Blog

Whitewash in the works?

May 11, 2009

How bad was last week for Jay Nixon? Allegations of bribery, at least two witnesses, calls for a federal investigation… all of this equals front page news to media outlets like the Kansas City Star.

But some in the media have begun whitewashing the allegations. The KY3 Notebook, which gives Nixon a weekly grade based on his job performance, believes that Nixon earned a “C-“. If a potential federal investigation doesn’t merit an “F,” or even a “D,” we don’t know what does.

Worse, in a front page story, the Post-Dispatch calls the case against Nixon “wild accusations.” The story does not document or explain the bribery allegations. These are very serious charges, but calling them “wild accusations” seems to call into question the credibility of the legislators.

The fact is: two Republican lawmakers were approached and offered a quid pro quo—jobs for votes. If proven true, such action could violate state and federal law, but some in the media have attempted to downplay the seriousness of the accusations. Surely this deserves much more serious coverage across the state.