When ABC Suspended Veteran Correspondent for 'Abusing' Trump on a Hidden Camera

ABC News took the decisive step of suspending veteran correspondent David Wright following the revelation of a hidden camera recording in which he could be heard criticizing former President Donald Trump and expressing discontent with his network. The footage, disseminated by the right-wing group Project Veritas, captured Wright branding Trump as a "d**k" and asserting that ABC often left voters "poorly informed," as The U.S. Sun reported. This incident unfolded in February 2020.

Wright's unfiltered remarks were recorded during his coverage of New Hampshire. In the video, he voiced concerns about the truth of suffering and voters being poorly informed, saying, "I feel that the truth suffers, the voters are poorly informed, and people also have the opportunity to tune into whatever they want to hear. And so, it's like there's no upside, or our bosses don't see an upside in doing the job we're supposed to do, which is to speak truth to power and hold people accountable," where he addressed the lack of accountability for figures like Trump. According to Wright, ABC failed to credit Trump for positive actions and was more interested in sensationalism than in fulfilling its duty to speak truth to power.

The veteran correspondent went further, admitting his political inclination, declaring himself a "socialist," and expressing support for national health insurance and wealth gap reduction. Criticizing ABC's Good Morning America, Wright contended that the show was laden with self-promotion, mentioning Disney Princesses and Marvel Avengers–an ironic note given that Disney owns ABC.

ABC News responded to the controversy by suspending Wright and announcing plans to reassign him away from political coverage upon his return, as per Hollywood Reporter sources. In an official statement, ABC emphasized the importance of maintaining a reputation for fairness and impartiality. Project Veritas, known for exposing liberal bias, defended Wright's honesty, asserting that no one should face suspension for telling the truth. This incident followed the departure of investigative reporter Brian Ross, who had returned to the air after a month-long suspension for inaccuracies in a story about the investigation into potential collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia. Ross and his producer, Rhonda Schwartz, bid farewell to ABC News in a memo, expressing gratitude for their support and highlighting their commitment to investigative journalism.

ABC News President James Goldston acknowledged the duo's contribution to exposing government corruption, human rights abuses, and fraud. However, Trump, who had previously criticized Ross on X, likely viewed this departure with satisfaction. Trump accused Ross of causing a market downturn with a report on Gen. Michael Flynn's testimony, a claim that Ross had been suspended over. Trump suggested potential legal action against ABC for the alleged damages. As ABC grappled with internal controversies involving its veteran correspondents, the network faced challenges in maintaining its reputation for unbiased reporting. The suspension of Wright and the departure of Ross underscored the delicate balance media organizations must strike in delivering news that is both informative and impartial.