Kristin Roberts, Politico’s National Editor, swears she is no longer a member of the Democratic Party—but admits she once was.
After Breitbart News published details from voter registration forms of several Politico reporters and editors—including Roberts, who runs Politico’s 2016 election coverage—Roberts confirmed that she was in fact registered as a Democrat in New Jersey in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She says her registration as a Democrat in New Jersey was “in a highly D district.”
At first, she challenged the second part of the report that detailed how in Miami in the early 2000s she was a registered Democrat in Florida. But after being provided with details from the registration records, showing her address and part of her Social Security number among other things, Roberts admitted to Breitbart News that she was at one time a registered Democrat and a member of the party.
Now, however, the top editor at Politico claims she is politically independent—not a Democrat or a Republican—and that she is unbiased. She also claims that Politico’s coverage of the 2016 election, which has taken a decidedly anti-Donald Trump, pro-Hillary Clinton bent, is impartial.
“I’m politically independent, as a journalist and a citizen,” Roberts said in an email to Breitbart News. “As perhaps you and your many readers may have experienced themselves, political views can change over time. What’s of greatest importance to me is fair and nonpartisan journalism and we have a terrific history of producing that at Politico.”
Roberts is highly involved in the direction of Politico’s editorial coverage, shaping the site’s narrative on a regular basis.
“She directs coverage of the 2016 presidential race and helps guide Politico’s approach to the biggest stories,” her bio on the site reads.
Roberts’ admission that she was a Democrat—and subsequent claim that she is independent—comes on the heels of the Breitbart News story in which she and several of her reporters were revealed to be either current or former Democrats, per voter registration files. The Breitbart News investigation detailed how Politico, in the wake of high-profile departure announcements, has gone from once-great reporting institution to liberal click-bait blog.
This all comes after Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, has called Politico a “total rag” and his campaign has un-credentialed the outlet’s writers from covering his campaign events.