“Became aware of Keith’s political contributions late last night. Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay.”Olbermann acknowledged to NBC that he donated $2,400 apiece to the campaigns of Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway and Arizona Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords. He didn't think it was a big deal because he never told others, either privately or publicly, to make donations.
The policy seems stupid. There is nothing illegal about making a donation ... so why should an employee be penalized for doing so.
On another level, it seems hypocritical because one of the major news networks (Fox) gave $1 million dollars to the Republican Governors Association without any consequence. Yet, a major news network is suspending, without pay, one of their commentators for giving $2,400 to three candidates?
Progressives took a shellacking during the mid-term elections on Tuesday. Now it appears that some progressives are being eaten alive in the aftermath.
If this isn't resolved quickly then I don't see how or why Keith Olbermann comes back to the network. Like Conan or Juan Williams ... it seems likely that another network may make a lucrative offer to Olbermann.
In the meantime, the call for a boycott of MSNBC has already been made by at least one progressive organization.
