Now we know why CNN's Van Jones praised President Trumps weak executive order so much.
In a report from The Daily Beast it appears that Jones actually helped to craft the order.
I remember listening to CNN when the news of Trump signing the executive order broke and thinking to myself that Jones was going all out to praise this order. I thought at the time he was going a little over board.
Van Jones called President Trump's executive order on police reform "a good thing" and a "a step in the right direction" following a White House signing ceremony on Tuesday.
"The executive order is a good thing," Jones said on "Inside Politics." "Mainly because you saw the support of law enforcement there. That gives you a sense of where the bottom is, where the floor is for reform, and that floor is higher than it has been."
Now let’s be clear there is nothing wrong with working with Trump’s people on an executive order that you think may help African Americans survive police encounters. God bless Van Jones for that. I understand the whole if your not at the table you’re on the menu concept.
There is nothing wrong praising and supporting the order on CNN.
But there is something wrong with not divulging to the audience watching that you worked on the order you are praising so much.
The viewers had a right to know. That information not being divulged shows a lack of journalistic integrity.
We have to wonder if Van Jones told or didn’t tell CNN he worked on the order, and if he did why did CNN decide to put him on air without acknowledging that fact
Today, the REFORM Alliance announced that renowned activist and TV personality Van Jones will serve as the organization's Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The REFORM Alliance is a newly-established organization that is committed to advancing criminal justice reform and eliminating outdated laws that perpetuate injustice, starting with probation and parole.
In his role with the REFORM Alliance, Jones will oversee the implementation of the organization's mission to drastically reduce the number of people who are under control of the criminal justice system while keeping communities safe by changing laws and public opinion.
"This is the opportunity of a lifetime," Jones said. "I have spent my entire adult life preparing myself to help lead an initiative of this magnitude. I'm looking forward to working with this powerful group of founders to disrupt the status quo and shift the criminal justice system landscape for generations to come."
REFORM is backed by a bi-partisan and diverse group of sports, entertainment and business leaders, including award-winning recording artist Meek Mill; Philadelphia 76ers co-owner and Fanatics executive chairman Michael Rubin; entrepreneur and business mogul Shawn "JAY-Z" Carter; Kraft Group CEO and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft; Brooklyn Nets co-owner and philanthropic investor Clara Wu Tsai; Third Point LLC CEO and founder Daniel S. Loeb; Galaxy Digital CEO and founder Michael E. Novogratz; Vista Equity Partners founder, chairman and CEO Robert F. Smith.
"I don't think we could find a better person to lead this movement than Van Jones," said Rubin, who is the co-chairman of the REFORM Alliance alongside Meek Mill. "He has devoted most of his adult life to criminal justice reform and his passion is unparalleled. With the incredible founding partners that we've assembled standing alongside Van as our leader, I'm confident that we will make a real difference."
A Yale-educated attorney, Jones has spent nearly 25 years laboring on social change causes, with a recurring focus on criminal justice issues.
Jones co-founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in 1996. Based in Oakland, that organization has been a leading force in criminal justice reform for more than two decades. The center played a key role in closing five abusive youth prisons in California and blocking the construction of a Super-Jail for youth in Oakland.
In 2013, Jones co-founded #cut50, a bipartisan justice reform initiative of the Dream Corps. #cut50 played a vital role in passing criminal justice reform at the federal level last year. The New York Times called the bill -- the First Step Act -- the most significant criminal justice breakthrough in a generation.
Jones will continue to appear occasionally on CNN and host his bimonthly weekend program on CNN, The Van Jones Show.
About REFORM AllianceThe REFORM Alliance is committed to advancing criminal justice reform and eradicating laws and policies that perpetuate injustice in the United States. To achieve that objective, the REFORM Alliance will strive to pass probation bills at the state level, use media to amplify the need for comprehensive reform and build an inclusive, bi-partisan alliance of leaders from the business, entertainment, sports and community industries who share a cohesive vision for ambitiously and efficiently transforming the criminal justice system.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nov. 27 – Beginning in January 2018, CNN political commentator Van Jones will launch a one-hour prime-time program, airing bimonthly on CNN – The Van Jones Show.
Jones will return to CNN with his unique take on the forces that elected Donald Trump, the anti-Trump “resistance” movement and the future of both major parties.
The show will build on Jones’ successful town halls throughout 2017, The Messy Truth, and will continue to speak directly to voters across the country by exploring the raw, emotional policy debates and culture wars taking place in America.
Jones will introduce viewers and a live studio audience to the fresh and charismatic voices on the front lines of political fights across the country.
In addition to The Van Jones Show, CNN has green lit the production of a new CNN Original Series in collaboration with Citizen Jones, a production company. Hosted by Van Jones, the series focuses on reconciliation, hope and redemption within the criminal justice system.
Jones is a notable advocate for civil rights, ecological solutions and social justice. A Yale-educated attorney, he gained nationwide notoriety during the 2016 presidential election with his unique ability to speak to and connect with voters on both sides of the aisle. His most recent New York Times bestselling book, Beyond the Messy Truth, explores failures of both political parties before and after the election of Donald Trump. In his book, Jones advocates for the importance of principled bipartisanship to solve real problems.
In addition to the TV airings, The Van Jones Show will stream live for subscribers via CNNgo (at CNN.com/go and via CNNgo apps for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TV and Android TV) and on the CNN mobile apps for iOS and Android. The series will also be available the day after each episode on demand via cable/satellite systems, CNNgo platforms and CNN mobile apps.
ABOUT CNN ORIGINAL SERIES
The CNN Original Series group develops non-scripted programming for television via commissioned projects, acquisitions and in-house production. Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent and content development, oversees CNN Original Series and CNN Films for CNN Worldwide. Lizzie Fox, vice president of current programming, supervises production of all CNN Original Series.
