Mike Bloomberg to Bloomberg News reporters upset over not being able to probe Democrats: ‘With your paycheck comes some restrictions’
Mike Bloomberg, the billionaire Democratic presidential candidate, said employees at his news organization “just have to learn to live with some things” when asked about their frustrations over the outlet’s 2020 election policy forbidding the investigation of Democratic presidential contenders.
“They get a paycheck,” Bloomberg said during an interview that aired Friday with “CBS This Morning” co-host Gayle King. “But with your paycheck comes some restrictions and responsibilities.”
Bloomberg News announced last month that it would not investigate the Democratic presidential candidates after its owner, Bloomberg, jumped into the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
The outlet has long avoided probing him and said it would continue to do so as he seeks the nomination. To level the playing field, Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait said the newsroom would also not investigate the other Democratic presidential candidates.
But, Micklethwait said Bloomberg News would continue to investigate the Trump administration “as the government of the day.”
That decision prompted a furious protest from the Trump campaign which announced on Monday that it will not credential Bloomberg News reporters for its events until the policy is rescinded.
“The decision by Bloomberg News to formalize preferential reporting policies is troubling and wrong,” Brad Parscale, Trump’s 2020 campaign manager, said in a statement.
Bloomberg News reporters have been torn about how their outlet is handling the fact that its owner is running for president.
Some Bloomberg News reporters have expressed optimism to CNN Business. Others have said they’re concerned.
“[It’s] everybody’s nightmare come true,” one reporter told CNN Business.
