Petrelis Files

The furor over CBS News' use of allegedly forged documents about George Bush's service in the National Guard made me wonder if the network's reporters and/or editorial staff have donated money to politicians.

Federal Election Commission files available at the PoliticalMoneyLine web site, www.tray.com, show that CBS News employees have contributed to Democratic and Republican candidates, the Democratic National Committee, and back in the 1980s, one employee contributed to the leftist New Alliance Party and its standard-bearer, Lenora Fulani.

Since 1982, CBS News employees have donated a total of $17,050 to federal candidates and political action committees.

Of that amount, $10,800 was for Democrats and the DNC; $3,500 went to the New Alliance Party; and only $2,750 was donated to GOP candidates.

The top recipient of their largesse was Fulani and the New Alliance Party, which received $3,500 from a CBS News staffer back in the 1980s.

The second highest recipient was Hillary Rodham Clinton, who took in $2,250 from three CBS News employees.

Most recently, a $500 contribution from an editor at CBS News was given to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

Looking over the donations, I'd say CBS News lacks a policy prohibiting such giving.

Also, the overwhelming support to Democrats gives the appearance of newsroom bias in favor of this party, not that there's anything illegal or necessarily wrong with that.

But I feel it's incumbent upon CBS News to disclose all of these donations, both on the air on the network's web site, to provide full transparency to the audience.
^^^

Koontz, Andrew
6/30/2004 $500.00
Princeton, NJ 08540
CBS News Productions/Television Edi -[Contribution]
KERRY VICTORY 2004

SCHNEIDER, FREDERICK M
3/11/2004 $1,500.00
WASHINGTON, DC 20005
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
TOM FORMICOLA FOR SENATE COMMITTEE

BAKER RIKER, MARGERY
12/12/2001 $500.00
NEW YORK, NY 10021
CBS NEWS PRODUCTION -[Contribution]
FRIENDS OF SCHUMER

KOONTZ, ANDREW
6/5/2002 $250.00
PRINCETON, NJ 08542
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
TORRICELLI FOR U S SENATE INC

BINNS, LISA M
7/22/1999 $250.00
FLUSHING, NY 11366
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
DNC SERVICES CORPORATION/DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

Garfinkle, David Mr.
7/6/1999 $250.00
Little Falls, NJ 07424
CBS News 60 Minutes -[Contribution]
BILL BRADLEY FOR PRESIDENT INC

Garfinkle, David Mr.
7/31/1999 $250.00
Little Falls, NJ 07424
CBS News 60 Minutes -[Contribution]
BILL BRADLEY FOR PRESIDENT INC

Garfinkle, David Mr.
11/10/1999 $200.00
Little Falls, NJ 07424
CBS News 60 Minutes/Film & TV Produ -[Contribution]
BILL BRADLEY FOR PRESIDENT INC

Garfinkle, David Mr.
12/7/1999 $300.00
Little Falls, NJ 07424
CBS News 60 Minutes/Film & TV Produ -[Contribution]
BILL BRADLEY FOR PRESIDENT INC

GORDON, VICTORIA
4/19/2000 $250.00
NEW YORK, NY 10023
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON FOR US SENATE COMMITTEE INC

KARAS, LINDA
10/19/1999 $250.00
NEW YORK, NY 10019
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
EMILY'S LIST

KOONTZ, ANDREW
4/6/2000 $250.00
PRINCETON, NJ 08640
CBS NEWS PRODUCTIONS INC -[Contribution]
GUSCIORA FOR CONGRESS 2000

KOONTZ, ANDREW
9/30/2000 $500.00
PRINCETON, NJ 08542
CBS NEWS PRODUCTIONS -[Contribution]
GUSCIORA FOR CONGRESS 2000

ROBERTS, TROY
6/19/2000 $1,000.00
NEW YORK, NY 10011
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON FOR US SENATE COMMITTEE INC

SENAY, EMILY
9/22/1999 $1,000.00
NEW YORK, NY 10023
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON FOR US SENATE COMMITTEE INC

HARMON, SUSAN B
2/12/1996 $250.00
NEW YORK, NY 10024
CBS NEWSPATH -[Contribution]
ROBERT WILKIE FOR CONGRESS

KURALT, CHARLES
6/19/1996 $1,000.00
NEW YORK, NY 10014
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
HARVEY GANTT FOR SENATE CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

FAW, ROBERT JR
5/9/1994 $250.00
MONTCLAIR, NJ 07042
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
MIKE JAMES FOR US SENATE

KROFT, STEPHEN
10/27/1994 $300.00
NEW YORK, NY 10023
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
HAM FISH JR FOR CONGRESS

MARTIN, CAROL
7/17/1992 $500.00
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, NJ 07632
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
FERRARO FOR U S SENATE

BERGMAN, MARTIN
5/7/1987 $1,000.00
ROCKY PT, NY 11778
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
GREG BLASS FOR U.S. CONGRESS

KRESKY, CAROLYN
1/6/1988 $500.00
NEW YORK, NY 10025
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
LENORA B FULANI'S COMMITTEE FOR FAIR ELECTIONS

HERFORD, PETER M
6/20/1986 $2,000.00
NEW YORK, NY 10019
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
BROCK ADAMS SENATE COMMITTEE

KRESKY, CAROLYN
9/24/1984 $3,000.00
NY, NY 10025
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
NAP - NATIONAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

MALOON, MARGERY BAKER
10/19/1982 $500.00
DELAWARE, OH 43015
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
BOB SHAMANSKY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE

MALOON, MARGERY BAKER
10/19/1982 $500.00
DELAWARE, OH 43015
CBS NEWS -[Contribution]
BOB SHAMANSKY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE