Where's the party (identification)?
On Thursday, Chicago-based New York Times reporter Monica Davey reported on more controversy over Rod Blagojevich, the corrupt former Democratic governor of Illinois who tried to sell off the state's U.S. Senate seat that was left empty after Sen. Barack Obama assumed the presidency. In "Top Blagojevich Aide Pleads Guilty to Fraud," Davey managed to totally ignore Blagojevich's Democratic affiliation -- the word "Democrat" was nowhere to be found.
Turn the page, and one could read John Schwartz's story about the latest wrinkle in the bribery and corruption case of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman. But in this case, Schwartz made the partisan lines clear, quickly identifying convicted governor Siegelman as a Democrat and his prosecutor as a Republican, heightening the contrast and reinforcing the paper's long-standing, unfounded suspicions of a high-level anti-Siegelman conspiracy on the part of the GOP.
A Department of Justice whistle-blower who accused prosecutors of misconduct in the closely watched federal corruption trial of former Gov. Donald E. Siegelman of Alabama has been fired, and claims retaliation is the reason. The government denies that it was retaliating.
The whistle-blower, Tamarah T. Grimes, worked as a legal aide with the team prosecuting Mr. Siegelman and Richard M. Scrushy, the former chairman of HealthSouth, on bribery and corruption charges.
Both men were convicted in 2006 in a case that Mr. Siegelman, a Democrat, and supporters say was politically motivated.
Ms. Grimes filed her complaints in 2007 under whistle-blower protection laws, accusing prosecutors of several misdeeds. Included were improper communications with jurors and the continuing involvement of the United States attorney for Alabama, Leura G. Canary, long after Ms. Canary, a Republican, said she had removed herself from the case because of partisan ties.
The Times just can't let go of the idea that Republicans engaged in a conspiracy to get rid of the Democratic governor of Alabama. The Times has devoted at least two editorials buying into the left-wing conspiracy theory that Bush senior advisor Karl Rove framed Siegelman.
The paper has a habit of emphasizing party affiliation when covering Republican scandals, and either burying it or omitting it completely when covering Democrats in trouble, like Sen. Chris Dodd.
—Clay Waters is the director of Times Watch, an MRC project tracking the New York Times.
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John Schwartz
July 9, 2009 - 15:34 ET by P.J. GladnickJohn Schwartz? The name is vaguely familiar. Was he the guy I met at the casino sliding a lot of money into the Cleopatra slot machine? Not sure but the name sure sounds familiar.
How many times during the
July 9, 2009 - 15:55 ET by motherbeltHow many times during the 1990's did we hear the phrase Republican Ken Starr, as if Ken was his middle name?
Of course they forget that Dodd is a Democrat. They only know how to say "Republican culture of corruption."
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
"...unfounded suspicions of
July 9, 2009 - 16:04 ET by mattm"...unfounded suspicions of a high-level anti-Siegelman conspiracy on the part of the GOP."
Another example of liberals accusing conservatives of something of which liberals are guilty.
The entire operation of the DNC and their state affiliates, in concert with ACORN, FairVote, Common Cause, MoveOn, with help from their accomplices in the drive-by media.... is the very definition of a high-level anti-(name your republican) conspiracy. Just ask Norm Coleman....
We all know, don't we, that
July 9, 2009 - 16:10 ET by motherbeltWe all know, don't we, that when it's a Republican in the crosshairs, it's not the nature of the evidence, it's the seriousness of the accusation.
And lack of evidence is proof of a conspiracy!
Neat how that works, huh?
I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson
→ Democrat Roland Burris
July 9, 2009 - 16:05 ET by Cool ArrowStarting to look as if Democrat Rod Blagoyavich's brother has already rolled on Ol' Roland.
But in Chi-town it looks like the'll even dig up the dead once they stop voting. They just chunk the bones off in a field and sell the plot to another corpse that will vote.
Where's Jefferson's (D) trial?
July 9, 2009 - 17:13 ET by Gary HallMeanwhile the trial of former Democrtic LA congressman, William Jefferson (charged with 16 counts of soliciting bribes, money laundering and racketeering), continues - unknown to most Americans - and unknown to the readers of the NY Times.
In the past few days, the prosecutors highlighted video from the FBI - now, that should have been newsworthy - ya think?
Interestingly, a quick search of "Google News," brings up numerous hits from the AP, The Times-Picayune (NOLA), UPI, etc. - next to nothing in the national mainstream media.
Here's the various Headlines from that search. Any guess as to the one which belonged to NPR?
Amazing how easy that was? (:~/ gary
Where's the Party? My
July 9, 2009 - 19:33 ET by mastersofdeceitWhere's the Party?
My local edition
I'm not sure if council people there run as identified by party, however the writer would have probably included this tidbit if it pertained to a Republican:
" Ron also served a two-year term as the Chairman of the 58th Assembly District Democratic Party."
PS-I say " writer would have probably included " based on my past experience with this newspaper.