ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos issued his first on-air apology Friday morning for failing to disclose to viewers his donations to the Clinton Global Foundation, going as far as to call making the contributions in the first place a “mistake.”
“Over the last several years, I’ve made substantial donations to dozens of charities, including the Clinton Global Foundation,” Stephanopoulos said on “Good Morning America.” “Those donations were a matter of public record, but I should have made additional disclosures on air when I covered the foundation, and I now believe that directing personal donations to that foundation was a mistake.”
The anchor added that even though he donated strictly to support the foundation’s work combating AIDS and protecting the environment, he “should have gone the extra mile to avoid even the appearance of a conflict.”
“I apologize to all of you for failing to do that,” he said.
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After the conservative news website Washington Free Beacon reported Thursday that Stephanopoulos made $50,000 in personal contributions to the nonprofit, Stephanopoulos told Politico that he actually donated a total of $75,000 to the Clinton Foundation from 2012-2014.
The anchor also withdrew himself from moderating a GOP primary debate after some political figures, including Republican presidential candidate and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), voiced their belief that the donations disqualified Stephanopoulos from the job.
ABC News has said that it won’t punish Stephanopoulos for failing to disclose the donations to viewers, calling it “an honest mistake.”
I always thought writing a backstabbing tell-all book while his boss, President Clinton was, you know, dealing with 8 levels of bullshit was the mistake. Although if you betray on purpose I guess it’s not a mistake. I hope getting accepted by the Village was worth it, asshole.
Yet FOX News is co-owned by a right-wing Australian Billionaire and a Saudi Prince and nobody says anything about them HOSTING Presidential debates?!?!?
Man. Liberals are morons. Always apologizing for PARTICIPATING in “Democracy” like it’s a bad thing.
To Republicans, donating to a charity that benefits people in other countries is a conflict of interest.
I agree that pundits and jornalists should shy away from donating and hobnobbing with political figures (i.e. David Gregory dancing with Rove) because there is a small chance that their involvement could be seen as trying to curry favors. However I just won’t summon any outrage in this case becaue I don’t feel what George did was particularly unique and if you’re going to call him out then let’s now start to call them ALL out.
I also don’t get why the right wingers were so intent on getting George removed as a moderator; he bends over backwards for Republicans and tends to do their bidding in repeating their talking points. I recall him soliciting questions from wingers to ask Sen. Obama during one of the debates. In fact, I see him being harder on Democrats and even the Clintons.
But whatever, he should be happy to not have to debate their circus freak show anyway.