Scarborough suspended
(CNN) - MSNBC has suspended anchor Joe Scarborough for two days without pay due to eight contributions he made to political candidates between 2004 and 2008, according to MSNBC president Phil Griffin.
Scarborough made eight contributions of $500 each to local candidates.
"Since he did not seek or receive prior approval for these contributions, Joe understands that I will be suspending him for violating our policy," Griffin said in a statement. "It is critical that we enforce our standards and policies."
Scarborough apologized for the donations and in a statement said they were "nothing more than simple acts of friendship."
"I recognize that I have a responsibility to honor the guidelines and conditions of my employment, and I regret that I failed to do so in this manner," Scarborough said. "I apologize to MSNBC and to anyone who has been negatively affected by my actions."
"This will not happen again," Scarborough said.
Scarborough anchors "Morning Joe" on MSNBC that airs from 6 a.m. ET to 9 a.m. ET. He previously served as a Republican member of Congress from Florida.
This comes weeks after MSNBC suspended anchor Keith Olbermann over contributions he made to political candidates.
–CNN's Kiran Khalid contributed to this report
This is not proof of MSNBC's bias, but proof of their attempts to NOT be or be seen as biased.
Ridiculous. I can understand having a policy where hard news anchors can't contribute to political candidates, but both Olbermann and Scarborough are obviously opinion makers, not news anchors. MSNBC is a pathetic excuse for a news network. They enforce these stupid rules, but they let Olbermann launch vicious personal attacks on people he disagrees with night after night. Talk about not having your priorities straight...
That's fine. Fair is fair – Keith was suspended for two days for the same thing....so the same needs to be done to Joe.
I would like to know who the friends are. Olberman told. Pony up Joe.
Between 2004 – 2008? Why didnt they suspend him then? I guess they were going to let the Republican get away with it until Olberman called them out on it.
I wonder how much Cheney "contributed" to Halliburton during his Vice Presidency. Maybe he should be "suspended" too.
How refreshing to hear Scarborough taking personal responsibility without any whiny comments or excuses made. Keith Olbermann could take a few lessons here, amongst other avenues. A vast difference in response between the two.
This is totally ridiculous! If these journalists have the right to vote then they should have the right to contribute to whomever candidate they choose. What the hell is freedom of choice for?
A company should never impose on their employees their freedom of choice to do what is right for themselves. To ban them from making contributions to political parties is wrong, period!
Put it this way: their employees don't tell them how much bonuses to give themselves, do they? The employees don't tell them how to vote either, do they? WELL-LL-L?????
Back off MSNBC. You're becoming another FOX news.
I bet he dogged Keith Olbermann out to other people after Keith's contribution "outing"...hypocrisy abounds.
Gee, it only took MSNBC 6 YEARS to enforce their so-called policy on Joe Scarborough.
That didn't take loooooong at all.
Maybe they were taking deliberate steps to ensure that they, MSNBC, were doing the right thing, this time.
Maybe. Not.
While its obvious who most "polictical" commentators support, it is also obvious that only a few networks have principles. Faux News
spent money hand over fist to buy votes, and after reading this Ailes jokester's words we know standards and principles are
not in his vocabulary. No suprise here.
First I hate company policies
He has all rights to contribute if he is wrong then all the news media should stop contribution to the political party
It was hypocritical and wrong of MSNBC to suspend Keith Olbermann for making campaign contributions and it is also wrong for them to do the same to Mr. Scarborough. SCOTUS has declared that campaign contributions are a form of free speech. MSNBC has no business dictating that any of their employees cannot engage in this form of free speech. It is blatantly hypocritical of them to do so when NBC gives corporate campaign donations. The argument that private campaign donations made by news business employees lessens their credibility is weak and ridiculous and is especially so since these two men are primarily commentators. Who on this planet doesn't think that new business employees (and their bosses) don't have their own political opinions. This is just one more example of an attempt by business to stifle the opinions and control the private actions of their employees.
First Keith, now Joe. So what!!! If corporations can buy our elections, what's wrong with "Americans" donating their money?
This is such a see through move by Griffin to cover up his boo boo with regards to Olberman.
Both suspensions are uncalled for.
How timely.
I guess MSNBC is so desperate that they'll do anything for publicity.
What planet is Mike Huckabee on, he's preaching about family values and the rest of the World is talking jobs, mortgages, defense spending, GM bailout, etc. Tell someone whose trying to feed their family, whose without medical care, whose losing their home that they need family values Mr. Huckabee, or are you so removed from those conditions you don't entirely understand family values yourself.
Joe:
Please go to Fox News. We love you and would love to see you on our favorite station Fox!!!!!!!!!!!!!
II would be ticked off if I worked for MSNBC or any company that had a rule that I obeyed, and then find out that people who broke the rules would only get a couple of days off of work. Not monetarily supporting a candidate can sometimes be a detriment, unfortunately, to that candidate, and would be worth breaking the rules to support if it meant suffering such a minor, non-consequential slap on the wrist. MSNBC needs to abolish its rule – how about better reporting being the new rule?
Absolutely no lost to teevee land. It should be called 'Morning Joke', who wants to hear rants every morning. It's CNN in the morning for me and my family. Intelligent and informative talk with a break of light fare. CNN has it hands down in the AM, PM not so much.
Look, Dan Rather and Katie
Couric always showed their
political bias on the air. They were
anchor people. I always thought
they were unethical for that
reason.
But the idiot Keith Obermann
and the Scarborough guy
are not anchors and they
certainly let it be known how
they feel about the two parties.
These guys are not professional
anchors. They are Jerry Springer
type bafoons for entertainment
sake.
They should not be held to a standard
any higher than any Hollywood drug
head should be held to concerning
politics.
It's a wonder (and an embarrassment) that network is still on the air
Get ready for all the conservatives who cheered Olbermann's suspension to cry foul when this conservative gets the same.
At least MSNBC has a right wing, you would be fired on Faux news for supporting the left.