[More in the cross-post on the MRC's NewsBusters blog.]
On 9 July 2014, ABC and CBS's evening newscasts punted yet again on
reporting Ray Nagin's Democratic affiliation, after the disgraced former
New Orleans mayor was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for
corruption. World News and CBS Evening News previously omitted Nagin's party ID when he was indicted in January 2013, and after a jury convicted him in February 2014.
ABC's
Diane Sawyer hyped that the politician's sentencing was "a staggering
fall from grace for the man who rose to national fame leading his city
through Hurricane Katrina," but failed to mention that the Democrat was
widely criticized for his handling of the disaster. By contrast, Brian
Williams mentioned both his political affiliation and the post-Katrina
criticism on NBC Nightly News:
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Former
Democratic mayor of New Orleans Ray Nagin – a major figure who took a
lot of heat during Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath – has been
sentenced to ten years in prison, after being convicted on several
corruption charges – including bribery, money laundering. He was accused
of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and trips from
business executives in exchange for work from the city. He has denied
wrongdoing.