Nicole Wallace Not Getting Involved in Drama at MSNBC Over Temporary On-Air Replacement Alicia Menendez: Report
Jan. 30 2024, Published 3:30 p.m. ET
MSNBC executives are reportedly not fans of the temporary replacement for Deadline: White House host Nicolle Wallace, who's out on maternity leave.
Network head honchos are said to be unhappy with Alicia Menendez filling in for the anchor due to personal baggage from father Sen. Bob Menendez's ongoing legal issues, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Menendez, who serves as a Democrat senator for the state of New Jersey, faces a slew of criminal charges including bribery and conspiracy to act as a foreign agent. Now, his legal issues are spilling over onto his daughter's career.
According to the U.S. Sun, an insider close to MSNBC production said executives are "not happy" with how Sen. Menendez's charges reflect on his daughter — and subsequently her position at the network.
Meanwhile, the source said Wallace is keeping a distance from network "drama" regarding her temporary replacement.
"Nicolle has been busy at home enjoying her time and getting into the groove of being a new mother again, so she hasn't bothered to get involved in the drama around Alicia in her timeslot," the source said.
"It feels like MSNBC bosses are burying their heads in the sand, hoping this will go away — it won’t," the insider added. "In fact, it is going to get worse."
As RadarOnline.com reported, Sen. Menendez and his wife Nadine were indicted on felony bribery charges in September 2023. The charges are connected to the alleged "corrupt relationship" with three businessmen: Wael Hana, Jose Uribe, and Fred Daibes.
The indictment alleged that the couple accepted "hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for using Menendez's power and influence as Senator" to protect and benefit the three businessmen as well as the nation of Egypt from 2018 to 2022.
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"How can MSNBC criticize Donald Trump and his legal issues when their own anchor's father is accused of accepting bribes and gold bars?" the source said in reference to four gold bars recovered at the senator's home during a June 2022 FBI raid.
Serial numbers on the gold bars allegedly match those Daibes reported stolen in a 2013 armed robbery. The source noted the pressure that Alicia is under as she navigates public life following her father's indictment.
"Alicia is sweating it. She got the job because of her dad and will probably lose it because of her dad too," the insider said.