‘Clinton Cash’ author: Stephanopoulos ‘favorable’ to Clintons

Peter Schweizer writes in an editorial published on Sunday that ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos has damaged journalism by not disclosing his ties to the Clinton Foundation.

{mosads}The Clinton Cash author charges that Stephanopoulos has done viewers a disservice by obscuring the intimate relationship he shares with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

Schweizer writes that by hiding his past dealings with the Clintons’ charitable foundation, Stephanopoulos has tainted his credibility as a newscaster.

“If Stephanopoulos had disclosed his donations to the very foundation I was there to talk about, perhaps it would have put the aggressive interview with me in context,” writes Schweizer in a op-ed for USA Today.

“But he didn’t,” Schweizer added.

“What I did not expect – what no one expected – was the sort of ‘hidden hand journalism’ that has contributed to America’s news media’s crisis of credibility in particular, and Americans’ distrust of the news media more broadly,” Schweizer writes in the op-ed.

Stephanopoulos first acknowledged last Thursday that he had donated $75,000 to the Clinton Foundation between 2012 and 2014.

Schweizer argues that the ABC News anchor was a much more active participant in the foundation’s activities than any mere contributor.

He cites Stephanopoulos’s multiple appearances at foundation events and his work as a political adviser for former President Bill Clinton as proof that the broadcaster’s bias runs deep.

“Obviously, Stephanopoulos has favorable feelings towards Hillary and Bill Clinton; he gave their foundation his money and time,” Schweizer writes.

“Big-time news media personalities have one thing in very short supply – time,” he adds.

“Regular participation in Clinton Foundation events shows a deeper commitment to the Clintons that just the donations,” Schweizer writes.

Stephanopoulos apologized on Friday for misleading viewers during an interview with Schweizer on April 26 over his book on the Clinton Foundation.

Schweizer countered on Sunday that Stephanopoulos’s gesture was too little, too late for soothing concerns that journalists have a transparency problem.

“What is certain is that Stephanopoulos’ ethical malpractice and hidden-hand journalism have done further injury to an essential, if beleaguered, institution, one already battling to preserve legitimacy,” he writes.

“That’s news no one can celebrate,” Schweizer adds.

Schweizer’s “Clinton Cash” came out earlier this month.

It alleges that foreign donors gave to the Clinton Foundation in exchange for political favors granted by former secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her tenure there.