Friday, October 10, 2014

Panelist

According to the hosts of the local public television public-affairs program Almanac, the most popular group of guests that appear on the show[1] is the political scientist panel, a semi-regular feature of the program.

One of the area’s political scientists that appears on the program from time to time is Kathryn Pearson of the University of Minnesota.  Dr. Pearson appeared on Almanac as recently as August 22, 2014.

She is one of a handful of political scientists that are ubiquitous in local media, both print and broadcast.

Among the many accomplishments that Prof. Pearson lists on her official curriculum vitae is her position as an Executive Board Member of the political group womenwinning.  She has held membership on the board since 2009.

Her relationship with the group dates back even further.  According to records on file at the state’s Campaign Finance Board, she is listed as a financial contributor to the group every year from 2008 to 2011, donating a total of $1,425 to the group during this period.

Womenwinning was founded in 1982.  The 501(c)(4) political charity formed its state-level political action committee in 1990. 

to encourage, promote, support, and elect pro-choice women of all political parties to all levels of public office.

True, Republican and former U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe was a speaker at a recent womenwinning event.  However, when it comes to handing out cash to candidates, only Democrats receive the financial backing of womenwinning.  In 2014 (through Sept. 16th), womenwinning donated to 23 candidates for the state House of Representatives, and all 23 were Democrats.  Womenwinning donated to candidates in four of the 20 most critical house races.

As I’ve written before, Pearson’s fellow Almanac panelist David Schultz is openly backing a Democrat candidate in another one of those 20 swing seats.  Both of these political scientists appear on Almanac and other venues providing commentary and analysis on political topics in which they have personal stakes.

They are certainly entitled to donate to and to support any political candidate they wish.  My problem is with the media venues that put them on as unbiased, neutral observers of the state’s political scene.



[1] TPT Almanac, August 22, 2014 episode, 40:28 mark.

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