Longtime ABC News correspondent David Wright was suspended on Feb. 26 after he was caught on hidden camera declaring his political preferences and chastising his employer for doing a disservice to voters, particularly with respect to the networks coverage of President Donald Trump. Wright declared himself a socialist.
The company stated Wright wont cover political news anymore.
“Any action that damages our reputation for fairness and impartiality or gives the appearance of compromising it harms ABC News and the individuals involved,” said the companys emailed statement to The Epoch Times. “David Wright has been suspended, and to avoid any possible appearance of bias, he will be reassigned away from political coverage when he returns.”
The hidden camera recording was released on Feb. 26 by undercover journalism outfit Project Veritas.
“I feel that the truth suffers, the voters are poorly informed,” Wright was recorded as saying, commenting on the way the network covers Trump.
“With Trump, were interested in three things: the outrage of the day, the investigation, and of the palace intrigue of whos backstabbing whom. Beyond that, we dont really cover the guy,” he said.
He acknowledged that this leads to the networks failure to “give him [Trump] credit for what things he does do.”
But the approach also fails to “hold him [Trump] to account,” he said.
Wright made clear his view of the president and seemed to complain the network is not opposing Trump effectively.
“Were in this awkward moment where—and created by this awkward moment, we have this [expletive] president, and we cant figure out how to challenge him,” he said.
He made his personal politics clear too.
“Would you consider yourself a Democrat Socialist?” the undercover reporter asked.
“Oh yeah. Like, more than that Id consider myself a socialist. Like, I think there should be national health insurance; Im totally fine with reining in corporations; I think theyre too many billionaires; and I think theres a wealth gap—thats a problem.”
Yet, he criticized the only openly Democratic Socialist presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
“Bernie is very old and I think he doesnt want to admit that,” Wright said.
Instead, he expressed support for Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
“Setting aside my professional dispassion, I worry that if hes [Sanders] elected, hes not going to get anything done. Because he hasnt gotten anything done. Where I do think Warren taking those same issues could get something done,” he said.
Wright, whos been with ABC News since 2000, also criticized the company for neglecting stories that he believes would help people make better informed decisions at the ballot box.
“Real people talk about practical issues when theyre thinking about a candidate. I want to get back to the workforce or I cant afford childcare or I need medical care for whatever. Well, those things arent TV friendly things. You know, we want to focus on impeachment, we want to focus on the big [stuff] going on. But the things that help people make up their minds are little [stuff],” he said.
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The Epoch Times
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