Travel writer turned Arizona Daily Star Editorial writer Sam Negri's obsession with Rep. Jonathan Paton is becoming a clinic on Mainstream Media Manipulation tactics. Last Monday the Star printed an editorial critical of Paton and on Tuesday was forced to issue a correction "An editorial Monday on A6 mischaracterized Paton's action."
Editorial Writer Sam Negri is so desperate to redeem himself that he is resorting to the most discredited of all mainstream media tricks--"Fake but Accurate."
If you scroll down a few entries to "When Newspapers Attack I & II" you will get the full story of the fake quote. But here it is in a nutshell. In April of 2006, Activist Delorras Huerta made her infamous speech at a Tucson High School assembly in which she claimed that "Republicans Hate Latinos," and advocated for the re-election of Raul Grijalva. The assembly was mandatory, a pro Republican banner was removed and school busses were used to bring the children to the assembly.
Paton called this blatant electioneering and held a hearing to look into it. The story went national and Paton (and the girl whose banner was removed) were on the O'Rielly factor. The Star wanted the hearings stoped.
The Star published two editorials demanding that Paton back off. They published editorials titled "Legislative thought police should leave local policymaking alone" on April 25th of 2006 and "Panel should not seek inquiry on Huerta's speech; it should be dissolved" on May 10th, 2006.
Incredibly, last Monday, the Star published an editorial chastizing Paton for not pursuing the matter further.
It turns out that Paton and his co-complainants made a big noise and failed to pursue the matter further, which makes the initial outrage looks suspiciously like a cheap way to attract attention for political gain.
Monday's editorial was strangly personal and accused Paton of "limp excuses" and "inaction." The editorial was premised on the fact that Paton told the Star that he "forgot" to request an AG's opinion on the speech.
Paton said in last week's story that he got busy and just forgot to make the request.
Monday's editorial was built around that quote and Negri mocked Paton without mercy for saying that he "got busy and just forgot." Negri likenend that "lame excuse" to "the dog ate my homework."
Unfortunately, Negri made up the quote. The real quote from "last week's story" was:
Paton says he asked the staff in the state House to send the request to the attorney general last May, but records indicate they never did so.
That's right. The editorial was based entirely on a quote that Negri fabricated. The Star issued a correction on Tuesday and admited that Negri had "mischaracterised Paton's actions."
That's another mainstream media trick "Retraction in the Guise of Correction." The premise of the editorial that Paton's actions were lame and limp were based on the fabricated notion that Paton "forgot." The Star admitted to mischaracterising Paton's actions, but refused to retract the story.
Fake but Accurate
Incredibly, in Sunday's Op Ed piece Negri is now trying to argue that the fake quote is more accurate than the real quote. I've obtained an e-mail that Negri sent to Paton.
In the published minutes of the House Select Committee on Performance, Accountability and Waste, there is no record of your asking anyone to seek an opinion from the AG's office concerning The Huerta speech. In fact, there is no record of your requesting a legal opinion or legal action from anyone.
Negri is trying to argue that Paton didn't really ask for an AG opinion, so the fabricated quote is more accurate than the real quote.
However, Paton isn't giving any ground.
I stand by that statement. I have asked staff several things that were not in the official minutes of any meetings.
Negri doesn't have to take Paton's word for it. He could, like you know, read the Star. Here's a Howie Fischer story that ran on May 20, 2006.
Legislator asks official ruling on Huerta talk
PHOENIX - A Republican lawmaker from Tucson is seeking his own attorney general's opinion on whether the Tucson Unified School District is breaking the law by having on its Web site a controversial speech by a labor organizer.
The request is the latest move in a contentious debate that began after Dolores Huerta spoke at Tucson High Magnet School in April, saying "Republican hate Latinos," among other political statements. She also urged students to get involved in the re-election of Congressman Raúl Grijalva.
Rep. Jonathan Paton says it appears that the district is improperly - and illegally - using school resources by having an audio copy of Huerta's speech on its Web site.
Negri needs to admit he's wrong and abandon his "Fake but Accurate" defense of his fabricated quote--that's what professional journalist--and even travel writers--are supposed to do.
Greg, you are the last bastion of sanity in a world where the MSM is too rarely called out for using these types of scurrilous tactics. Thank you for consistently calling them on the carpet when they step over the line.
Posted by: buttercup | June 03, 2007 at 01:55 PM
The Star and Negri made fools of themselves. Even so, the blame for the second editorial rests soley on Paton for trying to blame someone else for his "forgetfulness".
Posted by: esnuck | June 03, 2007 at 05:07 PM
Man, you're like a once man Paton-defense squad these days. What's he running for in 2008?
Posted by: The Klute | June 04, 2007 at 01:05 AM
T.K. - What's wrong with defending someone being unfairly attacked? Who cares what office Paton runs for, this rag will oppose him - not based on truth and justice - but on party politics. We learn what is printed in this questionable paper should be suspect on all points.
Posted by: jamison | June 04, 2007 at 10:36 AM
Negri's fixation on Paton is bizarre. How many editorials without substance can you write when you're going after one guy?
Posted by: Billy Barue | June 04, 2007 at 03:20 PM