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.

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30 Oct
NEW: Rudy Giuliani spent all year planning for his star turn. He would be featured in a documentary on his efforts to uncover the true Hunter Biden story, dropping the film in Sept in time to influence 2020. It didn't go as planned. by @tomlobianco ($) ow.ly/hscy50C7GzE
Trump's lawyer courted donors for the movie in private meetings across the country (often drunk, as 2 Republicans noted) and set up interviews overseas with former Ukrainian officials who he was certain would blow open a scandal involving the 50-year old adult son of Joe Biden.
But Giuliani's team couldn't find investors. Fellow Republicans expressed deep skepticism that the former New York mayor could really deliver. Then September came and went without any documentary.
Read 11 tweets
30 Oct
Healthcare executives have a clear favorite for the White House, and it's not the person who gave them a big tax cut three years ago. by @leonardkl ($) in @Politicsinsider ow.ly/64Wh50C7shb
America's top healthcare bosses are pouring cash into Democratic candidate Joe Biden's campaign and the outside groups supporting him, an Insider analysis of Federal Election Commission records and data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics shows.
Insider reviewed the campaign-spending records for executives at 100 major healthcare companies this election cycle, including drugmakers, insurers, health-tech companies, and hospitals.
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30 Oct
Notable journalists from The New York Times, Washington Post, & Atlantic were surprised to learn from @Politicsinsider that federal records showed they had made political contributions. In fact, mistakes happen. Part 3 of our @davelevinthal series. ($) ow.ly/O49a50C72xO
The Democratic congressional campaigns of Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania acknowledged incorrectly attributing a campaign contribution to media columnist Margaret Sullivan.
Several journalists say they believed they used ActBlue — a fundraising platform that primarily serves Democratic political committees and left-leaning nonprofits — to make charitable contributions. Federal records indicate they made political donations.
Read 10 tweets
29 Oct
NEW: The FBI is hiring a private contractor to help overhaul its policies surrounding a controversial tool used for spying on Americans that has drawn the ire of President Donald Trump. by @LoopEmma for @Politicsinsider ($) ow.ly/qcUm50C6Dy9
It's a move that is prompting concerns about the seriousness of the reforms and the federal government's ability to protect sensitive information. It also raises questions about whether the FBI has had the internal resources needed to vet its work in the past.
Outside firms had until this week to bid on a contract to help revamp the process by which investigators seek permission to use the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to spy on those believed to be working for foreign powers.
Read 13 tweets
29 Oct
NEW: The people Biden has surrounded himself with as his campaign approaches the finish line are the same ones helping him deflect an October opposition onslaught that's pretty much guaranteed to spill into his presidency — should he win. by @TinaSfon ($) businessinsider.com/biden-crisis-s…
Mud-slinging personal politics is the price of admission in the Trump era, and the Democratic nominee is responding to the nonstop attacks by leaning on a team of veteran operatives & experts in crisis messaging and strategy steeped in experience from the Clinton and Obama years.
They are plenty busy. The Trump campaign, outside advocates, and conservative media allies have closed 2020 going after Biden w/ spurious, half-baked claims that seek to tie the former Democratic VP to corruption allegations surrounding his 50-year-old son Hunter Biden.
Read 7 tweets
28 Oct
NEW: A mysterious super PAC is trashing Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina. Spending patterns strongly suggest Democrats are behind the mischief in a state well known for its dirty tricks. by @dnewhauser for @Politicsinsider ($) ow.ly/pguH50C5vN8
Liberty SC is what's called a pop-up super PAC, meaning it can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money but won't have to disclose where that cash is coming from until well after the election is decided.
Several emails to Liberty SC went unanswered. But the clearest sign tying it to Democrats is who it paid to create & send the anti-Graham ads. Although pop-up PACs don't have to disclose donors in the final stretch before an election they do have to disclose when they spend $.
Read 9 tweets

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