Kentucky GOP calls for dismissal of newsroom employee [View All]

Source: Lexington Herald-Leader

FRANKFORT -- The Republican Party of Kentucky called on the Lexington Herald-Leader yesterday to dismiss a newsroom employee because he donated to the presidential campaign of John Kerry.

Brian Throckmorton, the paper's copy desk chief, donated $250 to Kerry's campaign in 2004. The donation, along with those of 142 other journalists across the nation, was disclosed in a recent report by MSNBC.com. Only 16 of the journalists donated to Republicans.

"The Herald-Leader is consistently outspoken in its sanctimonious pursuit of those it believes engage in the evils of influencing the political process," said state GOP Chairman Steve Robertson in a news release. "Perhaps it should turn the same judgmental eye toward Throckmorton as he ignored company policy and arrogantly sought to position himself above scrutiny."

... "We have no plans to fire Brian," said Linda Austin, editor of the Herald-Leader. "He violated no existing policy. However, we are reviewing our policy regarding newsroom employees and political contributions."

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/263/story/108928.html