Joe Scarborough Suspended From MSNBC

ARIANNA’S INTERNET TENDENCY:

JS:
It was recently brought to my attention that I made political contributions over the past several years that are not consistent with MSNBC’s guidelines. These contributions were to close personal friends and family members and were limited to local races.

Despite the fact that these races were local and not relevant to my work at MSNBC, I have been told they violated MSNBC guidelines.

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 matter. I apologize to MSNBC and to anyone who has been negatively affected by my actions.

I gave a number of $500 contributions to my brother and three longtime family friends. These contributions were nothing more than simple acts of friendship. I gained nothing personally, politically, or professionally from these donations.

MSNBC has suspended “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough for the same violation that took Keith Olbermann off the air earlier this month.

In a statement, MSNBC President Phil Griffin said he has suspended Scarborough for making political donations to candidates in Florida without seeking prior approval:

This morning Joe Scarborough informed me that he made eight contributions of $500 each to local candidates in Florida between 2004-08. In my conversation with Joe two weeks ago, he did not recall these contributions. Since he did not seek or receive prior approval for these contributions, Joe understands that I will be suspending him for violating our policy. He will be immediately suspended for two days without pay and will return to the air on Wednesday, November 24th. As Joe recognizes, it is critical that we enforce our standards and policies.

Under NBC News policy, employees must seek prior approval if making political donations.

Scarborough apologized in a public statement, saying, “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 matter.” His full statement appears below.

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Hillary Clinton Seals the Deal for Obama’s Nomination; Richard Cohen Wets his Pants

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The Venerable DETROIT FEEE PRESS

Here’s Cohen’s Dreck about Hillary’s speech last night

DENVER – His former rival moving for his nomination by acclimation as her friends and supporters chanted her name, Barack Obama became the Democrats’ official nominee this evening, with nary a suggestion of disunity in the house.

The traditional roll call of states proceeded, with each in its turn announcing the votes of its delegates, with California and then Illinois – Obama’s home state – passing. Then, as it got to New Mexico, with Obama well ahead of Hillary Clinton in the call, that state passed to Illinois, which then passed to New York.

Clinton – New York’s junior senator – was led into the hall, and, smiling, she called for Obama – who she fought a sometimes bitter primary battle against – to be nominated for the presidency by acclimation.

“Let’s declare together in once voiced, right here, right now, that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president,” she said, as applause boomed through the Pepsi Center.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – overseeing the proceedings – asked for yeas and nays. The former thundered through the hall, and, knowing something about calling voice votes, Pelosi seemed to gloss quickly past any scattering nay votes which may have resonated in the venue.

It didn’t matter. Obama was going to be the nominee, having secured it by beating Clinton during the primary season and winning the support of superdelegates to the convention even though it was she who was once considered the overwhelming front runner in the race for the Democratic nod to the White House.