Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Politics / Media Hey Rob: Put Up or Shut Up
Posted by Goldy on Tue, Jul 3, 2012 at 5:41 PM
So, um, in addition to acknowledging my constitutional and statutory right to attend their press conferences (which they've refused to do), I wouldn't mind if Attorney General Rob McKenna's office stopped slandering me.
During last Thursday's incident, after calls from our lawyer (and my willingness to be arrested) forced him to blink, AGO deputy communications director Dan Sytman warned me not to be disruptive at the press conference, claiming that other reporters had complained about my behavior at other such events. It was a totally fabricated, 100 percent made up lie. In my eight years of blogging and reporting I have never behaved disruptively, inappropriately, or unprofessionally at any press conference or briefing. Ever.
In fact, I rarely even ask questions at press conferences, as I've long since learned that the answers I get in such settings aren't worth the effort.
Yet it's a lie that Solicitor General Maureen Hart repeats by implication in a letter (PDF) to The Stranger's attorney, Jessica L. Goldman:
Yesterday, I provided assurance to you that Mr. Goldstein will be allowed access to press conferences of the Attorney General's Office as a reporter for The Stranger on the same basis as other members of the media. That includes the expectation that Mr. Goldstein will not be disruptive. In this respect, I also assured you that Mr. Goldstein will not be individually cautioned in that respect. I do, however, wish to make it plain that this Office intends to protect its staff and other participants in such conferences from potential harm, and that intends to ensure that its press conferences can be conducted professionally and efficiently.
I understand that Hart is just repeating the lies she's being fed, but honestly, what an utter load of crap. If they're going to continue to attempt to sully my reputation with implied accusations of disruptive behavior, I suggest they put up or shut up. There are always TV cameras and audio recorders running at these events; if I had ever disrupted a press conference, surely there would be footage.
Of course, there isn't. But Hart continues:
I do not see much point in rehashing past events that have led to concern with Mr. Goldstein's participation in press conferences of this Office based upon his prior participation.
It would be a very brief rehashing indeed. To the best of my recollection I have had no prior participation in any press conference at the AG's office. I once attempted to ask a question of McKenna and (gasp!) a followup during the question and answer segment of a media conference call. I presume there's audio of that call as well. (As I remember it I fumbled the question, allowing McKenna to deflect it with ease.) That's the extent of my prior participation.
(Unless you count the half-hour McKenna enjoyed with me on air, March 29, 2007, on 710-KIRO. "I know AG McKenna enjoyed being your guest and we were hoping to join you again," AGO communications director Janelle Guthrie emailed me in sending condolences on the news that KIRO had cancelled my show.)
No, what Hart is referring to, and what McKenna is apparently relying on as the entire basis of his claim that I pose a threat of "disruption" and "harm," is a post I published to HA on March 25, 2010:"Are you mad as hell? Don’t take it anymore." (I suppose they thought my publisher and his attorney would be shocked to learn of my threatening rhetoric, but I'd already forwarded them the post, to which Tim replied: "Not very scary.")
Hart excerpts two paragraphs from the post, attempting to present it as a call for violence, while leaving out these two paragraphs in between that provide the context:
One of the reasons the Teabaggers have received attention far in excess of their actual numbers, is the presumably genuine anger they’re not afraid to express. They openly carry guns, or carry signs promising to use them. They mob congressmen, calling them “niggers” and “faggots”, fax nooses to their offices, and cut the gas lines of congressional relatives. They yell and they scream and they threaten and they disrupt… and they’ve been well rewarded for their efforts.
See, angry outbursts make for a good story, and thus emotion trumps policy almost every time. And that’s why it’s past time for some of us progressives to break with character and show a little genuine anger of our own.
While no doubt intentionally provocative, this was a post primarily critiquing the media for the way they lavished coverage on the violent, angry protests of the right while ignoring the peaceful protests of the left—a meme I have consistently repeated over the years. It wasn't a call to arms by any stretch of the imagination. In fact I specifically wrote that "I don’t particularly want to see any actual violence or property damage." What I suggested was, if the protesters dropping off petitions at McKenna's office wanted to attract a scrap of media coverage, the media demanded that they show some emotion. (An analysis, by the way, that was statistically borne out by the Occupy demonstrations.)
Amazingly, McKenna used that post as grounds for ordering his offices into a "modified lockdown," ironically attracting the media attention the peaceful petitioners would not otherwise have garnered. If McKenna wants to be a pathetic wuss about stuff like this, that's up to him, but his own knee-knocking paranoia isn't legal grounds for denying me my constitutional rights.
I'm not exactly sure where this dispute is going. It's Tim who pays the legal fees, so that decision is ultimately up to him. But if McKenna truly believes I'm as scary and dangerous as he's telling people I am, it's he who better seek the restraining order, because I'm going to continue showing up at his press conferences, and next time, God forbid, I might even ask a question!
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Consider the Congressdouche who yelled, "You lie!" at President Obama while he was speaking. That guy didn't get kicked out of Congress, am I right?
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We need to spread this meme.
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Try harder.
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OMG! He rolled his eyes! Ban him! Ban him NOW!!!
Democracy cannot stand if a reporter rolls his eyes!
Our government officials can only work if they are guaranteed that no member of the press will EVER roll his eyes!
And that even made sense to you?
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Seriously, are you telling me Washington might elect this PIECE OF SHIT to be governor?! I so love Washington, well the western part anyway (except for female shit like @1)!!!!
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So burn, you piece of shit. Burn.
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Bullshit. You were not saying that McKenna's people may have gotten that perception. You were suggesting that Goldy was being dishonest in claiming he has never disrupted a press conference.
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And aside from the accusation itself, they've provided exactly zero evidence of any such disruption occurring, which, as Goldy notes, should be quite easy to verify if true, given the preponderance of recording devices in attendance at any given public appearance by the AG. So, the issue should be childishly simple to resolve, because IF Goldy did disrupt any of McKenna's press appearances, somebody (multiple somebody's as a matter of fact) should have a recording of it, and all they need to do is produce it.
Otherwise, as they say on the Interwebs: "Pictures, or it didn't happen"...
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@28 has the correct response I think.
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While I support Goldy's right to access, I am wondering if his inability to do something which seems to be quite easy for the average citizen has more to do with behavior than he is letting on.
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If he didnt scream, kick over tables or puked on the snacks-table - banning him is "banning a journalist". It doesn't matter whether you like McKenna or not, or what your political leanings are - a world where journalists are banned for their criticism of someone in political power is a very dangerous one.
Personally I think Goldy could well keep pushing this button for a while. Questions like "So why are you banning journalists who doesn't agree with you" while wearing "I love McKenna more than babies" Tshirt would be brilliant.
Its a spectacle but its a relevant spectacle.
Erm, journalism can't counter power, it can only wield it, or question its direction. And the particular sort of journalism that The Stranger practices isn't questioning power at all, it's advocating the transfer to or consolidation of power within a particular ideological tendency.
The fact that we generally regard that ideological tendency as correct should not blind us to the intent, methodology, and effect of those attempting to advance it.
Anyone who tells you that a group or individual is acting entirely outside a given power structure is trying to hide something. And that goes double for anyone who pretends to be forcefully, vehemently, stridently, or even violently opposed to "all" power structures (by which they inevitably mean only those power structures in which they do not participate).
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How do we know that? Because this past letter was sent from the Solicitor General to the Stranger's attorney.
Lawsuits are expensive and reasonable people try to accomplish their goals without taking up space in the public courts (and thereby costing taxpayers money).
omg, goldy. that is so unfair.....
you poor dear.
lets fix things for you.
first, mr professional journalist, go look up 'slander' and report back to the class, you pathetic ignorant piece of shit moron.
next, let's hire a lawyer.
or shut the fuck up.
If you're going to continue to attempt to sully the AG's reputation with implied accusations of SLANDER, we suggest you put up or shut up.
(btw, shutting up would be nice....)
At those conferences, he acted as he described - sat quietly and asked few questions and mostly took notes.
Those of us who are not trained journalists but are allowed in press conferences because the brave new world of journalism allows bloggers in? We know it's better to keep a low profile.
No, I think McKenna is worried about what Goldy will ask. If McKenna is acting like this now, as a candidate, I worry about what he would try to do as governor.
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"To be an obnoxious asshole basically."
But not to Inslee right? That's the difference. Goldy is a party hack.
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It's why adversarial press conferences rarely yield much new information or insight.
So all McKenna had to do was let me in and knock me down. Then I might be the one looking stupid and arrogant instead of him.
1. Use a professional byline, instead of a nickname, if you want to be taken seriously by more than an ideological claque.
2. Stop whining.
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now goldy.
don't sell yourself short
(despite what your ex tells everyone about your wee willy...)
Stupidity and Arrogance are not Zero Sum matters.
It is not an either/or proposition where
Stupidity
and Arrogance
(and Assholeness)
and the AG and yourself are concerned.
it is manifestly obvious
to all
that there are plenteous heaps and gobs
of Obnoxious Stupidity and Arrogance to go around.
so,
you AND the AG come out looking stupid and arrogant.
Selah!
These modern (neo) conservative republicans are out of line! One only needs to listen to a few minutes of Hannity, Limbaugh, Beck, Savage and their ilk to realize what little respect they have for any law or right.
The republicans only plan is "monkey wrench" in the gears or church.
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