Since MSNBC hired Al Sharpton as a weeknight host in 2011, the network’s commitment to media ethics has been questioned.
Despite his lack of popularity and consistent ratings losses to competitors like Fox News, MSNBC has shown little interest in scrutinizing Sharpton’s role as a controversial figure in media.
Unlike other hosts who faced suspensions for political donations, Sharpton has faced no such consequences, indicating a lack of accountability.
Rev. Al Sharpton is under scrutiny for receiving a $500,000 contribution from Kamala Harris’s campaign just prior to conducting an interview with her on MSNBC.
The funds were given in two installments of $250,000 each in September and October, raising concerns about potential payola.
During the October 20 interview, Sharpton supported Harris against criticisms of her past as a prosecutor and discussed her campaign’s challenges with Black male voters.
MSNBC claimed it was “unaware” that Kamala Harris’s campaign donated to Al Sharpton’s National Action Network before her friendly interview on October 20.
Neither Sharpton nor MSNBC commented on the donation, which ethics experts say should have been disclosed to avoid conflicts of interest.
“I have known Al for 25 years. Went to fights with him & Don King, always got along well. He loved Trump!” Trump wrote on social media. “He would ask me for favors often. Al is a con man, a troublemaker, always looking for a score. Just doing his thing.”
