— Updated: 5:33 pm -->Joe Scarborough Suspended for Two Days for Political Donations
By BRIAN STELTERJoe Scarborough, a co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” was briefly suspended Friday after Politico uncovered donations he had made to political candidates.
Mr. Scarborough’s donations to friends and family members totaled $4,000. His suspension will keep him off “Morning Joe” for two days.
Those donations were a violation of a policy at MSNBC and its parent, NBC News, which prohibits political contributions without advance approval. That prohibition also ensnared Keith Olbermann, MSNBC’s highest-rated host, earlier this month, after the same publication reported that he had donated to three candidates. Mr. Olbermann’s donations were all made this year, and they totaled $7,200. Those donations prompted a two-day suspension of Mr. Olbermann — and a rash of criticism of the policy.
In a statement Friday afternoon, Mr. Scarborough apologized to MSNBC and said “this will not happen again.”
Mr. Scarborough said his contributions were “not relevant to my work at MSNBC” because they were made “to close personal friends and family members and were limited to local races.” That said, “there is nothing more important than maintaining the integrity” of the NBC News brand, he said. (His full statement is published at the end of the blog post.)
Politico found evidence that Mr. Scarborough “gave at least five separate previously unknown $500 contributions while serving as an MSNBC host — all to Republican candidates to whom he was close who were running for state legislative seats in or near Scarborough’s hometown of Pensacola, Fla.” The publication reported, “After being contacted by Politico about the donations, Scarborough voluntarily disclosed three other $500 contributions to a friend running for county office in Florida.”
Coincidentally, Mr. Scarborough is a columnist for Politico.
It is a surprise that the donations are coming to light now, since another donation by Mr. Scarborough came under scrutiny on the same day that Mr. Olbermann was suspended. That donation, of $4,200 to a Republican candidate in Oregon, happened in 2006; an NBC spokesman said he had asked for permission to make the donation.
He evidently did not ask for permission for the other donations, though.
At the time that Mr. Olbermann’s donations were made public, Phil Griffin, the president of MSNBC, spoke to Mr. Scarborough about other potential donations. “In my conversation with Joe two weeks ago, he did not recall these contributions,” Mr. Griffin said in a statement Friday.
A friend of Mr. Scarborough’s, who asked for anonymity to avoid upsetting a personal relationship, said the eight donations of $500 each were not memorable. “These people are like family,” the friend said, referring to the people to whom Mr. Scarborough donated. “It would be like trying to remember what you got your aunt for Christmas three years ago.”
To some, the suspension of Mr. Scarborough will simply underscore the strangeness of a policy that seeks to protect NBC’s journalistic integrity, but does not differentiate between news reporters and political commentators. Mr. Scarborough is the latter, a former Republican Congressman who shares his opinions every morning on his three-hour program.
There is no love lost between Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Scarborough. But the two men may now find themselves agreeing about a new approach toward commentators’ donations at MSNBC.
The policy toward political contributions “needs debate,” Mr. Olbermann said on the air last week. “It needs to be adapted to the realities of 21st-century journalism.”
NBC and MSNBC’s policy states: “Anyone working for NBC News who takes part in civic or other outside activities may find that these activities jeopardize his or her standing as an impartial journalist because they may create the appearance of a conflict of interest. Such activities may include participation in or contributions to political campaigns or groups that espouse controversial positions. You should report any such potential conflicts in advance to, and obtain prior approval of, the president of NBC News or his designee.”
Mr. Griffin said Friday, “As Joe recognizes, it is critical that we enforce our standards and policies.”
Here is Mr. Scarborough’s statement in full:It was recently brought to my attention that I made political contributions over the past several years that are not consistent with MSNBC’s guidelines. These contributions were to close personal friends and family members and were limited to local races.
Despite the fact that these races were local and not relevant to my work at MSNBC, I have been told they violated MSNBC guidelines.
I recognize that I have a responsibility to honor the guidelines and conditions of my employment, and I regret that I failed to do so in this matter. I apologize to MSNBC and to anyone who has been negatively affected by my actions.
I gave a number of $500 contributions to my brother and three longtime family friends. These contributions were nothing more than simple acts of friendship. I gained nothing personally, politically, or professionally from these donations.
To be blunt, I had no interest in their campaigns other than being kind to longtime friends.
Because the contributions involved local, noncompetitive races — and were given for personal rather than political reasons — I mistakenly believed I did not need approval from MSNBC. I also apologize for that oversight.
After learning of this situation, I called Phil Griffin and agreed with Phil’s immediate demand of a two-day suspension without pay.
I am proud to work for the NBC News family. There is nothing more important than maintaining the integrity of its highly respected brand.
I apologize to Phil Griffin, Steve Capus, and my colleagues. This will not happen again.
Correction: An earlier version of the blog post said Mr. Scarborough’s donations totaled $2,000. They totaled $4,000.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Joe Scarborough Suspended For Two Days For Political Donations - NYTimes.com
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