The co-chair of ABC News' parent company is a longtime, personal friend and campaign donor of Vice President Kamala Harris, whose upcoming debate with former President Donald Trump will be hosted by the network.
Dana Walden, co-chair of Disney Entertainment, has known Harris since 1994. Their husbands, Matt Walden and Doug Emhoff, have known each other since the 1980s, according to The New York Times.
Trump, on the other hand, recently sued ABC News for defamation.
Still, the network insists Harris, the Democrat presidential nominee, won't have any advantage when she debates Republican nominee Trump on Sept. 10.
"ABC News has built its longstanding reputation on journalistic integrity," the network said in a statement, the Times reported. "All editorial decisions are in the hands of ABC News management and the seasoned journalists and producers of ABC, who hold themselves to the highest journalistic standards."
The ABC News presidential debate will be moderated by the anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis.
According to Disney, Walden is involved in only the news division's corporate matters and has no say in editorial decisions.
ABC News usually has its own president to serve as another buffer between the news division and Walden. At the moment, that position is vacant. Kim Godwin, the first Black woman to lead a network news division, resigned under pressure in May.
Walden and her husband have donated money to Harris' political campaigns since at least 2003, when Harris ran for district attorney in San Francisco.
In 2023, Walden donated $20,000 to support President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party, according to public filings.
The vice president says the Waldens, who are "extraordinary friends," largely "are responsible for my marriage," as they set up a couple who, in turn, set her up with her husband on a blind date.
Walden, 59, is Disney's highest-ranking TV executive. She oversees ABC, a chain of local television stations, multiple TV studios, a constellation of cable networks and Disney's streaming services.
Her biography on Disney's website says, "ABC News continues to dominate as the #1 news network in America" under Walden's leadership.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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