working for one of 12 prominent news organizations. While no one who directly covers campaigns was listed in the records, some donors report on political issues occasionally or indirectly, or have in the past.

 

At ABC, "20/20" correspondent Jami Floyd, who covered the Florida recount in the last presidential election, gave &dol;500 to the Democratic National Committee in 2000. Clark Bentson, a producer now heading for Baghdad, gave &dol;250 to New Jersey Democratic House candidate Tim Carden. But ABC News spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said all donations are barred "to maintain our professional reputation for fairness and impartiality." He said that "we've already communicated" with those who donated "and everyone in the division understands the importance of rules like this."

 

Troy Roberts, a correspondent for CBS's "48 Hours" who once did a feature on the daughters of Bush and Al Gore, donated &dol;1,000 to Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate campaign, as did Emily Senay, medical correspondent of CBS's "Early Show." CBS News does not restrict contributions. "There is a vast system of checks and balances before anything gets on the air," said spokeswoman Sandy Genelius.

 

At NBC, then-producer Ann Kemp gave &dol;1,000 to Bill Bradley's presidential campaign in 1999. Spokeswoman Gollust says editorial employees can make donations only with advance approval, but could not say whether Kemp had received that approval. Gollust said Maria Shriver of "Dateline" was given permission to donate &dol;2,000 to her brother, House candidate Mark Shriver.

 

When William Bolster was CNBC president in 1999, he donated &dol;1,000 to McCain's campaign.

 

Paul Begala, a former Clinton White House aide who co-hosts CNN's "Crossfire," donated &dol;2,000 to Democratic congressional candidates. CNN reporter Mike Boettcher gave &dol;1,000 to his brother's Democratic Senate campaign .

 

Spokesman Matthew Furman said editorial staffers are barred from making donations, while others are "strongly discouraged." He said Begala is exempt as a part-time contributor and that Boettcher was given a waiver.

 

Newspapers are well represented in the FEC records. At USA Today, Richard Willing, who covers terrorism, legal issues and the Supreme Court, has given &dol;500 to Howard Dean's presidential campaign. Willing has written about court cases involving Vice President's Cheney's energy task force and the administration's policy of holding detainees in a military prison in Cuba.

 

"Howard is one of my oldest and dearest friends," said Willing, who said his editors know that he met Dean in college and has contributed to his state races in Vermont. Asked if the presidential donation could raise questions about his coverage, Willing said: "I wouldn't have done it if I thought it did."

 

USA Today consumer reporter Jayne O'Donnell gave Dean &dol;250 and food writer Jerry Shriver donated &dol;1,000 to John Kerry's presidential effort. While parent company Gannett allows political donations, "clearly if a reporter was covering a campaign it would be unacceptable," said spokesman Steve Anderson.

 

Christopher Schroeder, a Washington Post Co. vice president who stepped down in January as chief executive of Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive, gave &dol;1,000 to Bush's presidential campaign in 1999, before being promoted to run the online operation. He said he stopped donating after accepting that post. "You'll not find anyone who's a firmer believer and supporter of the church-and-state separation than I am," Schroeder said.

 

The New York Times banned donations by newsroom employees last year because of "a great risk of feeding a false impression that the paper is taking sides," said spokeswoman Catherine Mathis. Before the ban took effect, magazine staff writer Barry Bearak gave &dol;250 to a Green Party Senate candidate and travel writer Betsy Wade gave &dol;383 to a Democratic House candidate. Business reporter Karen Arenson said her husband's &dol;1,000 donation to Hillary Clinton was mistakenly reported in her name. Music critic John Rockwell, a former arts editor, gave &dol;2,000 to Clinton in 2000.

 

Rockwell, noting that he doesn't cover politics, said he was unaware of the rules change when he gave Dean &dol;250 about nine months ago. "If there's a Times policy against any kind of contribution, I will observe it henceforth," he said.

 

Wall Street Journal technology columnist Walter Mossberg got a waiver to contribute &dol;3,000 to Democrat Shapiro, "my best friend of 35 years," and reporter Laura Landro gave &dol;1,000 to Bradley. Managing Editor Paul Steiger said there was "some screw-up" and that Landro's husband has assured him that he made the Bradley donation. The Journal's policy is that news staffers "should not be active in either big-time national causes or national partisan politics." Steiger said.

 

Los Angeles Times food writer Charles Perry, who has given the Republican Party &dol;2,550, said, "I cover a non-political area." Janet Kaye, a part-time member of the paper's polling unit, gave &dol;450 to Dean. On the corporate side, former Times Mirror general counsel William Niese put more than &dol;10,000 in Republican Party coffers.

 

"It's a funny situation because we wouldn't prohibit someone from voting," said Deputy Managing Editor Leo Wolinsky, adding that the paper has not allowed donations by those involved in political coverage, but is drafting a new ethics code. He said political donations "can give the perception you're skewing coverage."

 

Newsweek has no restrictions on political giving, and Time bars only those involved in political coverage.

 

Time publishing reporter Andrea Sachs gave &dol;1,000 to a Democratic House candidate. At Newsweek, then-Moscow bureau chief William Powell Jr. gave &dol;1,000 to McCain, and then-publisher Carolyn Wall donated &dol;1,000 to Bradley.

 

Many of the other media employees in the FEC records worked in business or technical jobs or are no longer employed by those outlets.

 

*******************

 

NBC

 

Chief executive Robert Wright $8,000 since 1999, including $3,500 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and $1,000 to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and $1500 to Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.).

 

Andrew Lack, a former NBC News chief, gave $1,000 to Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.)

 

Then-producer Ann Kemp gave $1,000 to Bill Bradley's presidential campaign in 1999.

 

Maria Shriver of "Dateline" was given permission to donate $2,000 to her brother, House candidate Mark Shriver.

 

LOL2004

 

Fox anchor Neil Cavuto, the network's managing editor for business, gave $1,000 to a fundraising dinner for President Bush in 2002.

 

A Fox producer for Oliver North, Griffin Jenkins, gave $2,000 to the Bush-Cheney reelection committee. (stop the presses -- I can't believe this!)

 

WSJ

 

Melanie Kirkpatrick, associate editor of the Wall Street Journal's editorial page, donated $20,000!!!! to the Republican National Committee and $1,000 to Bush's 2000 presidential campaign.

 

Wall Street Journal technology columnist Walter Mossberg got a waiver to contribute $3,000 to Democrat Shapiro.

 

Reporter Laura Landro gave $1,000 to Bradley.

 

Washington Post

 

Business reporter Albert Crenshaw gave $500 to Maryland Democratic House candidate Ira Shapiro in 2001. (Crenshaw said his wife made the donation before he told her that he could not participate in such contributions.)

 

Sportswriter Mark Asher gave $500 to Illinois Democratic House candidate Pete Dagher in 2002.

 

ABC

 

"20/20" correspondent Jami Floyd, who covered the Florida recount in the last presidential election, gave $500 to the Democratic National Committee in 2000.

 

Clark Bentson, a producer now heading for Baghdad, gave $250 to New Jersey Democratic House candidate Tim Carden.

 

CBS

 

Troy Roberts, a correspondent for CBS's "48 Hours" who once did a feature on the daughters of Bush and Al Gore, donated $1,000 to Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate campaign.

 

Emily Senay, medical correspondent of CBS's "Early Show." donated $1,000 to Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate campaign.

 

CNBC

 

William Bolster was CNBC president in 1999, he donated $1,000 to McCain's campaign.

 

CNN

 

Paul Begala, a former Clinton White House aide who co-hosts CNN's "Crossfire," donated $2,000 to Democratic congressional candidates. (next thing you know, you'll tell me Carville donated to the DNC, too -- oh my fantasy world is crumbling down all around me)

 

CNN reporter Mike Boettcher gave $1,000 to his brother's Democratic Senate campaign.

 

USA Today

 

Richard Willing, who covers terrorism, legal issues and the Supreme Court, has given $500 to Howard Dean's presidential campaign.

 

Consumer reporter Jayne O'Donnell gave Dean $250.

 

Food writer Jerry Shriver donated $1,000 to John Kerry's presidential effort.

 

Washington Post

 

Christopher Schroeder, a Washington Post Co. vice president who stepped down in January as chief executive of Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive, gave $1,000 to Bush's presidential campaign in 1999, before being promoted to run the online operation.

 

NY Times

 

Magazine staff writer Barry Bearak gave $250 to a Green Party Senate candidate.

 

Travel writer Betsy Wade gave $383 to a Democratic House candidate.’

 

Business reporter Karen Arenson said her husband's $1,000 donation to Hillary Clinton was mistakenly reported in her name.

 

Music critic John Rockwell, a former arts editor, gave $2,000 to Clinton in 2000 and gave Dean $250 about nine months ago.

 

LA Times

 

Food writer Charles Perry, who has given the Republican Party $2,550.

 

Janet Kaye, a part-time member of the paper's polling unit, gave $450 to Dean.

 

Former Times Mirror general counsel William Niese put more than $10,000!!!! in Republican Party coffers.

 

TIME

 

Time publishing reporter Andrea Sachs gave $1,000 to a Democratic House candidate.

 

NEWSWEEK

 

Then-Moscow bureau chief William Powell Jr. gave $1,000 to McCain

 

Then-publisher Carolyn Wall donated $1,000 to Bradley.

Edited January 18, 2004 by kkktookmybabyaway

[Guest Wildbomb 4:20]

Just for math totals:

 

Green: $250

Democrat: $26,633

Republican: $42,050

 

Well that's...interesting.

[Guest MikeSC]

Just for math totals:

 

Green: $250

Democrat: $26,633

Republican: $42,050

 

Well that's...interesting.

Let's not call contributions to McCain contributions to the GOP. The man is barely a Republican and they gave to him simply because they liked the guy for giving them free booze.

-=Mike

[Guest JMA]

Let's not call contributions to McCain contributions to the GOP. The man is barely a Republican and they gave to him simply because they liked the guy for giving them free booze.

Oh please. Just because the man isn't as far right as SOME members of the GOP would like doesn't make him any less of a Republican. It's men like McCain, Powell, and on a lesser scale Arnold, that are taking back the GOP from wackos like Robertson and Falwell.

[ISportsFan 0]

Just for math totals:

 

Green: $250

Democrat: $26,633

Republican: $42,050

 

Well that's...interesting.

Remember that $20,000 of the RNC donations came from an editorial page editor, someone who is allowed to give opinions.

 

The people that are scary are the ones like "Richard Willing, who covers terrorism, legal issues and the Supreme Court, has given $500 to Howard Dean's presidential campaign," and "Chief executiveRobert Wright $8,000 since 1999, including $3,500 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and $1,000 to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and $1500 to Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.)."

 

There are others in there too, including some important non-opinion people giving to both Republicans and Democrats, but I don't have the will power or effort to go and highlight them all. For instance, the Washington Post VP giving to Bush is also suspect.

 

Jason

[Jobber of the Week 0]

I heard that Maria Shriver supported some guy for California Gov.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Just for math totals:

 

Green: $250

Democrat: $26,633

Republican: $42,050

 

Well that's...interesting.

Take away $30,000 from two GOP donors and you have:

 

Dem: $26,633

Rep: $12,050

Green: Who cares?

 

In addition, look at individual donors and you have:

 

Dem: 22 people

Rep: 12 people

Green: 1 person

 

Ironically, I was going to post all these figures as well but I didn't want to come across like I was trying to push some agenda, which I wasn't with this thread...

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Take away $30,000 from two GOP donors and you have:

 

Dem: $26,633

Rep: $12,050

Green: Who cares?

Well, at this point we can start splitting hairs. We can debate outlets that have a lenient donation policy versus a strict one versus a "well, as long as they're not covering politics" policy. We can debate subtracting Paul Begala because he's a partisan opinionmaker and former Clinton staffer. We can debate bias in a guy supporting his brother's campaign when having a brother in a campaign could ensure biased journalism donations or no. Then we could toss Mike's crap in here about whether McCain should be counted a Republican or not, etc.

 

But that would be a major shitstorm.

 

 

 

I think the initial figure speaks for itself.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Well, at this point we can start splitting hairs.

 

*Carville mode on* That's why I didn't want to originally, but the blatent partisan politics of it all has forced me to turn up the heat more than a kettle pot cooking shrimp gumbo. *Carville mode off...*

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Exactly. To be honest, I don't want to either.

[tommytomlin 0]

All of these journalists have political biases, so what's wrong with donating money to the parties or people they see fit? Outlawing donations from journalists won't remove bias, so I don't think it matters that much. You're biased BEFORE you donate, not BECAUSE you donate.

[Guest MikeSC]

All of these journalists have political biases, so what's wrong with donating money to the parties or people they see fit? Outlawing donations from journalists won't remove bias, so I don't think it matters that much. You're biased BEFORE you donate, not BECAUSE you donate.

The concern is not so much the donation as the APPEARANCE of bias. Journalists need to LOOK impartial, even if they are not.

-=Mike

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

The concern is not so much the donation as the APPEARANCE of bias. Journalists need to LOOK impartial, even if they are not.

 

Damnit, beat me to it.

 

We need Journalist-Finance Reform NOW, even though 99% of the public could care less about it...

[Guest Wildbomb 4:20]

Someone else gets it right.

 

The public wants to have the appearance you're impartial in your news coverage, so that the public can generate an informed opinion on said topic, even though EVERYONE should know journalists have biases.

 

I don't know if accepting the profession includes losing the ability to voice your opinion, but what I figure is that if what you support is something you don't write about, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

Example: ESPN's Dan Patrick gives $500 to Howard Dean. Newsworthy? I hope not.

[MrRant 0]

I like Cavuto.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

The concern is not so much the donation as the APPEARANCE of bias. Journalists need to LOOK impartial, even if they are not.

-=Mike

Is it really that different from a journalist admitting that they own stock in a company during the business section?

[NoCalMike 0]

Well yeah as long as they appear and ACTUALLY DO report unbiased news.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Here, let me ask it to you like this:

 

About a year ago, a CNBC host took some flak because she interviewed the CEO of a company that she owned stock in. Before the interview began, she looked into the camera and explained to the audience that she was a stockholder.

 

Some people complained and said they should have chosen someone else to do the interview. CNBC stood behind her because she was honest about her holdings and left it up to the viewer's interpretation to decide whether her interview was biased/too soft/etc.

 

So what the question boils down to is, do you approve of something like that, or not?

[Vern Gagne 0]

Example: ESPN's Dan Patrick gives $500 to Howard Dean. Newsworthy? I hope not.

Of all the people, Howard Dean?

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Of all the people, Howard Dean?

Well, it didn't say his campaign, just that it was given to Howard Dean.

 

Uhhh... Maybe they had a sports bet?

[Vern Gagne 0]

It does suprise me though. Patrick never struck me has being a Dean guy.

[Guest Wildbomb 4:20]

The comment of Patrick giving money wasn't intended as news. As such, it isn't. I was trying to show that it WOULDN'T be a news story if he did. As far as I know, he hasn't.

 

Anyways.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Understood. I wasn't trying to make it a news story, just pointing out that fake story was suprising.

[Guest Olympic Slam]

Just for math totals:

 

Green: $250

Democrat: $26,633

Republican: $42,050

 

Well that's...interesting.

Let's not call contributions to McCain contributions to the GOP. The man is barely a Republican and they gave to him simply because they liked the guy for giving them free booze.

-=Mike

Agreed, I'm convinced that guy is a Trojan Horse from the Democrats.

[Guest JMA]

Just for math totals:

 

Green: $250

Democrat: $26,633

Republican: $42,050

 

Well that's...interesting.

Let's not call contributions to McCain contributions to the GOP. The man is barely a Republican and they gave to him simply because they liked the guy for giving them free booze.

-=Mike

Agreed, I'm convinced that guy is a Trojan Horse from the Democrats.

OMG, LIBERAL CONSPIRACY~!

 

Please. You're just being paranoid.

[Spicy McHaggis 0]

So what the question boils down to is, do you approve of something like that, or not?

Yes. The same thing should happen with political reporting.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Agreed, I'm convinced that guy is a Trojan Horse from the Democrats.

 

I disagree, respectfully.

 

Although there have been a few things I wanted to smack him upside the head for -- "campaign finance reform" specifically...

[Firestarter 0]

OMG, LIBERAL CONSPIRACY~!

 

Please. You're just being paranoid.

Paranoia in politics is not a bad thing. Hell, I'm still wondering if Howard Dean might be a Trojan horse for you guys from my party... and if so, why none of the guys told me about it.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Agreed, I'm convinced that guy is a Trojan Horse from the Democrats.

Well, you're entitled to your opinion, just as long as you don't suddently start talking about how Zell Miller is the only Democrat with a brain.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Agreed, I'm convinced that guy is a Trojan Horse from the Democrats.

Well, you're entitled to your opinion, just as long as you don't suddently start talking about how Zell Miller is the only Democrat with a brain.

We won't.

 

We've been saying that for some time now...