EXCLUSIVE: Matthews Received $35K In Speaking Fees From Interest Group

[kpete]

Think Progress confirms Matthews got speaking fees. MSNBC prez denies it

EXCLUSIVE: Matthews Received $35K In Speaking Fees From Interest Group, In Violation Of NBC Policy
ThinkProgress has learned that NBC anchor Chris Matthews has received tens of thousands of dollars in exchange for delivering speeches to corporate interest groups. Matthews’s speaking engagements appear to be in direct violation of NBC’s policy prohibiting its employees from accepting such fees.

Last week Dave Johnson of Seeing the Forest documented Matthews’s speaking engagements, but was unable to confirm whether he was paid.

In 2002, Howard Kurtz reported in the Washington Post:

I’ve been critical of journalistic buckraking since the mid-1990s, when I wrote about a $30,000 speech that Sam Donaldson had given to an insurance group…The issue began to fade as a number of news organizations, including ABC and NBC, banned the practice.

Three trade associations independently confirmed to ThinkProgress that Matthews spoke for hefty fees on several occasions, as recently as last year:

- The National Venture Capital Assocation (NVCA) confirmed that Matthews spoke at its 2005 Annual Meeting. NVCA told Think Progress that it booked Matthews through the Washington Speakers Bureau and that he received a fee of approximately $35,000. He received speaking fees from NCVA on at least two other occasions.

- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) confirmed that Matthews spoke at its 2001 Annual Meeting. NACDS said it booked Matthews through the Washington Speakers Bureau and that he received a fee for speaking.

- The American Hospital Association (AHA) confirmed that Matthews spoke at its 2005 Annual Meeting. AHA said it booked Matthews through the Washington Speakers Bureau and that he received a fee for speaking.

In an email to ThinkProgress, MSNBC President Rick Kaplan said information that Matthews was paid to speak to outside groups was, “Totally untrue…totally.” He provided no evidence to support his claim.


http://thinkprogress.org/2006/03/15/matthews-speaking-fees/

[Richard Steele]

1. "Direct violation"- so fire his ass.

Why do I suspect that THAT isn't gonna happen?

[harpo]

2. yeah...can tweety for breakin the rules...hold him ACCOUNTABLE!

[Chiyo-chichi]

5. Not gonna happen.

Not while Tweety is busy documenting how the REPUBLICANS are "picking the next president."

[Canuckistanian]

3. I hope HuffPo is all over this...

No doubt it will be.

on edit: Nothing yet, this must be breaking news.

[BlueEyedSon]

4. Jail?

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Well, any decent Nantuckett home needs a guest house.

Chris is just a rugged individualist. Finding new ways to betray the public trust.

[Coexist]

7. k & r

[Ninga]

8. Oh let's please have one success, please, please, pretty please!!!!

Let's just get on Tweety's back and stay there for gosh darn sake!!!

Please let's all of us give MSNBC the tweety business!!!!

[wordpix2]

9. last night Tweety was shouting, "The Dems don't have a plan" for Iraq

Hell, Tweety, the repukes don't have much of a plan, either, didn't ya notice?

[Poiuyt]

10. NBC doesn't want to believe this

Not only did Rick Kaplan deny it, but one of the VPs came out defending Matthews too. I hope that someone points them in the direction of ThinkProgress. Here is one of the comments from the article:

>>Yes!!
In the last week or so, I wrote to David McCormick, VP of NBCUNI.com (I think that indicates NBC-Universal). In a carefully worded, diplomatic Email, I asked about the news reports claiming Matthews had accepted speaking fees, against NBC ethics rules, while purporting to be an objective journalist on MSNBC. I also noted his connection to Jack Abramoff and the Capital Athletic Fund dinner.
He sent a typical, terse, corporate reply:
You have accused Chris Matthews of accepting speaking fees from “various conservative, Republican, and other political groups.”
Can you please give me specifics…names of the groups, the date of the appearances and proof of speaking fees.
I shall look into the matter.
Thank you.
David McCormick
Vice President
News Policies
NBC News
He would not accept my inquiry; he tossed it back with “prove it.”
I am glad to see TP has dug into this matter and provided some of the “proof.”
BTW, I did write back to McCormick to express what I thought about his reply.<<

Comment by Marie — March 15, 2006 @ 2:03 pm


I find this particularly interesting because it shows that the execs at NBC actually DO read the emails that are sent their way. If enough of us write to them, it would be hard for them to ignore the fact that Chris Matthews is NOT the non-partisan that he proclaims himself to be.
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