(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)
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.
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 network that “starts to shill for partisan causes.”
Har! Will he now name himself “Worst Person in the World”?
Well the difference is Keith donated his own money as a citizen, while fox news donated as a corporation, I do think newscasters should be allowed to voice their political opinion outside of the newsroom.
The US Supreme Court says corporations can donate as much as they want and not tell anyone. Hence the Republican surge in dough and the out of state money to candidates like O’Donnell and Angle.
Olbermann violated his employment guidelines. He deserves to be fired. Actually he should flayed alive with hot pokers or have a guest shot on The View. Whichever is worse.
Call 212-664-2456 to protest this whether you like him or not, this is America not China.
Fearless prediction: he’ll end up on Fox news. Emperor Palpatine Murdoch will have Darth O’Reilly turn him to the dark side.
Ladies and Gentlemen. First Amendment does not protect individuals from being fired for expressing political views in public from a private employer.
Now, let’s start accusing NBC for violating Keith’s First Amendment rights.
This cracks me up. I am surprised MSNBC (or fox) does not fire people for NOT donating to the official party of the network!
I don’t really need your smart mouth McCullough. Guys like Oreilley cause murder ‘Dr Tiller the baby killer’ and Keith gets suspended? When did I descend into Bizarow world?
He signed a contract; rules are rules. He should not have agreed to the company’s news organization ethics policies. Instead he should of put the pen down and gone looking for a job somewhere else… Harry #3 in China he would have been praised because there is only yuan party…
First of all Olbermann is not a newscaster. He does opinion pieces. If you watch his show there is no doubt where his views fall in the political spectrum. He makes no pretenses. Why shouldn’t he be able to donate money to causes or politicians that he agrees.
(I can’t believe I’m sticking up for Olbermann. I just threw up a little bit in the back of my mouth.)
Maybe he can get a job at NPR.
Good for them! I’m glad to see organizations like MSNBC stick to far higher standards than the joke entertainment networks like Fox. He’s not Glen Beck, he should have known better!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
This asshole is such a douchebag, I am splitting my sides laughing over his stupidity.
What a dickwad.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
That dyke bitch Maddow is next, I hope.
Faxon, Maddow is just one more women you’ll never have sex with.
So MSNBC was meeting all the other standards NBC sets for a news organization?
This is another example of fascism. The corporate bosses sucking up to the new Republican majority.
#7. “I don’t really need your smart mouth McCullough.”
Hey, my job is to throw the bone in the ring…and let the dogs fight over it.
#13 What makes you think I am not gay?
I’m not taking up for Olberman, but $2,400?? C,mon………..
Faxon, oh pardon moi. You win. 😉
P.S. Faxon’s got game.
McCullough–I think #7 (he actually writes like No 2 if you know what I mean) is completely attributing the quoted linked material to yourself. YOUR only actual contribution to the dog fight was your anti-Olberman comment: “Har! Will he now name himself “Worst Person in the World”? is actually only insightful and funny.
#7–who writes like No 2, if you know what I mean==see how the linked material works? Work on it, it will come with a bit of review.
I like Olberman and the whole MSNBC crew. The “no donations” policy is really to protect the individual talking heads from the coercion that can arise when talking to political/business personalities. Olberman should have used a proxy if he thought the 2,400 was that important.
Sounds like more of an excuse to cover up something else and if Olbermann is let go, can’t be good for the much hotter Ed and the much more iconoclastic Ratigan. I don’t see any sense of “proportion” here. Bad business management practice if this is all there is.
First warning should be verbal, then written, then suspension unless action is outrageous which here it is not.
I wonder if James Thurber had a short one on a dog being off his leash?
So, according to the story he was suspended not because of the donations, but because he did not obtain permission in advance.
For this, he gets to sit on the time-out stool.
Sounds like a setup to me. Kentucky and Arizona representatives; yeah, there’s the tipping point. I wonder how easy it is to spoof a donation or three.
Joe Scarborough, the other host, donated to Republicans and that’s okay with MSNBC.
What’s up with that?
AC
#22 AC, what’s up with that is that Scarborough is a Republican. IOKIYAR.
If Keith gave cash to the GOP. Then it would make a bit of sence.
MSNBC sticking up for their own principles I’d expect NPR to try but MSNBC I’d lumped them into just a Fox-left wannabe. This is a good sign lets hope its a path they stay on.
FOX making an open $1 million donation says all anyone needs to know about their narrative and remember as a corporation they could have pumped lot more secret money into Swift Boat type shell organization’s attack adds, plus their 23/7 Right Wing format is just a big GOP add
I’ll admit I watched the Maddow show the day she came to my city to cover our Senate 3-way and I was surprised that she gave the Republican and Tea candidates an equal fair chance to state their case.
I had lumped her into a just a Hannity for the left and I was wrong.
If I find myself in the unlikely situation of watching Cable TV News at her time slot I’ll give her another look.
I’m not defending Olbermann (I don’t watch him) but I have to think there is something not being reported here.
Why would he break this rule when he knew political donations are public record?
That doesn’t make a lick of sense.
The story might make sense if he tried to secretly give via a third party like his wife or an assistant. But just a straight donation in his own name? Doesn’t make sense.
All this noise in comments but no mention of additional level of his problems: not only have he donated against rules but it looks like he “paid off” guests on his show. Donation to one of them happened the same day as that person appeared on his show… That is much more than just violating rules or free speech. It is media corruption in practice.
Greg Allen, I think he was just stupid. Plain and simple.
Maybe there’s some “injustice” here but Olbermann is another whining, self righteous, middle aged white guy like Glenn Beck or Hannity. Like Alfred.
Don’t diss on Maddow and Limbaugh though. They both have game. Like Faxon.
In reality he probably got “suspended indefinitely” because of low ratings. Microsoft NBC didn’t want to admit as much, and made up a silly excuse to replace him.
Yup. Let’s bring back the Hatch Act, too, while we’re reducing political freedoms.
It’s the Republikan thing to do.
I realize that the Morans here who still think Microsoft owns any of MSNBC – or that Olbermann’s ratings have diminished – will probably have to run and Google the Hatch Act, as well.
What a flock of ignoranuses.