CJR Daily’s Edward B. Colby questions CNBC allowing Maria Bartiromo interview former Citigroup Chairman and CEO Sanford Weill on Monday…

Bartiromo did nothing wrong in yesterday’s interview, and Weill no longer represents Citigroup. But the “exclusive” between the star anchor who is the public face of CNBC and the man who was the longtime public face of Citigroup breathes new life into the story, inviting it to linger. While Todd Thomson, one of Citigroup’s top execs, was canned (as the Wall Street Journal reported) after his “spending and friendship” with Bartiromo (”including improper use of the corporate jet — one case involving a trip from Asia with Ms. Bartiromo — and a decision to spend $5 million on a Sundance Channel program in which she would appear”) angered current Citigroup CEO Charles Prince, Bartiromo, who has been staunchly defended by CNBC, got off scot-free. CNBC has not mentioned the Bartiromo-Thomson connection on air, and as the New York Times reported, she continues to cover Citigroup.

This strikes us as a counterproductive strategy. Damage control demands that the accused quickly address the allegations as directly and thoroughly as possible. As it is, each time Bartiromo reports on Citigroup, rightly or wrongly, the knot of questions she has not answered become newly relevant.