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McManus, CBS News Exec Gave to Bush; New Yorker's Packer Funds Dems

Supporters of Bush and Cheney must be happy with CBS's announcement this morning that Sean McManus is moving over from the sports division and taking controls of the reins at the network's news division.

According to Federal Election Commission records, McManus has made two donations in the past few years. He gave $1000 to Vermont Democratic Sen. Leahy, which should please liberals.

He also gave $250 last year to Bush and Cheney's campaign to retain the White House. I bet GOP voters and maybe even the administration are pleased that someone who clearly supported the Bush agenda last year, by coughing up some dough for Dubya, is now running CBS News.

These are McManus' donations, on file at NewMeat:

MCMANUS, SEAN
3/28/2003
$1,000.00
NEW CANAAN, CT 06840
CBS SPORTS [Contribution]
LEAHY FOR U.S. SENATOR COMMITTEE

McMANUS, SEAN J MR.
2/5/2004
$250.00
NEW CANAAN, CT 06840
C.B.S. SPORTS/TELEVISION EXECUTIVE [Contribution]
BUSH-CHENEY '04 (PRIMARY) INC

Who else in the media world has made political donations that haven't been widely reported? George Packer of the New Yorker magazine has recently made three donations, all to Democratic Party PACs and one Democatic Ohio candidate for the House.

I have nothing against either McManus or Packer exercising their rights as citizens to contribute bucks to politicians and causes they believe in. However, I think both CBS and the New Yorker, in the name of media transparency, should post information about the donations from McManus and Packer, and all other editorial employees, on their respective web sites.

Here are Packer's donations, as listed on NewsMeat.com:

Packer, George
Brooklyn, NY 11231
New Yorker Magazine/Writer
ACTBLUE
$250
07/29/05

Packer, George
Brooklyn, NY 11231
New Yorker Magazine/Writer
HACKETT, PAUL LEWIS III (D)
House (OH 02)
HACKETT FOR CONGRESS
$250
07/29/05

Packer, George
Brooklyn, NY 11231
The New Yorker Magazine/Journalist
DNC SERVICES CORPORATION/DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE (D)
$750
08/18/04