Jeff Zeleny is departing ABC News for CNN after two years covering politics and Congress for his now former employer.
The senior Washington correspondent will not be changing job titles this month, just companies. Zeleny will report on air and write for CNN Politics Digital in his new role.
Companies are currently beefing up their news teams for coverage of the 2016 presidential election.
“As we move into the upcoming presidential election year, having a reporter of Jeff’s stature and caliber joining our powerhouse team of D.C. correspondents is a tremendous asset to our network and our audience,” said Sam Feist, CNN senior vice president and Washington bureau chief. “Jeff is one of the nation’s most premier political journalists and we are thrilled to have him join the CNN family.”
Added Zeleny: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work for a world class news organization like CNN, and excited to be part of such a strong, dynamic and enterprising team of reporters and producers.”
ABC News President James Goldston thanked his departing employee and wished Zeleney luck in a note of his own.
“For the past two years, he’s contributed greatly as our Senior Washington Correspondent covering politics and Congress, including his thoughtful coverage of the 2014 election and 16-day government shutdown,” Goldston wrote in an internal memo, which was acquired by TheWrap. “He scored ‘This Week’ exclusives with Senators Al Franken and Tim Scott and had revealing interviews with Ann Romney and Rep. Aaron Schock, among others.”
Prior to ABC News, Zeleny wrote for the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Des Moines Register.
At the Tribune, the journalist was part of the team that won a Pulitzer Prize in explanatory journalism for documenting gridlock in the nation’s air traffic system.
Read Goldston’s internal staff memo:
Team –
I’m writing with news that Jeff Zeleny is leaving ABC News.
For the past two years, he’s contributed greatly as our Senior Washington Correspondent covering politics and Congress, including his thoughtful coverage of the 2014 election and 16-day government shutdown. He scored “This Week” exclusives with Senators Al Franken and Tim Scott and had revealing interviews with Ann Romney and Rep. Aaron Schock, among others.
As we announced yesterday, Cecilia Vega and Tom Llamas already have joined our expanding team reporting on the 2016 election. And we will make more announcements about our election coverage in due course as we enter this exciting political cycle.
In the meantime, please join me in thanking Jeff and wishing him the best of luck on this new adventure.
James