ABC News Suspends Correspondent David Wright Over ‘Compromising’ Sting Video Comments About Trump, Network
ABC News suspended correspondent David Wright ahead of the Wednesday release of a Project Veritas video, a network spokesperson told TheWrap Wednesday.
“SCOOP: In response to tomorrow’s upcoming #ExposeABC release, @ABC News has SUSPENDED the correspondent involved…Stay tuned,” wrote Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe on Tuesday night, hours before his latest stinging operation dropped. Project Veritas is a right-wing operation that seeks to discredit mainstream media outlets.
In the secretly-recorded video from Project Veritas, Wright appears to say he considers himself “a socialist.” He also seems to suggest that ABC has become a “profit center” for parent company Disney.
“You can’t watch ‘Good Morning America” without there being Disney princess or Marvel Avenger appearing,” Wright is recorded saying. “It’s all self-promotion.”
Later in the video, he says that ABC News “second-guesses” itself when it comes to covering President Trump to not appear biased against him. “That enables him, so we enable him, and it feels like every time we take the bait on the outrage,” Wright explains.
*Also Read:* Amy Robach's 2015 Reporting on Jeffrey Epstein Won't Be Included in ABC News Special
An ABC News spokesperson told TheWrap Wednesday, “Any action that damages our reputation for fairness and impartiality or gives the appearance of compromising it harms ABC News and the individuals involved. David Wright has been suspended, and to avoid any possible appearance of bias, he will be reassigned away from political coverage when he returns.”
This is not the operation’s first time going after ABC News.
In November 2019, Project Veritas released a video of ABC News anchor Amy Robach saying she was “disappointed” that her 2015 story on Jeffrey Epstein didn’t run.
“It was unbelievable what we had. [Bill] Clinton-we had everything. I tried for three years to get it on to no avail and now it’s all coming out and it’s like these new revelations,” she says in the clip.
ABC News also released a statement, saying that at the time, not all of the reporting met their standards to air, but they have never stopped investigating the story. “Ever since we’ve had a team on this investigation and substantial resources dedicated to it,” the news organization said.
#ExposeABC is LIVE
Stay tuned for exclusive updates at https://t.co/JIpF84ym5I
This story is rapidly developing. pic.twitter.com/hDS0RAGlkI
— Project Veritas (@Project_Veritas) February 26, 2020
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Network Staffers Unfazed by Project Veritas' 'Expose CNN' Campaign: No One 'Really Cares About This'
ABC News Anchor Amy Robach 'Disappointed' Network Nixed Her Jeffrey Epstein Story in 2015