ABC News Anchor Discloses Charitable Donations To The Clinton Foundation

ABC News' Stephanopoulos Disclosed $75,000 Donation To The Clinton Foundation. ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos disclosed on May 14 that he has donated $75,000 to the Clinton Foundation “in support of the work they're doing on global AIDS prevention and deforestation.” Politico noted that Stephanopoulos' disclosure came after he interviewed Clinton Cash author Peter Schweizer and “challenged the author's assertions that Hillary Clinton may have committed a crime because there was a 'troubling pattern' between donations to the foundation and Clinton's actions as secretary of state.” [Politico, 5/14/15]

Fox News Decries Charity Donation As A Conflict Of Interest

Fox News Figures: Stephanopoulos' Charitable Donation And Failure To Disclose Was “Not Good,” Does “A Disservice To Viewers.” Fox News figures complained that Stephanopoulos' charitable donation was “the wrong thing to do” and “not good.” On the May 15 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, network host Chris Wallace said it was “foolish to donate to the Clinton Foundation ... Obviously he worked for the Clintons and it looks like he still has ties to the Clintons. And for a fella who is supposed to be covering politics fairly and even handedly, it raises questions. I think the bigger mistake, which hasn't been addressed here, is the failure to disclose.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends,  5/15/15]

Yet Fox Figures Have A Marked History Of Political And Financial Disclosure Issues

Mark Thiessen Pushed Clinton Cash Allegations Without Disclosing Financial Connection To Schweizer. Fox News contributor Mark Thiessen appeared on the April 23 edition of Fox News' The Kelly File to push baseless allegations made in Peter Schweizer's Clinton Cash that Hillary Clinton's decisions as secretary of state were influenced by donations to The Clinton Foundation and payments to former president Bill Clinton for speeches. Thiessen called the allegations “as clear as you can a pay-for-play situation,” failing to disclose the fact that he has a speechwriting business with the author Peter Schweizer. [Fox News, The Kelly File, 4/23/15] [OvalOfficeWriters.com, accessed 5/15/15] 

Sean Hannity Fails To Disclose Financial Interest In Criticizing Public Land Ownership. In August 2014, Fox News host Sean Hannity repeatedly promoted Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy's anti-government rhetoric after the rancher refused to comply with court-orders directing him to remove his trespassing cattle from public land. Hannity supported Bundy and attacked the government for owning too much land, but did not disclose his corporate, financial, and political interests in promoting Bundy. Bundy's anti-government agenda is closely aligned with that of the Koch brothers, who provide major funding and large ad buys to Hannity. [Fox News, Hannity,  4/13/14]

Hannity Used Fox News Platform To Promote Sponsor Of His Radio Program. In September 2014, Hannity used his Fox News program to promote the fundraising efforts of a paid sponsor of his radio show. He hosted the president of the Tea Party Patriots, a sponsor for his radio show, to plug their fundraising website on Fox News, never disclosing their financial connection. [Fox News, Hannity, 9/10/14]

Fox News Sunday Fails To Disclose Karl Rove's Stake In The Senate Races He Discusses. The September 21, 2014 edition of Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday hosted Karl Rove to discuss the 2014 midterm Senate races, without disclosing Rove's relationship with American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS, his super PACs that have poured millions into influencing the outcomes of the Senate races being discussed. [Fox Broadcasting Co., Fox News Sunday, 9/21/14]

Fox Hosted Defense Lobbyist To Slam Obama For Denying Request To Build More Defensive Weapons. On the February 6 edition of Fox News' The Real Story, Gretchen Carlson hosted Republican lobbyist Van D. Hipp Jr., who attacked the Obama administration for denying a request to market drones to the Kingdom of Jordan, but neither Fox nor Hipp disclosed the fact that his firm, American Defense International (ADI), had recently lobbied Congress on behalf of the defense contractor that makes the drone. [Fox News, The Real Story, 2/6/15]

Fox Contributors Doug Schoen And Frank Luntz Lobbied For Chamber Of Commerce Without Disclosing Financial Interest. In October 2010 Fox contributors Doug Schoen and Frank Luntz used their Fox appearances to advocate on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's interests. Schoen criticized Democrats' strategy of making a campaign issue out of the Chamber's funding sources, and Luntz applauded an ad by the Chamber, saying the group has “done some of the best advertising across the country,” -- but Fox neglected to mention that Schoen and Luntz both worked for the Chamber. [Fox News, America Live, 10/6/10]

Fox Military Analyst Pushed For U.S. Purchase Of F-22 Planes Without Disclosing His Financial Interest. In April 2009, Fox News military analyst Tom McInerney criticized the Obama administration's decision to procure only four more F-22 fighters, but did not disclose McInerney's financial interest in the procurement of F-22 fighter planes -- he reportedly served as a consultant for the Northrop Grumman Corp., which is a major subcontractor on the F-22. [Fox News, America's News HQ, 4/27/09]