Corruption Scandal in Mass. State House... Name That Party

It's been a little while since we had a good "Name that Party" story, but leave it to corruption plagued Democrats and their willing accomplices in the Old Media to always find some time in their busy schedules to give us an opportunity to play our favorite game. This time it is a former Speaker of the House in Massachusetts who, along with a cadre of his pals, was indicted on corruption charges. Naturally, the party affiliation is mysteriously absent from many of the stories.

It seems that ex-Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, who resigned from the House back in January at the outset of this scandal, and three "Beacon Hill power brokers" have been indicted on corruption charges involving mishandled software contracts. Of course, DiMasi is a leading Democrat in the state, but you sure wouldn't know that from any of the reports.

Starting out with one of the AP's short treatments, we find out about the federal indictment, those who are involved, the fact that an email was damning evidence, even that DiMasi sported the nickname "Coach." But nothing concerning his party is offered. (To be fair, I did find a longer AP story where his party was mentioned, but only once.)

UPI also seemed to miss the party mention, just as The New York Times did. Not surprisingly, WBUR, a Boston NPR station, along with News Channel 10 also missed the party mention.

The Boston Herald did a fairly long story without once finding room to publish DiMasi's party affiliation. The Herald also had a shorter piece that also neglected to inform readers of the party to which DiMasi belongs.

NECN.com (New England Cable News) also did a few posts without mentioning the fact that DiMasi is a Democrat. (Here is one, and a second.)

The one in the Boston Globe is somewhat ingenious in that it does mention the word Democrat, but never applies it to those indicted. The ingenious thing is that the Globe story uses the word Democrat by connecting it to a Democrat that is saying how he hopes that corruption will soon be eliminated and how his fellows are "95 percent" clean of corruption. As we know it is a Democrat scandal, yet here is the Globe making Democrats out to be the "concerned" party and the party of reform. And when the Globe mentions the Republicans it is to say that they are but trying to make political hay over the issue.

So, according to the Globe, Republicans are just playing politics while a Democrat is positioning himself as the aggrieved party. It's a pretty outrageous sleight of hand I think!

Finally, kudos to The Wall Street Journal that was able to find room to mention that DiMasi is a Democrat even in its small four paragraph story. If the Journal can fit it into such a small story, why can't the others?

(Photo credit: masslive.com)