Two former Politico reporters have taken to a podcast to voice their frustrations with their former employer’s editorial decisions, particularly regarding coverage of now-former President Joe Biden and his family. Marc Caputo and Tara Palmeri, both former Politico writers, claim the news outlet suppressed or outright killed stories that could paint the Bidens negatively.
Claims of censorship: Biden family coverage suppressed
Caputo and Palmeri described Politico as resisting stories that would have been harmful to the Biden family, often under the guise of avoiding “bad press.” One of the most notable examples they shared was the Hunter Biden laptop saga.
Caputo recounted editors telling him not to pursue the story despite his belief that it was worth covering. He noted a particular headline from Politico dismissing the laptop as “Russian disinformation,” a claim Caputo referred to as “misinformation.”
“I was covering Biden at the time, and I remember coming to my editor and saying, ‘Hey, we need to write about the Hunter Biden laptop,’” Caputo recalled. “And I was told this came from on high at Politico: Don’t write about the laptop, don’t talk about the laptop, don’t tweet about the laptop.”
Palmeri’s struggles with delayed reporting on Hunter Biden
Palmeri also spoke about her own difficulties in reporting on the Hunter Biden saga. She spent months investigating a gun-related incident involving the president’s son, which ultimately contributed to his conviction. Palmeri questioned whether Politico delayed the story due to its timing during President Biden’s early days in office.
“I spent three months on it. I went to the laptop shop, and I did all of the reporting in Delaware, and I did all of that. But yeah, it had to be 100% nailed down,” Palmeri explained. “But I do wonder if it could have been published a little quicker if it was a different type of story.”
Story on Hunter Biden’s tax issues also allegedly suppressed
Caputo further recounted how Politico editors killed another critical story he wrote about Hunter Biden’s tax issues without explanation. The story related to Hunter Biden’s work with the Ukrainian company Burisma. Caputo believes the decision was an attempt to shield Joe Biden’s presidential campaign from unfavorable publicity.
“I wrote what would’ve been a classic story — vice president’s son slapped with tax lien for the period of time that he worked for this controversial Ukrainian company, which was haunting his father on the campaign trail,” Caputo said. “That story was killed by the editors, and they gave no explanation for that either.”
Politico responds, denies suppression claims
In response to Caputo and Palmeri’s claims, a Politico spokesperson pushed back, suggesting their former reporters had false memories. The spokesperson also highlighted that, over the years, Politico had led the way in reporting on the business dealings of Joe Biden’s family members, including Hunter and James Biden.
“Seems like a case of false memory, given that across the years they referenced, POLITICO journalists lead the way on wide-ranging reporting on the business dealings of Joe Biden’s closest relatives,” the statement read. “Notably, POLITICO was the first to confirm that Hunter Biden’s laptop contained genuine material and to report on the gun incident that led to his conviction.”
The spokesperson also emphasized Politico’s editorial standards, claiming the outlet upholds rigorous reporting processes to vet every story thoroughly.
Conclusion: A tense standoff over editorial decisions
The public dispute between former Politico reporters and the outlet’s editorial leadership highlights a growing tension over the coverage of political figures, particularly within the context of sensitive topics involving the Biden family. While Caputo and Palmeri maintain that Politico suppressed their stories, Politico remains firm in its defense, pointing to its overall record on investigative reporting.
