ABC News Anchor George Stephanopoulos Faces Backlash Over Undisclosed Clinton Foundation Donations

Strategic Insights -

ABC News's embattled chief anchor, George Stephanopoulos, faced intense criticism on CNN's Reliable Sources media criticism program after it was revealed that he had failed to disclose $75,000 in recent donations to the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation. Former ABC News colleague Carole Simpson, who worked at the network for two decades, including as the weekend anchor of World News Tonight from 1988 to 2003, questioned Stephanopoulos's impartiality and suggested that he is not a journalist.

Key Takeaways:

  • ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos failed to disclose $75,000 in recent donations to the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
  • Former ABC News colleague Carole Simpson criticized Stephanopoulos's impartiality, stating that he "really isn't a journalist."
  • Simpson suggested that Stephanopoulos's lack of journalistic credibility may be a concern for the network, particularly as the 2016 presidential campaign heats up.
  • ABC News has not taken disciplinary action against Stephanopoulos, and instead, stated that the news division management "stands behind" him.
  • Peter Schweizer, who interviewed Stephanopoulos about his donations, expressed interest in a "rematch" but hasn't heard back from ABC News.
  • Greenfield suggested that Stephanopoulos may be forced to recuse himself from covering the 2016 campaign.
  • ABC News's support for Stephanopoulos may face scrutiny from both critics and audiences.

Statistics:

  • $75,000: The amount of donations that Stephanopoulos failed to disclose to the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
  • 2 decades: The amount of time Carole Simpson worked at ABC News.
  • 1988-2003: The years Simpson served as the weekend anchor of World News Tonight.
  • 2016: The year of the presidential election in which Stephanopoulos is Interviewing Clinton.

Sources:

  • CNN's Reliable Sources media criticism program
  • Carole Simpson, former ABC News colleague
  • Peter Schweizer, author of "Clinton Cash"
  • Greenfield, reporting for ABC News