Political contributions by journalists

By Ashlee N. Titus

What I find most interesting about the list is the number of "journalists" who essentially admit to breaking the law, either themselves or their family members (many blamed their spouses for making a contribution purportedly in the journalist's name) - for example:

(D) Fox News Channel, Codie Brooks, researcher for Brit Hume's "Special Report," $300 to Senate campaign of Harold Ford Jr., Tennessee Democrat, in March 2006, $200 more in June, and $2,100 more in September.

Brooks, who said her family is friendly with Ford's, said she raised much of the $2,600 from friends - it wasn't her money alone. "A lot of Fox employees have contributed to Democratic candidates. I know I'm not the only one."

(D) Fox affiliate in Omaha, KPTM, Calvert Collins, reporter, $500 in October 2006 to Jim Esch, Democratic House candidate from Omaha. Esch lost to the Republican incumbent in November.

Collins says that her father made the campaign contribution. "I had told my dad that I was friends with this man. He said, 'Would you like me to make a donation?' I said, 'That's up to you, but don't do it in my name.'" She said her father also made a $2,000 contribution in her name to Kay Granger, Republican, Texas, in 2004, when Collins was a student in broadcast journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Or how ignorant they are on just what the law requires, a law many of them report on (when discussing disclosures or nondisclosures by candidates):

(D) The Atlantic Monthly, Martha Spaulding, assistant managing editor, $500 to the Democratic National Committee in May 2004.

No longer at The Atlantic, Spaulding said, "It's certainly not the Atlantic's contribution." She said she was not aware that contributions were disclosed on the Internet with a donor's occupation and employer.

(D) Fox affiliate in Minneapolis, KMSP, Alix Kendall, morning anchor, $250 in September 2006 to Midwest Values PAC, which gave to Democratic candidates.

Kendall said she opposes the war and thought that her donation was anonymous.