MSNBC has indefinitely suspended host Keith Olbermann for making political contributions to three Democratic candidates this fall, including one on the same day he appeared on Mr. Olbermann’s Countdown program.
Mr. Olberman reportedly donated $2,400 apiece to the campaigns of Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway and Arizona Reps. Raul Grivalva and Gabrielle Giffords in violation of NBC policy, which prohibits its employees from working on, or donating to, political campaigns unless a special exception is granted by the news division president.
Wow, personally, I suspect NBC has been looking for an excuse to indefinitely suspended Mr. Olberman without pay for a long time and he’s finally given them the opportunity.
I don’t like Keith Olbermann or his brand commentary and I’m certainly not going to miss him (not that I ever watched him), but this is a lousy way to get rid him… There’s just something distasteful about barring political employees from making political contributions in my book.
Update (Monday, November 8, 2010): Color me surprised, MSNBC has reinstated Keith Olbermann effective Tuesday… I would have bet almost anything that given his dismal ratings reportedly high salary he was toast after news of this non-scandal scandal broke.
Related
- Wheels Within Wheels: Is Keith Olbermann Kerfuffle Just a Publicity Stunt? – Tommy Christopher, Mediaite