Keith Olbermann, the liberal host of MSNBC’s Countdown, has been suspended without pay for violating NBC’s code of ethics, which bars employees from donating to political campaigns. Olbermann

From the article:

“I became aware of Keith’s political contributions late last night,” Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC, said in a statement. “Mindful of NBC News policy and standards, I have suspended him indefinitely without pay.”

I can’t help but compare this to Juan Williams’ recent firing from NPR after making unsavory comments on FOX News. Conservatives rallied around Williams, and he was granted a $2 million contract with FOX. Particularly, Gov. Sarah Palin claimed that NPR was at fault here for refusing to honor Williams’ “first amendment rights.” Like Olbermann, Williams was fired not for his views, per se, but for breaking his employer’s policies. I wonder, will Palin and her acolytes rally around Olbermann like they did with Williams? If so, I’ll hand it to them for sticking to their principles.

Michael J. O’Loughlin is national correspondent at America and author of Hidden Mercy: AIDS, Catholics, and the Untold Stories of Compassion in the Face of Fear.