Former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Reince Priebus said on Sunday that NBC News’s management should have done a better job properly vetting former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel before deciding to hire her as a paid contributor.
Priebus, a paid contributor at ABC News, expressed surprise that Ronna McDaniel, his RNC successor, was not brought in beforehand to see if she could depart from her rehearsed talking points.
Priebus explained that as a contributor, he has always been brought in for meetings and interviews before being hired, unlike McDaniel at NBC News.
Priebus continued to criticize NBC News for not bringing in McDaniel before signing the contract, calling it a significant failure.
NBC News announced they would part ways with McDaniel, shortly after they had announced her hiring as a paid contributor.
Several big names spoke out against the decision to hire her – including “Morning Joe” co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, Rachel Maddow and Chuck Todd – noting both the way McDaniel paid lip service to Trump’s grievances surrounding his 2020 election loss, but also highlighting her attacks on certain NBC News journalists.
In the discussion on Sunday, ABC News anchor Martha Raddatz pointed out that Priebus, a contributor for ABC, has never denied the legitimacy of the 2020 election.
Priebus did not say whether he agrees with the criticism that says McDaniel should be barred from major network and cable shows because of her role in undermining the public’s faith in the election system. He reiterated, however, his position about the election.
Priebus believes a candidate has the right to bring challenges and cases concerning election issues, but once the cases are over, the outcome should be accepted.
The Hill has reached out to NBC News for a response.
