{"id":199217,"date":"2016-10-18T15:41:30","date_gmt":"2016-10-18T21:41:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=199217"},"modified":"2016-10-18T15:41:30","modified_gmt":"2016-10-18T21:41:30","slug":"almost-all-journalists-donating-to-presidential-hopefuls-give-to-clinton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2016\/10\/almost-all-journalists-donating-to-presidential-hopefuls-give-to-clinton\/","title":{"rendered":"Almost all journalists donating to presidential hopefuls give to Clinton"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_140871\"  class=\"wp-caption module image alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 771px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/gageskidmore\/25982365345\/in\/photolist-FzYq1i-F8qv4E-FpiUUf-FzY6t8-FpiH1W-FzYDNP-F8pG4h-FrA7y2-F8q9xQ-FphUTL-FxFUP7-D1G26b-DsNvZk-CUh26p-FrAt4v-ECpCPi-FzXUhR-EC4rsm-FpjqgS-Fpisrq-FphXW9-EC4M3J-FxG3Yo-FzZCtc-FxFWe1-ECpr1D-FrAc8H-F8qANf-FphQBj-ECpUR8-EC4B83-FxFQd3-EBrw3W-FqXQHr-Fzmpsg-F7MNdJ-F7MFQy-F7UHKS-FoMDmb-FzsVYV-F7UoMw-FzZUsr-Fpj6W5-F8qPGS-C7MPej-CWXStz-CC9hbs-D2ZN8b-C7KSXA-CWYNXp\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-140871 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Clinton-Hillary-771x523.jpg\" alt=\"Hillary Clinton\" width=\"771\" height=\"523\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Clinton-Hillary-771x523.jpg 771w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Clinton-Hillary-336x228.jpg 336w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Clinton-Hillary-768x521.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Clinton-Hillary-1170x794.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Clinton-Hillary.jpg 1483w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Gage Skidmore \/ Creative Commons<\/p><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hillary Clinton speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix on March 21. (<a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/2.0\/\" target=\"_blank\">photo cc info<\/a>)<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>New Yorker<\/em> television critic Emily Nussbaum, a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pulitzer.org\/winners\/emily-nussbaum\" target=\"_blank\">newly minted<\/a> Pulitzer Prize winner, spent the Republican National Convention pen-pricking presidential nominee <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/news\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\">Donald Trump<\/a> as a misogynist shyster running an \u201cugly and xenophobic campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What Nussbaum didn\u2019t disclose in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/culture\/culture-desk\/the-r-n-c-on-tv-ivankas-weaponized-graciousness\" target=\"_blank\">her<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/culture\/culture-desk\/the-r-n-c-on-tv-another-unbelievable-evening\" target=\"_blank\">dispatches<\/a>: she <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201607309022013550\" target=\"_blank\">contributed $250<\/a> to Democrat <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/news\/Hillary-Clinton\" target=\"_blank\">Hillary Clinton<\/a> in April.<\/p>\n<p>On the nation\u2019s left coast, Les Waldron, an <a href=\"http:\/\/nataspsw.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/2012-Emmy-Award-Recipients.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Emmy Award-winning<\/a> assignment editor at television station KFMB, the CBS affiliate in San Diego, swung right in July, <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201608209023694982\" target=\"_blank\">shooting $28<\/a> to Trump.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"module align-left half type-aside\">\n<h3>About this article<\/h3>\n<p>This story comes from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2016\/10\/17\/20330\/journalists-shower-hillary-clinton-campaign-cash\" target=\"_blank\">Center for Public Integrity<\/a>, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative media organization in Washington, D.C. It\u2019s\u00a0part of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/politics\/buying-president-2016\" target=\"_blank\">Buying of the President 2016<\/a>. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/politics\/buying-president-2016\" target=\"_blank\">Click here<\/a> to read more stories in this investigation.\u00a0A version of this story was published by the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cjr.org\/covering_the_election\/campaign_donations_journalists.php\" target=\"_blank\">Columbia Journalism Review<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>And Carole Simpson, a former ABC \u201cWorld News Tonight\u201d anchor who in 1992 became the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/she-the-people\/wp\/2012\/10\/11\/moderators\/\" target=\"_blank\">first<\/a> African-American woman to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=P23l6uyDVsc\" target=\"_blank\">moderate<\/a> a presidential debate, is not moderate about her personal politics: the current <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emerson.edu\/academics\/faculty-guide\/profile\/carole-simpson\/2501\" target=\"_blank\">Emerson College distinguished journalist-in-residence<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.msnbc.com\/msnbc-news\/watch\/fmr-debate-moderator-i-have-no-words-on-trump-781963843836\" target=\"_blank\">regular<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailybeast.com\/articles\/2015\/05\/17\/abc-colleague-george-stephanopoulos-really-isn-t-a-journalist.html\" target=\"_blank\">TV<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/videos\/tv\/2015\/05\/02\/rs-nbcs-leaks--brian-williams.cnn\" target=\"_blank\">news<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/mediamatters.org\/video\/2016\/09\/26\/former-presidential-debate-moderator-your-obligation-moderator-get-truth\/213313\" target=\"_blank\">guest<\/a> has <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201608119022205672\" target=\"_blank\">given<\/a>\u00a0Clinton $2,800.<\/p>\n<p>Conventional journalistic wisdom holds that reporters and editors are referees on politics\u2019 playing field \u2014 bastions of neutrality who mustn\u2019t root for Team Red or Team Blue, either in word or deed.<\/p>\n<p>But during this decidedly unconventional election season, during which \u201cthe media\u201d <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2016\/05\/24\/business\/media\/ex-breitbart-reporter-michelle-fields-moves-to-huffington-post.html\" target=\"_blank\">has<\/a> itself <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/the-fix\/wp\/2016\/08\/24\/hillary-clinton-still-has-no-good-answer-on-why-she-hasnt-held-a-press-conference-in-263-days\/\" target=\"_blank\">become<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/thehill.com\/blogs\/ballot-box\/presidential-races\/295198-trump-clinton-battle-over-media-bias\" target=\"_blank\">a<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2016\/06\/donald-trump-security-politico-reporter-223856\" target=\"_blank\">prominent<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/politico-founder-reporters-so-biased-so-partisan-against-trump\/article\/2603534\" target=\"_blank\">storyline<\/a>, several hundred news professionals have aligned themselves with Clinton or Trump by personally donating money to one or the other.<\/p>\n<p>In all, people identified in federal campaign finance filings as journalists, reporters, news editors or television news anchors \u2014 as well as other donors known to be working in journalism \u2014 have combined to give <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2016\/10\/17\/20328\/money-journalists-have-given-trump-and-clinton\" target=\"_blank\">more than $396,000<\/a> to the presidential campaigns of Clinton and Trump, according to a\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/politics\" target=\"_blank\">Center for Public Integrity<\/a> analysis.<\/p>\n<p>Nearly all of that money \u2014 more than 96 percent \u2014 has benefited Clinton: About 430 people who work in journalism have, through August, combined to give about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2016\/10\/17\/20328\/money-journalists-have-given-trump-and-clinton\" target=\"_blank\">$382,000<\/a> to the Democratic nominee, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/politics\" target=\"_blank\">Center for Public Integrity<\/a>\u2019s analysis indicates.<\/p>\n<p>About 50 identifiable journalists have combined to give about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2016\/10\/17\/20328\/money-journalists-have-given-trump-and-clinton\" target=\"_blank\">$14,000<\/a> to Trump. (Talk radio ideologues, paid TV pundits and the like \u2014 think former Trump campaign manager-turned-CNN commentator <a href=\"http:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2016\/06\/23\/media\/corey-lewandowski-cnn\/\" target=\"_blank\">Corey Lewandowski<\/a> \u2014 are not included in the tally.)<\/p>\n<p>Generally, the law obligates federal candidates only to disclose the names of people making contributions of more than $200 during a single election cycle, along with their addresses and employer and occupation. That means it\u2019s likely that many more journalists have given the Clinton or Trump campaigns cash, but in amounts too small to trigger reporting requirements.<\/p>\n<p>Together, these journalist-donors work for news organizations great and small, from <em>The New York Times<\/em> to sleepy, small-town dailies. While many of them don\u2019t primarily edit or report on political news, some do.<\/p>\n<p>And each news professional offers his or her own unique take on a basic question: Why risk credibility \u2014 even one\u2019s livelihood \u2014 to help pad a presidential candidate\u2019s campaign account?<\/p>\n<p>Simpson today describes herself as an \u201cacademic\u201d and \u201cformer journalist.\u201d Therefore, she says she\u2019s \u201cfree to do many things I was prohibited from doing as a working journalist,\u201d including giving money to Clinton.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have been waiting for the day our country would have a woman president,\u201d Simpson said. \u201cWhen Hillary decided to run, I was delighted because I couldn\u2019t think of a more qualified woman to seek the high office.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Waldron, of KFMB in San Diego, describes himself as a \u201clower case \u2018l\u2019 libertarian,\u201d and believes journalists like him who both vote and make small-dollar political donations are within their rights to do so.<\/p>\n<p>Why give money to Trump, a man who <em>Forbes<\/em> last month <a href=\"http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/forbes-400\/gallery\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\">estimated<\/a> is worth $3.7 billion? To fight against Clinton.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m a big, big fan of the United States Constitution,\u201d Waldron said, and Clinton \u201cseems to care very little for the Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Said <em>The<\/em> <em>New Yorker<\/em>\u2019s Nussbaum: \u201cI rarely write about politics, but it&#8217;s true that the RNC-on-TV posts verged on punditry, and I can understand the concern about disclosure.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Donations often banned<\/h3>\n<p>Almost any U.S. citizen or foreign national with a U.S. green card may,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.fec.gov\/pages\/brochures\/citizens.shtml\" target=\"_blank\">by law<\/a>, give money to a federal political candidate.<\/p>\n<p>But major news organizations often restrict, if not prohibit, their journalists (and occasionally non-journalist employees) from making political campaign contributions.<\/p>\n<p>The news organizations\u2019 overriding concern: Such contributions will compromise journalists\u2019 impartiality or seed the perception that journalists are biased toward certain politicians or political parties.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p><em>The New York Times<\/em>\u2019 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytco.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/NYT_Ethical_Journalism_0904-1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">ethics handbook<\/a>\u00a0declares that its staffers may not give money to, or raise money for, political candidates or election causes. \u201cAny political giving by a<em>Times <\/em>staff member would carry a great risk of feeding a false impression that the paper is taking sides,\u201d it reads.<\/p>\n<p>The Associated Press is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ap.org\/company\/News-Values\" target=\"_blank\">even more blunt<\/a> with its journalists, stating that \u201cunder no circumstances should they donate money to political organizations or political campaigns.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>CNN spokeswoman Bridget Leininger said the cable network \u201cdoes not allow editorial staff to contribute to candidates or political parties.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A review of several dozen newsroom ethics policies indicates many other notable news outlets have similar no-political-donations mandates, including\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/asne.org\/content.asp?contentid=298\" target=\"_blank\"><em>The Dallas Morning News<\/em><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/asne.org\/content.asp?contentid=305\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Houston Chronicle<\/em><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/asne.org\/content.asp?contentid=309\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Los Angeles Times<\/em><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/ethics.npr.org\/category\/f-impartiality\/\" target=\"_blank\">National Public Radio<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/asne.org\/content.asp?contentid=359\" target=\"_blank\">ProPublica<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/asne.org\/content.asp?contentid=341\" target=\"_blank\"><em>San Antonio Express-News<\/em><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/asne.org\/content.asp?contentid=326\" target=\"_blank\"><em>The Seattle Times<\/em><\/a> and <em>Tampa Bay Times<\/em>. (The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintergity.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Center for Public Integrity<\/a>\u2019s staff handbook <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/about\/our-work\/editorial-policies\" target=\"_blank\">states<\/a> that all employees are \u201cprohibited from engaging in political advocacy or donating to political candidates at any level of government.\u201d)<\/p>\n<p>And while some journalists do give politicians money, the vast majority do not.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot having that affiliation helps me feel more independent,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/people\/margaret-sullivan\/\" target=\"_blank\">Margaret Sullivan<\/a>, <em>The Washington Post<\/em>\u2019s media columnist, and a former <em>New York Times\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2016\/02\/23\/business\/media\/times-public-editor-joining-washington-post-as-media-columnist.html\" target=\"_blank\">public editor<\/a> and <em>Buffalo News<\/em> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.poynter.org\/2012\/margaret-m-sullivan-to-be-next-new-york-times-public-editor\/181215\/\" target=\"_blank\">editor and vice president<\/a>. \u201cI wouldn&#8217;t do it, and when I was supervising a newsroom, we had rules against it. It&#8217;s a good discipline, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Although journalists may have a right to give money to political candidates, the act of doing so \u201ceasily could be perceived as a conflict of interest,\u201d said\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.spj.org\/spjboard.asp\" target=\"_blank\">Paul Fletcher<\/a>, editor-in-chief of <em>Virginia Lawyers Weekly<\/em>, who recently served as president of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.spj.org\/ethics-papers-politics.asp\" target=\"_blank\">Society of Professional Journalists<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So concerned about bias was former <em>Washington Post<\/em> Executive Editor Leonard Downie Jr. that he <a href=\"http:\/\/www.poynter.org\/2008\/will-downie-register-and-vote-when-he-retires-as-wp-editor\/89709\/\" target=\"_blank\">didn\u2019t even vote<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>No restrictions<\/h3>\n<p>Strict political contribution policies are not, however, universal among news organizations.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s patently prohibited at one news organization may be perfectly permissible at another.<\/p>\n<p>Some outlets also differentiate among newsroom employees: A reporter covering a governmental agency, for example, might be punished for cutting checks to a U.S. Senate or presidential candidate. But the resident arts correspondent or star sports writer? Play ball.<\/p>\n<p>Take <em>Orange County Register<\/em> restaurant critic Brad Johnson in California, who this year made <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201608209023516957\" target=\"_blank\">dozens<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201608209023532037\" target=\"_blank\">of<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201609189030860639\" target=\"_blank\">small<\/a>&#8211;<a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201609189030860544\" target=\"_blank\">dollar<\/a> contributions to Clinton\u2019s campaign that total more than $750.<\/p>\n<p>Digital First Media\u2019s Southern California News Group, of which <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ocregister.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>The Orange County Register<\/em><\/a> is a part, expressly prohibits news reporters from engaging in campaign activities \u201crelated to candidates, campaigns or issues which they may cover,\u201d news group Executive Editor Frank Pine said. But while Johnson fits the broad definition of \u201cjournalist,\u201d Pine doesn\u2019t consider Johnson a news reporter \u2014 and therefore, he\u2019s free to give the Clinton campaign money.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson concurs: \u201cI don&#8217;t cover politics. I don&#8217;t do investigative reporting. I&#8217;m just interested in finding the best pad thai and sharing what I find with our readers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ryne Dittmer covers hard news as the county and education editor of the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.libertytribune.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Liberty Tribune<\/em><\/a> of Liberty, Missouri. He\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201609209031109205\" target=\"_blank\">contributed $625<\/a> to Clinton\u2019s presidential committee.<\/p>\n<p>But <em>Liberty Tribune<\/em> Managing Editor Amy Neal said Dittmer, who declined to comment, did not violate any newsroom standards.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe support the individual\u2019s right to align themselves in their personal lives with the political ideologies that they choose, just as we support their right to worship \u2014 or not \u2014 in the way they choose,\u201d Neal said. \u201cAs journalists, we expect accuracy, objectivity and fairness from our staff. Ryne Dittmer\u2019s work certainly reflects those standards.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Coverage area is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.santacruzsentinel.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Santa Cruz Sentinel<\/em><\/a> city editor Julie Copeland\u2019s rationale for why contributing <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201609209031092095\" target=\"_blank\">nearly $300<\/a> to Clinton\u2019s campaign is kosher, but campaigns closer to home are not.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I supervise local news coverage at a small paper in California,\u201d Copeland said. \u201cI do not, and would never, involve myself in any city council, school board or other small municipal race we cover.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Julie Lane, a reporter at the <a href=\"http:\/\/shelterislandreporter.timesreview.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Shelter Island Reporter<\/em><\/a> on Long Island in New York, has given <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201609209031076092\" target=\"_blank\">more than $800<\/a> to Clinton\u2019s campaign. Lane says she covers only local political races \u2014 nothing presidential \u2014 and her \u201cpersonal ethics would prohibit me from taking an open stand\u201d in any of them.<\/p>\n<p>Then there\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.talkmedianews.com\/author\/ellen-ratner\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ellen Ratner<\/a>, who leads the Talk Media News service and reports on federal government for her company. She also serves as a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/archive\/ellen-ratner\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Fox News commentator<\/a>. Ratner has given <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201609209031146621\" target=\"_blank\">nearly $2,800<\/a> to Clinton\u2019s campaign, explaining she contributed the money at the request of a man who made a $100,000 contribution to help <a href=\"http:\/\/goatsfortheoldgoat.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">her<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tabletmag.com\/jewish-news-and-politics\/176572\/south-sudan-ellen-ratner\" target=\"_blank\">charitable efforts<\/a> in war-ravaged South Sudan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am happy to help him out \u2026 It is well known that I am a \u2018wacko, liberal Democrat,\u2019\u201d Ratner said, adding this about her journalistic work: \u201cI will put our news product right down the middle as opposed to just about anyone&#8217;s news product.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Longtime television host <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rt.com\/shows\/larry-king-now\/\" target=\"_blank\">Larry King<\/a>, who now hosts a program on Russian-owned TV network <a href=\"http:\/\/www.realclearpolitics.com\/video\/2016\/09\/09\/larry_king_interviews_donald_trump_on_russian-owned_tv_network.html\" target=\"_blank\">RT<\/a> and has called Trump \u201ca great friend,\u201d is also a\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201509039001606327\" target=\"_blank\">Clinton donor<\/a>, having given her campaign $2,700 in May. In June, King <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AM0VenOBlhM\" target=\"_blank\">said<\/a> he intends vote for Clinton because he <a href=\"http:\/\/www.politico.com\/blogs\/on-media\/2016\/06\/larry-king-ill-probably-vote-for-hillary-224457\" target=\"_blank\">disagrees with Trump\u2019s stances<\/a> on such issues as immigration and abortion.<\/p>\n<p>Several journalists employed by Thomson Reuters, which operates the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reuters.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Reuters<\/a>\u00a0news agency, have likewise given Clinton money \u2014 and one has given to Trump. That\u2019s fine, said company spokeswoman <a href=\"http:\/\/www.odwyerpr.com\/story\/public\/6275\/2016-02-04\/ny-times-serphos-head-global-pr-for-reuters.html\" target=\"_blank\">Abbe Serphos<\/a>, as \u201cReuters journalists are permitted to make charitable or political contributions as long as they don\u2019t conflict with their reporting responsibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fox Sports spokesman Erik Arneson, responding to questions about three current and former employees who gave Clinton money, said the network \u201csupports employees\u2019 personal involvement in the political process as long as it is\u00a0compliant with strict federal, state and local laws governing political contributions and\u00a0interactions with government officials.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Media executives are also often free from corporate policies restricting political donations, and some prominent news publishers and newsroom leaders routinely make campaign contributions.<\/p>\n<p>Damien Brouillard, the <em>Washington Post<\/em>\u2019s director of finance and comptroller, for example, is among those <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201607319022118209\" target=\"_blank\">helping fund Clinton\u2019s presidential campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So, too, are former <em>New Republic<\/em> Publisher <a href=\"http:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2016\/02\/26\/media\/new-republic-chris-hughes-win-mccormack\/\" target=\"_blank\">Chris Hughes<\/a>, <em>Vogue<\/em> Editor-in-Chief <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biography.com\/people\/anna-wintour-214147\" target=\"_blank\">Anna Wintour<\/a>,\u00a0<em>Vanity Fair<\/em> Features Editor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/beauty\/office-space-jane-sarkins-hollywood-by-way-100685572163.html\" target=\"_blank\">Jane Sarkin<\/a>,\u00a0<em>Hollywood Reporter<\/em> Publisher <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/segalllynne\" target=\"_blank\">Lynne Segall<\/a>, <em>Elle\u00a0<\/em>Editor-in-Chief <a href=\"http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/day-in-the-life-of-elle-eic-robbie-myers-2016-7\" target=\"_blank\">Roberta Myers<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/wwd.com\/business-news\/media\/lesley-jane-seymour-on-life-after-more-magazine-losing-job-digital-age-linkedin-10457874\/\" target=\"_blank\">Lesley Jane Seymour<\/a>, the former editor-in-chief of <em>More\u00a0<\/em>and <em>Marie Clare<\/em>. Each has given Clinton at least $2,700. Some aren\u2019t shy about it, with Hughes, who also co-founded Facebook, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/politics\/first-draft\/2015\/06\/02\/chris-hughes-publisher-of-the-new-republic-to-hold-a-fund-raiser-for-hillary-clinton\/?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\">conducting a fundraiser<\/a> for Clinton last year at his Manhattan home.<\/p>\n<p>Although Trump has often been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/2016\/09\/15\/20198\/shadow-candidates-who-s-more-transparent-clinton-or-trump\" target=\"_blank\">more accessible<\/a> to mainstream news reporters than Clinton, his campaign has banned certain news organizations from his rallies, and he has lambasted journalists as \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/realDonaldTrump\/status\/764866887511572480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\">dishonest<\/a>,\u201d \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/thehill.com\/blogs\/ballot-box\/presidential-races\/262400-trump-media-is-scum\" target=\"_blank\">scum<\/a>,\u201d \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/videos\/news\/politics\/elections\/2016\/2016\/03\/15\/81843912\/\" target=\"_blank\">horrible<\/a>,\u201d \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mediaite.com\/tv\/abc-reporter-trump-called-a-sleaze-defends-his-supporters-denounces-violent-attacks\/\" target=\"_blank\">sleazy<\/a>\u201d and \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/post-politics\/wp\/2016\/08\/14\/trumps-campaign-continues-to-blame-disgusting-and-corrupt-media\/\" target=\"_blank\">disgusting and corrupt<\/a>.\u201d He regularly complains about his coverage by the \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2016\/08\/15\/media\/donald-trump-media-bias\/\" target=\"_blank\">crooked media<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So how do Trump campaign officials feel about journalists and media executives giving money to Clinton?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cConsidering that we\u2019re witnessing the single biggest coordinated media attack in political history, it should come as no surprise,\u201d Trump spokesman Jason Miller told the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.publicintegrity.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Center for Public Integrity<\/a>. \u201cIf the [Federal Election Commission] viewed their biased hit pieces against Mr. Trump as in-kind contributions, they would have exceeded their maximum allowable gift limits a long time ago.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Several news reporters or journalism professionals, including Sally York of\u00a0<em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.argus-press.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">The Argus-Press<\/a><\/em> of Owosso, Michigan, refused to discuss their political giving in 2016.<\/p>\n<p>York, who covers local affairs and sometimes <a href=\"http:\/\/www.argus-press.com\/news\/community\/shiawassee_area\/article_d63a092a-388c-11e6-88e5-0b381ea05588.html\" target=\"_blank\">writes<\/a> about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.argus-press.com\/news\/community\/elsie\/article_e9285510-7d23-11e6-92dc-3f0d70c6926e.html\" target=\"_blank\">politicians<\/a> and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2016\/10\/gang-wars-poverty-driving-central-americans-over-u-s-border\/\" target=\"_blank\">government<\/a>, has made contributions to Clinton\u2019s campaign that add up to\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201609209031067174\" target=\"_blank\">$374<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.recordonline.com\/topics\/Barbara-Bedell\" target=\"_blank\">Barbara Bedell<\/a>, who writes about community news for the <em>Times Herald-Record<\/em> in Middletown, New York, said she\u2019s a \u201cvery private person\u201d and didn\u2019t want to discuss <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201610069032191226\" target=\"_blank\">the<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201607209021692642\" target=\"_blank\">several<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201608209023618559\" target=\"_blank\">contributions<\/a> she\u2019s made this election cycle to the Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign.<\/p>\n<p>And <a href=\"http:\/\/globalpressinstitute.org\/staff\/cristi-hegranes\/\" target=\"_blank\">Cristi Hegranes<\/a>, founder and executive director of the <a href=\"http:\/\/globalpressinstitute.org\/who-we-are\/\" target=\"_blank\">Global Press Institute<\/a>, a San Francisco-based organization that trains women journalists in developing nations, <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201608209023588957\" target=\"_blank\">gave<\/a> Clinton $227 and also declined to comment.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.law.uci.edu\/faculty\/full-time\/hasen\/\" target=\"_blank\">Rick Hasen<\/a>, a University of California, Irvine, law and political science professor who edits the <a href=\"http:\/\/electionlawblog.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">Election Law Blog<\/a>, says journalists shouldn\u2019t abstain from making campaign contributions \u2014 big or small \u2014 just because they\u2019re journalists.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is a choice for each journalist to make,\u201d Hasen said, \u201cand I do not see it as a problem so long as it is adequately disclosed.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Evidence of bias?<\/h3>\n<p>For some journalists, campaign contributions do become problematic.<\/p>\n<p>Quite problematic.<\/p>\n<p>Ask MSNBC, which in 2010 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2010\/11\/olbermann-suspended-after-donations-044734\" target=\"_blank\">suspended<\/a> Keith Olbermann, who at the time hosted a news show on the network, for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/news\/2010\/11\/an-interesting-subplot-to-msnbc\/\" target=\"_blank\">making contributions<\/a> to Democratic political candidates.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, Karen Loberg, a photojournalist at the <em>Ventura County Star<\/em> north of Los Angeles, made a <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201509039001599990\" target=\"_blank\">$1,000 contribution<\/a> to the Clinton campaign in order to attend a private fundraiser in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where she was visiting a friend. Loberg said she thought the contribution would \u201cgo under the radar,\u201d but she nevertheless defended her right to give it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s my freedom of speech \u2014 what I do on my own time is my business,\u201d Loberg said, adding that her friend later reimbursed her for the $1,000 Clinton donation anyway.<\/p>\n<p>Except such a reimbursement is troublesome: Loberg\u2019s name \u2014 not that of her friend, who Loberg declined to identify \u2014 appears on federal financial disclosures filed by the Clinton campaign. Such a transaction is informally known as a \u201cstraw donation\u201d and is, on its face, illegal: \u201cNo person shall make a contribution in the name of another person,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.law.cornell.edu\/uscode\/text\/52\/30122\" target=\"_blank\">federal law states<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wileyrein.com\/professionals-MichaelToner.html\" target=\"_blank\">Michael Toner<\/a>, a former Republican FEC chairman, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blankrome.com\/index.cfm?contentID=10&amp;bioID=3420\" target=\"_blank\">Scott Thomas<\/a>, a former Democratic FEC chairman, both agreed that Loberg and her friend likely broke the law, although it\u2019s unlikely the FEC or U.S. Department of Justice would pursue the matter because of the contribution\u2019s size and scope.<\/p>\n<p>Loberg said she did not know straw donations are illegal. She also said she was, at the time she donated to Clinton\u2019s campaign, unaware that the <em>Ventura County Star<\/em> frowned on its newsroom employees making political contributions.<\/p>\n<p>John Moore, editor of the <em>Ventura County Star<\/em>, said Loberg\u2019s donation is a \u201cpersonnel matter,\u201d and referred questions about Loberg\u2019s donation to parent company Gannett, which declined to comment on what it, too, described as a \u201cpersonnel matter.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gannett\u2019s statement did note that the company asks its journalists to \u201crefrain from any activity that may compromise our goal to maintain journalistic independence,\u201d which includes remaining \u201cfree of outside interests, investments or business relationships that may compromise the credibility of our news report\u201d and maintaining \u201can impartial, arm\u2019s length relationship with anyone seeking to influence the news.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Loberg later expressed regret. \u201cI\u2019m very concerned about losing my job,\u201d she said. (Gannett confirmed she is still employed by the <em>Ventura County Star<\/em>.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"main-body\">\n<div class=\"field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden clearfix\">\n<div class=\"field-items\">\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"field-item odd\">\n<div class=\"body-copy-inner\">\n<p>Other journalists have this year appeared to violate their news organizations\u2019 political activity policies, including\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/author\/melia-robinson\" target=\"_blank\">Melia Robinson<\/a>, a reporter at <em>Business Insider<\/em> who\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201609209031082803\" target=\"_blank\">contributed<\/a> $541 to Clinton\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n<p><em>Business Insider<\/em> spokesman Mario Ruiz declined to comment on Robinson\u2019s donation but pointed to the online publication\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/conflict-of-interest-policy\" target=\"_blank\">employee conflict of interest policy<\/a>, which expressly prohibits several kinds of political activity, including \u201cmaking any level of financial contribution to a candidate&#8217;s campaign for elected office or any political action committee supporting individual candidates for elected office.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Robinson did not reply to several requests for comment.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/video\/jonah-kessel\" target=\"_blank\">Jonah Kessel<\/a>, a Hong Kong-based staff videographer for<em>The<\/em> <em>New York Times<\/em>, <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201606169018227467\" target=\"_blank\">gave<\/a> U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders\u2019 campaign several hundred dollars earlier this year while Sanders was still running against Clinton in the Democratic primary. For reasons unclear, the Sanders campaign later <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201606209018791204\" target=\"_blank\">refunded<\/a> the donations to Kessel, who did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnder newsroom rules, <em>Times<\/em> journalists should not make political contributions,\u201d <em>New York Times <\/em>spokeswoman Eileen Murphy said, adding, \u201cJonah&#8217;s editors are discussing this issue with him and reminding him of the policy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At ESPN, baseball news editor <a href=\"http:\/\/www.espnfrontrow.com\/2013\/10\/claire-smith-named-first-winner-of-the-sam-lacy-wendell-smith-award\/\" target=\"_blank\">Claire Smith<\/a> has made <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201607309022037936\" target=\"_blank\">numerous<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201609189030911343\" target=\"_blank\">small<\/a>&#8211;<a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201609209031108951\" target=\"_blank\">dollar<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201609209031109012\" target=\"_blank\">contributions<\/a> to Clinton\u2019s campaign that add up to almost $600. Smith, who in a tweet last week <a href=\"https:\/\/www.documentcloud.org\/documents\/3139097-Cstrump.html\" target=\"_blank\">described<\/a> Trump as a \u201cwould-be dictator &amp; sexual predator,\u201d did not return requests for comment, and ESPN spokesman Ben Cafardo declined to comment.<\/p>\n<p>But ESPN\u2019s political advocacy policy states that employees such as Smith \u201cmust avoid being publicly identified with various sides of political issues\u201d and that the sports network \u201cdiscourages public participation in matters of political advocacy or controversy among editorial employees.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Journalists\u2019 political contributions are not, however, always what they appear to be.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/laurengoode\" target=\"_blank\">Lauren Goode<\/a>, an\u00a0editor at tech and culture news outlet <em>The Verge<\/em>, explained that her <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201607059020209261\" target=\"_blank\">$500 contribution in February<\/a> to the Clinton campaign wasn\u2019t about supporting Clinton\u2019s candidacy \u2014 Goode just wanted, for background reporting purposes, to get inside a fundraising event in Silicon Valley at which Clinton was speaking.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPrior to the event I discussed the particular circumstances of this with the editor-in-chief at <em>The Verge<\/em>,\u201d Goode explained, \u201cand he approved it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"field-item even\">\n<div class=\"body-copy-inner\">\n<p>Or consider the curious case of another <em>New York Times<\/em> journalist, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/by\/ruth-la-ferla\" target=\"_blank\">Ruth La Ferla<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201607059020144989\" target=\"_blank\">Federal records show<\/a> the long-time fashion reporter gave Clinton\u2019s campaign $250 in December.<\/p>\n<p>Except La Ferla says she didn\u2019t make the contribution. No way, no how.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don&#8217;t involve myself with political campaigns of any sort, not only because I work at the <em>Times<\/em> but because I am utterly indifferent to their outcome,\u201d La Ferla wrote in an email. \u201cIt&#8217;s a mystery to me why my name is on that document \u2026 It does indeed appear that the Clinton campaign made an error.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Clinton campaign spokesman Josh Schwerin was equally mystified: \u201cThis is the first we are hearing of this discrepancy, and so we are looking into this. If we find that an error or anything improper occurred, we will certainly take the appropriate steps to remedy it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Clinton campaign \u2014 or any campaign \u2014 has several options for contributions it fears are illegal or otherwise doesn\u2019t want: give the money back, donate the money to charity or disgorge it to the U.S. Treasury, which will add it to the federal government\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fec.gov\/rad\/candidates\/documents\/CanGuide34.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">general fund<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Don\u2019t trust the liberal media?<\/h3>\n<p>About 28 percent of journalists say they affiliate with the Democratic Party, 7 percent the Republican Party and 14 percent an \u201cother\u201d party, <a href=\"http:\/\/news.indiana.edu\/releases\/iu\/2014\/05\/2013-american-journalist-key-findings.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">according to a 2014 study<\/a> by Indiana University-Bloomington professors Lars Willnat and David H. Weaver.<\/p>\n<p>The rest of journalists \u2014 more than 50 percent \u2014 say they\u2019re not affiliated with any political party.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2016\/10\/el-salvadors-gang-violence-thrives-in-aftermath-of-civil-war\/\" target=\"_blank\">Barbara Hough Roda<\/a>, executive editor of <em><a href=\"http:\/\/steinmancommunications.com\/lnp\/\" target=\"_blank\">LNP<\/a><\/em>, the largest news organization based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, said she wants her reporters to act without favor to any political party and for the public to indeed perceive her newsroom as independent.<\/p>\n<p>But <em>LNP<\/em> has no formal policy prohibiting journalists from making political contributions, freeing <em>LNP<\/em> sportswriter Paula Wolf, who did not return a request for comment, to give money to Clinton\u2019s campaign, as she did to the tune of <a href=\"http:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/fecimg\/?201607319022084161\" target=\"_blank\">more than $300<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Will <em>LNP<\/em> consider revising its policy after the 2016 election?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe we will,\u201d Roda said. \u201cMy preference would be that we err on the side of caution, so it would probably behoove us to take a look at this again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nussbaum, the <em>New Yorker<\/em> television critic, has already instituted a new personal policy for making political campaign contributions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI&#8217;m not planning to contribute money in the future,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The big question: Should journalists donate to political candidates at all?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":140871,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[708,3307,3308,3268,705,226],"class_list":["post-199217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-analysis","tag-2016-election","tag-donald-trump","tag-hillary-clinton","tag-journalism","tag-money-in-politics","tag-presidential-race"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=199217"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/199217\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/140871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=199217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=199217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=199217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}