Washington Post columnist and blogger Anne Applebaum not only penned a September 27 blog post lamenting the recent arrest by Swiss authorities of child rapist and fugitive from American justice, Roman Polanski, she failed to let readers in on her conflict of interest.
Applebaum is married to Poland's foreign minister, who is lobbying for Polanski's release on bail.
Our good friend Patterico -- who works for the D.A.'s office that put out the arrest warrant -- has details at his blog (h/t La Shawn Barber):
Story Continues Below Ad ↓I think this is worth its own post: Applebaum failed to mention that her husband is a Polish foreign minister who is lobbying for Polanski’s case to be dismissed:
In Polanski’s native Poland, President Lech Kaczynski and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said they would appeal to US authorities to drop proceedings against Polanski.
The PAP news agency said Sikorski was consideri[ng] a direct appeal to US President Barack Obama to end ‘once and for all’ the proceedings against the filmmaker.
Radoslaw Sikorski is married to Anne Applebaum:
Anne Applebaum is a columnist for the Washington Post and Slate. . . . Her husband, Radoslaw Sikorski, is a Polish politician and writer.
Applebaum failed to mention this little fact.
So at the same time that she was giving readers a fact-challenged screed in support of Polanski, she was failing to disclose that her husband was a Polish official who was lobbying for Polanski’s freedom.
I work for the L.A. County District Attorney’s office, which is seeking Polanski’s extradition; that is no secret to anyone who reads this blog (nor is it a secret that I do not speak on behalf of my office on this blog). By contrast, it is not well known to Applebaum’s readers that her husband is a Polish official actively involved in the effort on Polanski’s behalf.
Applebaum's profile photo via washingtonpost.com.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
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Comments Policy
Polanski Coming Back to US
September 28, 2009 - 11:37 ET by allanfDon't count on it. European standard are very different from American standards. Polanski will be released on bail. European Courts will demand his US conviction be overturned before considering extradiction.
Since the victim will not testify, there is no longer a decent case to prosecute if the conviction falls.
Of course we are now supposed to defer to the Europeans so they will like us better.
Prosecution? What Prosecution?
September 28, 2009 - 15:51 ET by ArcherBUh, the trial is done. Polanski pled guilty. It's over. He skipped out before going to jail. There is no need for a trial. All that remains is the jail time.
However, there may be a trial for leaving the country before serving his time.
"To send men to the firing squad, judicial proof is unnecessary."
--Ernesto "Che" Guevara
Disappointment
September 28, 2009 - 11:36 ET by UnsaneA pity and an extreme disappointment. I would highly recommend all NBers read Gulag. Applebaum had that published in 2004 and it is a very readable trip into hell, as brought to life in the Soviet Union.
That being said...I don't get it. At my age, even women in their early 20s are losing their appeal just due to the fact that many are still quite immature. I cannot fathom what would possess a thirty-something dude to go after a thirteen year old girl!
Let's throw the book at Mr. Polanski.
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
This is pretty
September 28, 2009 - 11:49 ET by mattmThis is pretty consistent. Libs have no problem with conflicts of interest or with defending depravity...unless, of course, a Republican is involved.
Yes, he should be
September 28, 2009 - 12:00 ET by V the KThe prevailing sentiment on the left seems to be, "a man shouldn't be punished the rest of his life for raping a thirteen year old girl."
I think such a man should be.
Yes he should be put in
September 28, 2009 - 12:32 ET by Scuba DudeYes he should be put in jail and let the other inmates extract the justice our courts can't divy out. I heard that anyone that hurts or abuses a child does not fair well in prison.
The Obama Administration: THE most fiscally irresponsible Administration EVER
Nice catch, NB. Thank God
September 28, 2009 - 12:12 ET by mangNice catch, NB. Thank God for sites like this that expose the hidden and not-so-hidden agendas out there.
Defenders of child rapists...
September 28, 2009 - 12:20 ET by FuzzlenutterPeople who defend child rapists HAVE TO BE on the lowest rung of the ladder of humanity (and directly next to the child rapists themselves)...
If the perp were Karl Rove
September 28, 2009 - 12:37 ET by Guapo DiabloIf the perp were Karl Rove instead of Roman Polanski, surely Ms. Applebaum would take the same position.
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i fail to see how this is a
September 28, 2009 - 14:37 ET by danebramagei fail to see how this is a conflict of interest, ken. applebaum is a columnist and blogger, according to your report, which i take to mean she does opinion pieces, not hard reporting. if so, what conflict is there between her giving her opinion and her failing to disclose her husbands involvement in the case. a conflict of interest involves divided loyalties...for example in the case of a reporter reporting on his or her spouse. i dont see that a person giving an opinion on something involving their spouse falls into the same category. its a failure to give full disclosure yes...but not a conflict of interest. apologies for the lack of capitals and proper punctuation. im posting from a cell phone that isnt seeing eye to eye with your software.
Definite conflict of interest.
September 28, 2009 - 20:52 ET by TailgunnerShe's using her credibility as a WaPo columnist, and the reputation of the Washington Post to push her husband's agenda without giving her readers the full story.
Basic journalistic ethics should require full disclosure even if there was an appearance of conflict.
This previously undisclosed fact changes the entire story in the minds of many readers, IMHO, from a legitimate opinion piece to media manipulation and PR spin on behalf of a public official's agenda.
Not to disclose her ties is deliberate omission of a material fact and speaks to her lack of integrity and ethics.
Nationalized Healthcare is a DEATH SENTENCE.
Democratic Senator Robert K Byrd is a recruiter and leader in the KU KLUX KLAN-a white supremacist group. Where in the HELL do Dems get off lecturing ANYONE on racism?
Washington Post "Blog"
September 28, 2009 - 18:48 ET by CobraMan"i fail to see how this is a conflict of interest"
The conflict of interest arises because she "blogged" this on a news journal, not her own private blog. Did you miss the reference to the Washington Post?
"Voices" is no different from any other section of the Washington Post. Since it IS a section of the Post, she should be held accountable to all journalist standards, including "conflict of interest" standards,. She should have mentioned her personal involvement in this. She should have divulged that one of the people mentioned is her husband. She didn't do that. That's a violation of journalist standards.
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.
The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus.
The US Supreme Court
Anne Applebaum
September 28, 2009 - 20:28 ET by lgeubankApplebaum's a crappy writer anyway. Her book on the GULAG is warmed-over Solzhenitsyn (even borroring the structure of his book). Yet she somehow manages to make the GULAG archipelago boring.
She's over-rated as a writer, and (apparently) as a conservative.
CHILD RAPE...
September 28, 2009 - 22:13 ET by danybhoyMaybe if it were Anne Applebaum or a friend of her were raped after being drugged, she would have a slightly different opinion. The fact that he did this to a 13 year, makes it that much more creepy. Pedophiles need to be put down, PERIOD.
"...How blind can you be, don't you see...
...that the gambler lost all he does not have..."
Nightwish
All This Proves To Me Is How Corrupt The LAPD Is...
September 28, 2009 - 23:16 ET by The7SticksThis is deeply telling of how corrupt the Los Angeles District's Attorney offices, as well as the LAPD on a whole, is. Why do you think that rap group N.W.A. made the rap called "F*** tha' Police"? They meant the LAPD because it is one of the most stinking, corrupt cesspools of immorality you can possibly think of. That's saying something because I have met mostly good officers that are willing to put their lives on the line to protect us, but every now and then you find some police officer who has to give you the Officer Krupke b.s.
Gee, Officer Krupke, "Krup" YOU!