Brian Williams: And, Chip, let's talk about Harry Reid of Nevada

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http://mediamatters.org/items/200610170006

CBS, ABC ignored FBI raid of Weldon associates in corruption probe; NBC ignored key difference between Weldon raid and Reid land deal

Summary: Evening news programs on ABC and CBS made no mention that federal agents raided the homes of Rep. Curt Weldon's (R-PA) daughter and her business partner, as well as four additional locations, as part of a reported investigation into whether Weldon improperly assisted their company. NBC's Nightly News did report on the raids, but NBC devoted equal time to Democratic Sen. Harry Reid's announcement that he would issue updated disclosure forms to add more details of a land transaction, without noting a key difference: There are no allegations that Reid used his office to benefit from the land deal. snip

While the Nightly News did cover the raids of Weldon's daughter and her partner, correspondent Chip Reid devoted equal time to Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid's (NV) announcement that he would issue updated disclosure forms reflecting more details of a land transaction. An October 11 Associated Press article first reported that story, asserting that Reid made $700,000 "on a Las Vegas land sale even though he hadn't personally owned the property for three years" and that "Reid did not disclose to Congress an earlier sale in which he transferred his land to a company created by a friend and took a financial stake in that company." While NBC noted that investigators are trying to determine whether Weldon "used his position as a congressman" to assist the company owned by his daughter and her partner, its report did not note that, in contrast, there are no allegations that Sen. Reid used his office in any way that might have affected the value of his land, as Media Matters for America has noted.

From the October 16 broadcast of NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams:

WILLIAMS: Three weeks to go now till the midterm elections, and tonight the FBI has raided the homes of a Pennsylvania congressman's daughter and those of a close friend in the midst of a close fight for re-election. NBC News correspondent Chip Reid, with us from Capitol Hill tonight for this latest wrinkle for the Republican Party. Chip, good evening.

REID: Well, good evening, Brian. FBI and federal law enforcement sources say that they're looking into whether Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Curt Weldon used his position as a congressman to help obtain lucrative lobbying contracts for an old friend and for his daughter. Today the FBI searched six locations in that investigation in Philadelphia and in Florida, including Weldon's daughter's home. Weldon denies any wrongdoing, but this could not possibly have come at a worse time for him, because he is in the toughest fight for re-election he has ever had. Brian.

WILLIAMS: And, Chip, let's talk about Harry Reid of Nevada. The top Democrat in a story that continues to follow him.