Interesting read from Prince George's County, MD, near Washington, DC

[leroy]

Check this blog post out from Right Wing News:

Link here: Right Wing News

News story from Drudge here: P.G. County Executive Jack Johnson, wife arrested in FBI sting - Washington Times

It seems that this former Prosecuter has turned into a genuine polititian (...it appears that he has succumbed to taking money for favors --- i think they call it bribery and "influence peddling". ...) Oh well, more area DC government in action:

Name That Party: Another Criminal Democrat Goes Unidentified by Old Media

(Read WP posts from Warner Todd Huston) | (Read MT posts from Warner Todd Huston)

Every now and again I like to play “name that party.†This is the fun parlor game where you read a story about a politician that has either been indicted, arrested, or imprisoned and try to guess by the story from which party he hails. If you read the story and no political party affiliation...

...Read more

Every now and again I like to play "name that party." This is the fun parlor game where you read a story about a politician that has either been indicted, arrested, or imprisoned and try to guess by the story from which party he hails. If you read the story and no political party affiliation is mentioned, 99 out of 100 times you can be sure that the troubled pol is a Democrat. However, if it is a Republican that is going to jail or to court his party usually makes the first paragraph if not the headline itself.

Well, today we have yet another edition of "name that party" going on in the Old Line State where Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson and his wife Leslie have been arrested and charged with tampering with a witness in connection with a criminal offense and destruction of evidence in a federal investigation. Johnson is a Democrat, not that the news helps you learn that little factoid.

As this is breaking news, the story has popped up on the AP, the Washington Post, Reuters, and several other sources. The stories are filled with all sorts of details about the case, what the charges are, the particulars of the crime, the names and offices of those accused, their ages, where they live all these things fill the various stories that announce the arrest. But one tiny little detail seems to have escaped many of the news stories: the fact that Johnson is a Democrat. It seems like they just plum forgot to mention his political party.

You are shocked, I am sure.

First off, the Washington Post featured the story on its Breaking News Blog. Lots of details of the story are reported there but that one little ol' detail concerning Johnson's party seems to have missed the editor's attention. That bit was mysteriously absent from the tale. The Post has another posting of updates on the story, too. It also does not mention the man's party.

The Associated Press has a short story out on the arrests. No party mention there. Its little longer treatment also does not mention Johnson's political affiliation.

Not surprisingly, Reuters also somehow forgot to mention that Johnson is a Democrat.

Similarly, the Maryland Gazette seemed to have a small slip in its coverage by not mentioning that Johnson is a Democrat.

So what about CNN? You guessed it. They forgot, too.

WUSA Channel 9 also forgot to mention that old "D" word.

Not every news agency "forgot" to mention that Johnson was a Democrat, to be sure. USA Today remembered it. The Baltimore Sun did, too.

Finally, even though its several shorter stories did not contain the dreaded "D" word, the Associated Press did have a full length story that mentioned Johnson's party. Naturally, the AP employed that well known method of burying it at the end of the piece where fewer readers will see it instead of putting it at the top like they do when they are reporting on troubled Republicans.

I am sure there are others, but this was my little perusal of the media’s treatment of this story.

In any case, you can be sure that if Jack B. Johnson was “Republican Jack B. Johnson†his party affiliation would have led as the first fact of every story you'd have read on his plight.

This is great stuff!

Leroy

Edited November 13, 2010 by leroy

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I saw this today, and noticed the omission, also. It was still on Drudge today.

[DaveTN]

When I see criminal’s being arrested my first thoughts are not “What party are they from?†But maybe that’s just me.

[leroy]

....When I see criminal’s being arrested my first thoughts are not “What party are they from?” But maybe that’s just me.

Right here is why it's important:

...

Jack Johnson, 61, has been county executive since 2002; his term ends in three weeks. The Democrat was the county state's attorney for eight years before that. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Johnson attended Benedict College and got his law degree from Howard University, where his wife was also a law student.

Leslie Johnson, 58, worked for the District of Columbia government for nearly three decades before running for a seat on the council. She has been honored for her work in education and for a program she co-founded that provides support for women in jail. The couple has three children. ....

These people know better than to take bribes. They are "public servants"; they are polititians; they are lawyers and "students of the law", with conspicuous public service "credentials". Thats why party affiliation is important.

I seem to remember a fella by then name of "Scooter" Libby who was a noted republican.

The news media saw to it that "Libby", "Republican", and "criminal charges" were always mentioned. Remember this: Former Cheney aide faces prison in CIA leak scandal | Mail Online.

Remember the demorat warnings (...which bush took, by the way...):

...Democratic leaders urged President Bush not to pardon former vice presidential chief of staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who was convicted on federal charges Tuesday.... link here: Democrats to Bush: Don't pardon Libby - CNN ....

That's why party affiliation is important. It is precisely why Warner Rodd Huston is making fun of the media's failure to include that little tidbit. You simply cannot separate the words "public servant", "polititian" and "party affiliation"; they are core descriptors with "public service". Could it be that "party affiliation" is only important when the potential lawbreaker is a Republican?

Leroy

Edited November 14, 2010 by leroy
cleaned up formatting, spelling

[DaveTN]

These people know better than to take bribes. They are "public servants"

Leroy, I’m not making light of what they did. I’m making fun of the importance being placed on whether or not their party affiliation was used in the news article.

So what’s the latest score? Who is more likely to commit a criminal act while in office; a Democrat or a Republican?

I would guess it would be a Democrat because Republicans are generally better educated and smarter. But that’s just a WAG.

[leroy]

Dave:________

I'd say the chances are about 50/50 if they have no core values; and about 90/10 if they are polititians at heart. I would be the last to ascribe any great amount of morality, high mindedness, or honesty to either party. Character, in fact, does matter; and we'll soon see who (...if any ...) of those recently elected (...and those who managed to stay...) have any. I can always tell when they are lying for the most part; it generally happens when their lips move. I also think the same thing about the big three media and large newspapers. They all have an agenda and there is a clear double standard. That's why the blogger is making fun of them.

I say watch 'em all and throw out those who dont do what they say they are going to do (...along with a few weak ones who do mind; it sends the right message...).

Keep up the good work.

Leroy

[Guest 6.8 AR]

The problem, DaveTN, is the obvious bias the media plays. What Leroy demonstrated is

the norm, but most folks don't pay close enough attention.