Conflict?

It seems that top rated Chicago station WLS has hired a number of politicians relatives on their staff.

Robert Feder writes that the ABC O&O may have the most politically connected newsroom in the Windy City.

Morning news anchor Tanja Babich is the daughter-in-law of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, recently hired per-diem reporter Meghan Kluth is the daughter of Congressman Mike Quigley, and per-diem reporter Alexis McAdams is the niece of Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.

It’s strictly a coincidence, according to John Idler, WLS General Manger. “These are all talented people who were hired on their own merit,” Idler said. “No other considerations were involved in their hiring.” Babich married Paul Durbin in 2018 — four years after she joined ABC 7.

The station was aware of the connections before Kluth and McAdams started, Idler added.

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