NBC News correspondent Luke Russert is leaving the network to take time away from political reporting and concentrate on other interests.
Russert, the son of late broadcasting legend Tim Russert, announced his departure in a tweet on Wednesday. His last day will be July 15.
“It has been a privilege and an honor for me to have worked for NBC News for the last eight years. I will always be eternally grateful for all the opportunities I’ve received and for the incredible people I’ve gotten to know along the way. NBC News is family and while it’s hard to leave, It’s the right decision for me at this time,” Russert said in a statement.
Luke’s father was a long-time moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press” until his death in 2008. Fox Sports host Colin Cowherd recently said that un-biased political reporting died when Tim Russert passed away. Luke joined his father’s network immediately following his college graduation.
“It’s fair to say my broadcast career began in an unusual way after college graduation and the death of my father. As a result, I threw myself into the work and never took the time to reflect, to travel and to experience many things that would have given me a clearer sense of what my future should be,” Russert wrote in the statement. “Now at 30, I look forward to taking some time away from political reporting and focusing my efforts on other endeavors that I’ve long wanted to pursue.”
Russert walks away from NBC News just in time to skip the GOP convention, which begins Monday in Cleveland.
Bit of personal news—- pic.twitter.com/eWcT3lM1I1
— Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) July 13, 2016