Democratic Representative Raul Grijalva, Arizona-CD7, speaks at Solar Rock event

MSNBC on-air talk show host, Keith Olbermann, was suspended with pay today after discovery of his 2010 campaign contributions surfaced. One recipient of Olbermann’s funding, in violation of NBC rules, was Arizona’s Raul Grijalva, a Democratic incumbent  running a tight re-election campaign and who was opposed by a centrist Republican woman candidate. The NBC network prohibits editorial staffers — like journalists at most news organizations — from contributing to political candidates. Olbermann anchored NBC election night coverage without disclosing that he’d given money to candidates who were running for office. Further undermining Olbermann was his vocal criticism against Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch’s contribution to the Republican Governor’s Association in August 2010 saying “Fox News has put its money where its mouth is.” Olbermann made a point during an October 2010 on-air interview with Democrat Representative Jim Clyburn that alluded to Fox News perceived on-air conservative slant with “…the idea that there is a national cable news outlet that goes beyond having a point of view and actually starts to shill for partisan causes and actually starts to donate to partisan groups of one party.” Olbermann’s actions, in light of his public protestations of others contributing to partisan causes, are now to be subjected to public and professional examination. Arizona’s Democratic incumbent Raul Grijalva, re-elected with a narrow margin, has not indicated whether Keith Olbermann’s donation with be returned, and if any favorable NBC news coverage was disproportionate or favorable in light of receiving Olbermann’s contribution.