By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-26 20:37:27 | Updated at 2024-11-28 18:48:47
1 day ago
MSNBC was stunned to learn that a non-profit founded by its longtime host Al Sharpton received half a million dollars from Kamala Harris' campaign just before he interviewed her.
The donations just before Sharpton's conversation with Harris have brought up questions about the news outlet's credibility.
National Action Network, a civil rights non-profit that was started by Sharpton in 1991, received $500,000 from the Harris campaign just weeks before the MSNBC host conducted a highly-anticipated sit-down with the Democrat.
Campaign finance records from the 60-year-old's campaign reveal that two separate payments went to National Action Network.
One payment for $250,000 was sent to the non-profit on September 5 and another for the same amount was sent on October 1.
The soft-ball interview with Sharpton occurred just weeks after the second payment on October 20.
MSNBC is widely known to be a liberal-leaning channel, and the fact that one of its top talents took in a huge amount of cash just before a consequential interview has caused backlash from journalists who say the outlet's now got a 'black eye.'
During the rosy interview, the MSNBC host lavishly praised Harris' 'extraordinary historic campaign' while simultaneously decrying Donald Trump as 'hostile and erratic.'
A non-profit started by MSNBC host Al Sharpton recieved half a million dollars from Kamala Harris' presidential campaign weeks before he interviewed the Democrat
The sit-down was widely seen as a a softball interview where Sharpton was sympathetic to many of Harris' goals. At one time he even insulted Donald Trump as 'hostile and erratic'
2020 Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Rev. Al Sharpton exit after having lunch at Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem, February 21, 2019 in New York City. According to Sharpton's civil rights organization National Action Network, the two discussed criminal justice reform and other critical issues
When pressed on the donations to Sharpton's group by the Free Beacon, MSNBC did not respond for weeks.
Finally, the outlet responded pleading the fifth.
A spokesman for MSNBC stunningly told the Free Beacon that it was 'unaware' of the Harris campaigns donations to National Action Network.
'MSNBC was unaware of the donations made to the National Action Network,' the spokesman told the outlet.
The employee then declined to share whether MSNBC would take any actions against Sharpton.
He said that the company does not comment on 'personnel matters.'
The Society of Professional Journalists slammed MSNBC for not knowing about the donations to Sharpton's group.
'This kind of entanglement harms the credibility of the journalist, the news organization, and journalism overall, and credibility is difficult to restore,' they told the Free Beacon. 'While Sharpton may not consider himself a journalist, many viewers do.'
Rev. Al Sharpton listens as Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the funeral service for Tyre Nichols at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tenn., on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023
Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris (C) hugs Al Sharpton at the funeral of US Representative Sheila Jackson Lee at Fallbrook Church in Houston, Texas, on August 1, 2024
'When TV news broadcasters do not report their conflicts of interest, or conduct their work in ways that run counter to ethical journalism, it builds distrust among their audiences and places a black eye on both their network and the profession,' the group said.
Previously, MSNBC took punitive actions against hosts that donated to political efforts.
In 2010, then-President of MSNBC Phil Griffin suspended popular 'Morning Joe' host Joe Scarborough after it came to light he gave over $4,000 in political donations.
That same year former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann was also suspended for making political donations to Democrats.
