Stephanopoulos donations draw fire
ABC journalist, co-anchor gave $75,000 to Clinton Foundation
NEW YORK – George Stephanopoulos, co-anchor of ABC’s “Good Morning America,” came under fire Thursday for failing to disclose $75,000 in contributions he made to the Clinton Foundation, the charitable organization administered by former President Bill Clinton and his family.
Stephanopoulos, a former senior official in the Clinton White House, quickly issued a public apology and is expected to do so directly to viewers on today’s edition of “GMA.”
Despite his mea culpa, the episode has clouded Stephanopoulos’ ability to maintain his position as one of television’s most prominent political journalists just as the 2016 presidential primary season ramps up.
“I fear he’s in for a rough patch here,” said former ABC News President David Westin, who gave Stephanopoulos the job as moderator of “This Week” in 2002.
After the contributions came to light, Stephanopoulos withdrew from his role moderating the Republican presidential primary debate that ABC is hosting in New Hampshire in February.
Stephanopoulos has been a highly visible skeptic about accusations that big donors to the Clinton Foundation received favorable treatment from the government while Hillary Rodham Clinton, the front-runner in the Democratic presidential primary, was secretary of state.
During the April 26 broadcast of his Sunday program “This Week,” he aggressively questioned Peter Schweizer, whose book “Clinton Cash” lays out allegations about potential conflicts involving Clinton Foundation donors.
But Stephanopoulos never mentioned that he was a supporter of the foundation – giving a total of $75,000 to the foundation in 2012, 2013 and 2014 – contributions he now admits he should have openly disclosed.
“I made charitable donations to the Foundation in support of the work they’re doing on global AIDS prevention and deforestation, causes I care about deeply,” Stephanopoulos said in a statement. “I thought that my contributions were a matter of public record. However, in hindsight, I should have taken the extra step of personally disclosing my donations to my employer and to the viewers on-air during the recent news stories about the foundation. I apologize.”
ABC News journalists are barred from making political contributions, but the foundation is considered a charity and donations to those are acceptable. As a result, Stephanopoulos will not be suspended or face any other punishment from his employer. “We stand behind him,” an ABC News spokeswoman said.