Four days after MSNBC announced it was suspending Keith Olbermann over political donations he had made, Olbermann will be back on the air.
MSNBC President Phil Griffin announced Friday that Olbermann would be suspended “indefinitely” without pay after it was revealed he had donated the maximum amount to three Congressional candidates. Yesterday, he announced Olbermann will be back on the air Tuesday night.
“After several days of deliberation and discussion, I have determined that suspending Keith through and including Monday night’s program is an appropriate punishment for his violation of our policy. We look forward to having him back on the air Tuesday night,” Griffin said in a statement released Sunday.
Olbermann’s suspension drew vocal outcry from, among others, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), National Review columnist Bill Kristol, filmmaker Michael Moore and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal advocate Lt. Dan Choi. More than 300,000 people signed an online petition by the PCCC asking MSNBC to put him back on the air.
Olbermann — whose political views are unknown to no one — said in a statement, “I did not privately or publicly encourage anyone else to donate to these campaigns, nor to any others in this election or any previous ones, nor have I previously donated to any political campaign at any level.”
The Countdown anchor donated $2,400 each to Arizona Reps. Gabrielle Giffords and Raul Grijalva, and thwarted Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway.
MSNBC signed a four-year, $30 million contract with Olbermann in 2008.
