Rick Klein, a veteran of wrangling politicians and newsmakers, has been named ABC News‘ next Washington Bureau chief, a move that shows the Disney news operation working to fill some notable holes among its senior staff.
“As a seasoned and highly respected journalist, Rick is uniquely qualified to lead our Washington bureau at such a pivotal moment in our nation’s history,” said Debra OConnell, the Disney executive who oversees both ABC News and ABC’s local stations, in a prepared statement. “His years of guiding our coverage of the biggest political news events, including five presidential elections, and providing critical analysis across ABC News’ programs and platforms are invaluable to our exceptional team and viewers.”
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Klein will report to OConnell until a new president of ABC News is named.
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The Washington Bureau chief role at ABC News has been empty since the April exit of Jonathan Greenberger, a close ally of anchor George Stephanopoulos who left to become an executive vice president at Politico.
Klein, who joined ABC News in 2007, will oversee bureau operations and manage all news teams based in Washington and oversee all political coverage, including ABC News’ Sunday morning public affairs program, “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.”
“I have grown up professionally working with the legendary journalists of ABC News in Washington,” Klein said in a statement. “I’m honored to step into the role of bureau chief at this critical time and for the chance to work more closely with my colleagues in Washington and beyond. Our audience depends on us more than ever for straightforward reporting about our government and political institutions — reporting that is essential to our democracy and around the world.”
Before becoming political director in 2013, Klein was the senior Washington editor for “World News with Diane Sawyer” and was the longtime primary author of the daily political tipsheet “The Note.” He co-hosted the streaming political program “Top Line” and co-anchored ABC News’ digital election coverage in 2008 alongside Sam Donaldson. He also co-hosted the podcasts “Powerhouse Politics” and “Capital Games” and made frequent guest appearances on Fox News and NPR panels.
Before joining ABC News, Klein was a reporter for The Boston Globe, where he covered the Massachusetts State House and Boston City Hall, before moving to Washington to cover Congress and national politics. A native of Long Island, New York, Klein graduated from Princeton University and previously worked as a metro reporter at The Dallas Morning News.
Klein will continue to appear on-air for ABC News platforms to contribute political analysis and reporting, including coverage of political data, polling and demographics.