Ex-MSNBC host claims she got in trouble for criticizing Hillary Clinton
WASHINGTON (TND) — Former MSNBC host Krystal Ball claims she was given a slap on the wrist for criticizing Hillary Clinton leading up to the 2016 election, and was told that if she wanted to continue criticizing Clinton on air, she needed to obtain approval from the network's president.
Ball's comments came during an episode of Joe Rogan's popular "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, where Ball is a regular guest.
"Shortly before I was let go, I did a monologue when Hillary Clinton was building up to run for president," Ball said on a recent episode of the podcast. "It was back in 2014, so it was early on and I did this whole thing that was like, 'She sold out to Wall Street. People are gonna hate this lady. She's like a terrible candidate for the moment. Please don't run.' And I was allowed to say it, I delivered my thing, I did it exactly how I wanted to do it. Afterwards, I get pulled into an office and you know, 'Great monologue, everything's fine. But next time you do any commentary on Hillary Clinton, it has to get approved by the president of the network.'"
Ball added that the incident never stopped her from continuing to comment on Clinton, but it did impact the manner in which she did it.
"I would love to say that that didn't affect me and that I was there to be a truth teller," Ball went on to say, according to The New York Post.
"Listen, I’m a human being," she continued. "I'm sure I responded to the incentives of that system, like, 'God, I don't want to get in trouble with the boss.'"
Ball reportedly added that her experience wasn't all that uncommon, and that often on-air personalities know how to tow their network's line and, therefore, "they don't need that direct intervention of censorship."
Those in cable news "aren't really there because they're talented," Ball also insisted, according to The Post.
"They're there because they are reliable purveyors of whatever it is that that network wants to purvey," Ball concluded.
The National Desk (TND) reached out to MSNBC for comment, but did not hear back prior to publication. If a response is received, this story will be updated.
Since leaving MSNBC, Ball was built a successful show of her own titled "Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar." She also co-hosts a separate show with political commentator Kyle Kulinski titled "Krystal, Kyle and Friends."
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