Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg dismissed concerns from his own employees about Bloomberg News's new editorial policy forbidding staff journalists from investigating him and other 2020 Democratic candidates.
CBS This Morning anchor Gayle King pressed Bloomberg on Friday about the concerns of his company's reporters regarding the policy, which prohibits them from investigating anyone in the contentious Democratic primary.
"You just have to learn to live with some things," Bloomberg said. "They get a paycheck. But with your paycheck comes some restrictions and responsibilities."
Asked about criticism over Bloomberg News not being able to investigate Democrats, @MikeBloomberg says employees "just have to learn to live with some things."
"They get a paycheck. But with your paycheck comes some restrictions and responsibilities." pic.twitter.com/32q7KPEIV9
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) December 6, 2019
"I think people have said to me, 'How can you investigate yourself?' and I said, 'I don't think you can,'" Bloomberg said in defense of the company's policy. He added that people can still read about the Democratic candidates at Bloomberg News because it carries news from other outlets like the New York Times and the Washington Post.
Bloomberg News editor in chief John Micklethwait sent out a memo to reporters last month saying the outlet would continue its "tradition" of not investigating owner Michael Bloomberg, his family, or his personal foundation. But Micklethwait also announced the company would extend the same policy to all the 2020 Democratic candidates. However, the memo noted their coverage of President Donald Trump and his administration would not change because Trump is not Bloomberg's "direct rival."
In response, the Trump campaign announced it would not be issuing press credentials to Bloomberg News.