Seemingly desperate to find a new angle to bash President-Elect Donald Trump Tuesday, NBC Nightly News leaped onto accusations by TMZ that the Trump family were selling access. “Tonight the Trump transition team is pushing back after a new controversy involving the president-elect's sons,” hyped Anchor Lester Holt, “After reports surfaced that are raising questions about whether they were planning to swap big money charity donations to gain access to their father.”
“Tonight, pushback on a chance to party with the president-elect, the day after he's inaugurated, at least for donors who give a million dollars to a newly formed charity,” reported NBC’s Hallie Jackson. The charity, called Opening Day, reportedly focuses on conservation. According to Jackson they offered donors hunting and fishing excursions with Eric and Donald Trump Jr., and they were listed as leaders of the organization.
Jackson also noted a similar event involving Trump’s daughter, “Earlier this week, a charity auction to win coffee with Ivanka Trump was apparently canceled.” But she failed to report what organization was claiming the auction, even though a picture of the webpage was shown there was no indication of website it originated from.
“For a charitable event such as this, it just looks like you're selling your largesse, you know, on the auction block,” a former Federal Election Commission lawyer told Jackson in an interview.
The NBC reporter tried to throw the pay-to-play accusations back in Trump’s face, noting his campaign rhetoric, “The perception that charity donors might pay for access to the president-elect is exactly what Trump himself accused Hillary Clinton of during the campaign.”
But Jackson’s attack is highly hypocritical, since NBC could barely be bothered to cover the accusations against Clinton and the Clinton Foundation. Jackson’s colleague Andrea Mitchell, a Clinton super fan, played active defense for her candidate on the issue, writing it off as a simple “headache” for the campaign while parroting their talking points. NBC was the first of the Big Three networks to wave good bye to the controversy.
That, in spite of an Associate Press investigation which showed Secretary Clinton meeting with high roller donors of the foundation.
In addition, NBC also ignored a WikiLeaks e-mail exposing a $12 million donation from the King of Morocco in exchange for a meeting with the former secretary of state. They also didn’t seem too interested in former President Bill Clinton selling his “largesse” for millions of dollars in a scheme dubbed “Bill Clinton Inc.”
It wasn’t until the end of her report that Jackson mentioned that the donation promotion was NOT going to happen. “A new, final, event brochure obtained by NBC News, now shows no photo ops or hunting trips with the Trumps,” she stated. And while Trump’s sons are now listed as managers of the organization, she noted, “A spokesperson for Opening Day tells NBC News neither Donald Trump Jr. nor Eric Trump will be involved in the day-to-day operation of the non-profit.”
Transcript below:
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NBC Nightly News
December 20, 2016
7:10:40 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: Tonight the Trump transition team is pushing back after a new controversy involving the president-elect's sons, after reports surfaced that are raising questions about whether they were planning to swap big money charity donations to gain access to their father. We get late details on this from NBC's Hallie Jackson.
[Cuts to video]
HALLIE JACKSON: Tonight, pushback on a chance to party with the president-elect, the day after he's inaugurated, at least for donors who give a million dollars to a newly formed charity, called "Opening Day." If they do, this initial brochure, obtained by TMZ, says they get a photo op with Donald Trump and a hunting or fishing trip with Donald Trump Jr and/or Eric Trump, both avid outdoorsmen, and both listed as leaders of the non-profit.
KENNETH GROSS: For a charitable event such as this, it just looks like you're selling your largesse, you know, on the auction block.
JACKSON: The perception that charity donors might pay for access to the president-elect is exactly what Trump himself accused Hillary Clinton of during the campaign.
DONALD TRUMP: More pay for play.
JACKSON: Now he's the one facing questions about access to him and his family. Earlier this week, a charity auction to win coffee with Ivanka Trump was apparently canceled. Late this afternoon, the Trump transition team released a statement, saying the opening day events, quote, “Are merely initial concepts that have not been approved or pursued by the Trump family,” adding, “The Trump sons are not involved in any capacity.”
A new, final, event brochure obtained by NBC News, now shows no photo ops or hunting trips with the Trumps. The brothers are named as managers of the non-profit, but a transition official tells NBC News, “Don and Eric weren't aware they were being listed as directors of this newly formed entity,” adding, “Their names will be removed from the filing.”
[Cuts back to live]
Outside lawyers say that shows good judgment on behalf of the Trump brothers. A spokesperson for Opening Day tells NBC News neither Donald Trump Jr. nor Eric Trump will be involved in the day-to-day operation of the non-profit. Lester?
HOLT: Hallie Jackson tonight, thank you, Hallie.
