CNN: Olbermann donated to three Dems in apparent violation of NBC policy

[Patsy Stone]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/05/olbermann-donated-to-three-dems-in-apparent-violation-of-nbc-policy/#more-133982

November 5th, 2010
10:59 AM ET
By: CNN Political Unit

(CNN) - Keith Olbermann, MSNBC's primetime firebrand host, may have violated the ethics policies of his employer earlier this year when he donated to three Democrats seeking federal office.

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.

[rusty charly]

1. Ayiyiyiyi!

[Patsy Stone]

2. Worse: Suspended indefinitely!

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

(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.

[CC]

3. Waiting to see if it

is in his contract but in the meantime no MSNBC on my TV at all. I haven't gotten over the Shuster thing now this. I don't think KO knew until it hit the media. You just don't embarrass your talent like this but MSNBC seems to do it often.

[Patsy Stone]

11. I'm going to have a lot more free time now

:hi:

[CC]

35. So am I.

Watched Invictus tonight. Might be time to catch up on movies.

:hi: I understand you are getting a cold snap this weekend. Warned Terry he might want long sleeves this week. He said people were running around in jackets already. (He is still in short sleeves and shorts when down your way.)

[SharonRB]

4. Just heard about this about a half hour ago

OMG!

So, now someone I know is going to try to strike while the iron is hot. E-mail will be going to Phil shortly.

[Berry Cool]

5. BATTLE STATIONS, KOEB'ERS!!!!!!

:grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :grr: :nuke: :grr:

THIS. MEANS. WAR.

My email is already out.

Go to it!!!! This cannot stand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SeattleGirl]

6. Sucks big time! Do you have Phil's email addy, Sharon?

My computer is fired up and ready to go!

[greenmutha]

7. [e-mail]

I'm not Sharon... but there ya go!

:hug: to you and :mad: as hell at Phil!

[SeattleGirl]

9. Thanks!

[greenmutha]

8. Long time...

Since I've been here, but NGU baby. :grouphug:

I don't know how y'all feel about Facebook but here's a page already up to bring Keith back:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lets-Bring-Keith-Back/121149904612750?v=wall

[Patsy Stone]

10. Hi!

Thanks for that and don't be lurking so long next time! :loveya:

[greenmutha]

17. Guilty as charged...

But I only started lurking last week! :blush:

Elections, ya know? ;-)

:loveya: too!

[SharonRB]

29. Hey. Green

How are you? Long time no see.

[greenmutha]

32. It *has* been a long time!

:hi:

I've had WAY too much cosmic drama in my life for the last four years, but I'm hanging in there.

(Thanks for asking.) :hug:

[SeattleGirl]

12. I just sent Phil a not so nice email AND I signed the petition

to bring Keith back NOW.

Here's the link to the petition if you haven't seen it:

http://act.boldprogressives.org/sign/petition_olbermann/?akid=2630.139405.vUYFqT&rd=1&source=e1-5mo&t=1

In my email to Phil, I asked him if he were this touchy because KO donated to a political party that he probably didn't support. I further told him I would not be watching MSNBC until KO was brought back (sorry Rachel).

I also asked him why Buchanan and Scarborough weren't suspended when THEY made political contributions.

I hope Phil chokes on all the emails and calls he's getting about this!

[Graybeard]

21. Thanks for that link to the petition.

My comment to them was the same as yours. Why single out KO for what others at MSNBC have done for years?

[CBHagman]

30. Duly signed!

Oh, this doesn't look good.

Meanwhile Rupert Murdoch is laughing all the way to the bank, and the Chamber of Secrets -- um, the Chamber of Commerce is doing chest bumps. :grr:

[GigiMommy]

13. What the heck is going on!?!

This is mind-blowing. This is crazy. Just signed the petition. Thanks SG. I'm stunned.

[SeattleGirl]

14. Personally, I think it comes down to ol' Phil not liking it that

KO donated to Democrats. Phil is a Rethug.

Here's the email I sent to him:

I am dismayed and more than a little angry that Mr. Olbermann has been suspended because of political contributions that he made without your own person stamp of approval. Where was the suspension of Pat Buchanan or Joe Scarborough? Was Mr. Olbermann suspended because his donations were made to Democrats, while Mr. Buchanan and Mr. Scarborough donated to Republicans?

Mr. Olbermann, along with Ms. Maddow, are the two best people on MSNBC. To suspend one of them is preposterous, especially suspending him for an "indefinite" period of time. Good grief! Are you so touchy that you had to do that because he donated to a party you probably don't support?

I will not be watching your network again until Mr. Olbermann is reinstated.

And believe me, there are many of us out here who feel the same.

[greenmutha]

16. You're probably right.

That and the fact that the soon-to-be new MSNBC overlords specifically targeted one of the candidates that Keith supported.

Look here:
http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/what-role-did-comcast-play-keith-olbermanns

:grr:

[SeattleGirl]

18. Wow! Lots of shenanigans going on with MSNBC!

I will say again that I hope Phil chokes on the emails and tweets and calls that are flooding his office today!

[SeattleGirl]

15. Sanders shames MSNBC over Olbermann suspension

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) shamed the cable station MSNBC for indefinitely suspending its liberal host Keith Olbermann for making political donations.

Sanders, an independent who aligns himself with Democrats, called MSNBC's decision to suspend Olbermann, who admitted to making donations to several Democratic candidates this cycle, "outrageous."

“It is outrageous that General Electric/MSNBC would suspend Keith Olbermann for exercising his constitutional rights to contribute to a candidate of his choice," Sanders said, referring to the network's corporate parent. "This is a real threat to political discourse in America and will have a chilling impact on every commentator for MSNBC."

Link: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/127961-sanders-shames-msnbc-over-olbermann-suspension

[greenmutha]

19. Okay...

:tinfoilhat:

Somebody talk me down. Two progressive voices silenced on the same day?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/11/5/173512/907

[SeattleGirl]

20. I'm not sure I can do that.

Looks to me like the Rethugs are doubling their war efforts against liberals and progressives.

[SharonRB]

28. I hadn't heard about this one

What the heck is going on?

[bunny planet]

22. I heard this

in the car coming back from a very relaxing acupuncture session. I immediately un-relaxed. WTF WTF WTF, I have no words other than WTF.

[SeattleGirl]

24. Hi bunny.

WTF indeed! :grr:

[bunny planet]

26. They didn't waste much time

now that the climate of the country has changed back again to the 19th century and all.

[SeattleGirl]

27. You give them too much credit, bunny. I think it's more like the

18th century.

[bunny planet]

31. I stand corrected

Guillotine Guillotine

[Botany]

23. please

[SeattleGirl]

25. Apparently it's okay when Joey Scar does something partisan.

:grr:

[greenmutha]

33. Bot... Haven't you heard?

IOKIYAR! :mad:

(How you doin'?) :hug:

[RavensChick]

34. Sorry for the late entry,

but I didn't even bother watching tonight. I got home late and no soon as I got settled I immediately logged on and started reading the other threads. HOLY SHIT!!!!!! Everyone across the board went into a major league spaz fest on this one! There's a petition on Huffington Post right now demanding that Keith be put back on the air and I wasted no time signing it. Please do so, KOEBer's if you haven't done it already.

I didn't even know about it until this afternoon when I was listening to Rev. Al Sharpton's radio show online at work, and when he said Keith got suspended I was like, WHAT THE MOTHER FUCKING HELL?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Thankfully everyone else was gone for the day. I was stunned and went into shock. All the way home I kept thinking about this so I know it's gonna be a long weekend for all of us.

In any case, this song fits the bill perfectly for a crisis such as this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZujuYiweht8


First the election and now this. Truly this is the Land of Confusion now!!!!!!!

Have a good weekend and please, please, please pray fervently and faithfully for Keith. Thanks.

[Berry Cool]

36. Sorry I forgot to post actual links here

but it looks as if you guys have that all under control.

Jeez. All sorts of excuses are being made for why this happened, of course, like "Scarborough did it in 2007 when the policy was different. No, wait, it was OK because he requested permission. No, wait, it was because he hopped around on one leg and ate a hot dog at the same time while requesting permission..." I call bullshit.

We HAVE to get Keith back. And no MSNBC for me until then.