Thread by @dsamuelsohn

NEW: Between January '19 & Aug '20, working journalists contributed at least $110K to federal-level political committees. Nearly all their cash went to Democratic candidates and causes, particularly Biden & Sanders. by @davelevinthal ($) @Politicsinsider ow.ly/9fl450C4TSm

Most journalists don't give politicians money, but for those who have in the 2020 election, they've donated almost exclusively to Democrats, an Insider analysis of federal records shows.

Following Insider's inquiries, The Hill said it had suspended a political reporter who had contributed money to Elizabeth Warren and Amy McGrath. The Los Angeles Times said it "pulled people off political coverage" who had made political contributions to several Democrats.

Journalists at The New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, and Houston Chronicle are among dozens of reporters, editors, and other newspeople who've given tens of thousands of dollars to political candidates and causes.

Neil Barsky, The Marshall Project's founder and board chairman, has himself spread $30K among prominent 2020 Democrats, including the campaigns of Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, and Jaime Harrison, who's running to unseat Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina.

"For the sake of our democracy and the health of our planet, I sincerely hope Trump loses on November 3, and I plan to continue to do everything in my power as a private citizen to help make that happen," Barsky said.

No law prohibits journalists from contributing money to candidates or causes, but many trade groups and newsrooms still demand abstinence. Their reasons: ethics, independence, and avoiding conflicts of interest.

"The simplest answer is 'No.' Don't do it. Don't get involved. Don't contribute money, don't work in a campaign, don't lobby, and especially, don't run for office yourself," the Society of Professional Journalists' ethics committee decrees.

Many prominent news organizations, including the Associated Press and The New York Times, expressly prohibit their journalists from donating to political candidates and campaigns.

Editorial employees who violate such newsrooms' rules risk disciplinary action, even termination. But in some cases this election season, journalists' personal politicking has collided with their professional duties.

On Oct 22, after Insider had inquired about 5 Los Angeles Times reporters & editors who had recently made political donations, exec editor Norman Pearlstine & general counsel Jeff Glasser sent a memo to staff quoting newsroom policy against making political contributions.

"We treat these violations seriously because they undermine our commitment to impartial coverage," Pearlstine and Glasser wrote in the memo.

Federal records show LAT deputy business editor Jeff Bercovici, photo editor Robert St. John, entertainment & culture writer Jessica Gelt, & copyeditors Lisa Horowitz & Rachel Dunn together made hundreds of $$$ worth of political contributions benefiting Democratic committees.

Insider's own ethics policy directs news employees to refrain from "any level of financial contribution to a candidate's campaign for elected office or any Political Action Committee supporting individual candidates for elected office."

Even so, four Insider employees have given money to Democratic candidates and causes during this election.

They are reviews-team deputy editor Malarie Gokey, who's made dozens of contributions w/ a focus on the Warren & Sanders campaigns, & political columnist Linette Lopez, who made a series of small $ donations to Warren's campaign & a fund for the eventual Democratic nominee.

Insider associate producer Steve Cameron and entertainment correspondent Kirsten Acuna also contributed money to Democratic committees, including Warren's campaign.

In response to questions about these contributions, Insider's editorial standards board met last week and "conducted a thorough re-consideration of the policy, and came out strongly in favor of keeping it in place," Insider senior vice president of communication Mario Ruiz said.

"We have spoken with the reporters in question to make sure they understand the importance of adhering to this rule," Ruiz added.

It's possible that some journalists who made small-dollar political contributions expected anonymity. It would not be a misguided assumption. Federal political committees themselves have no legal obligation to disclose contributions of $200 or less.

But these days most Democratic political contributions are made online & processed through a digital fundraising platform called ActBlue, a conduit that serves as a middleman between the contributor to the recipient, & creates a public paper trail for even the smallest donations.

There's much more to this deep dive story by @davelevinthal that's worth the time to read (and impossible to get across even with a million tweets). Please consider subscribing. It's $1 for a month, or here's a link to get a 20% discount for the full year: businessinsider.com/subscription/p…

Quick addendum: This article is the first in a three-part series about the ethics of journalists personally participating in political advocacy. Watch out for part 2 on Thursday.