Brooks smears Tom Tobin
This is pathetic on the part of Brooks:
I (Tom Tobin) can dish it out at these editorial board meetings with politicians, all in the interest of having they actually answer questions instead of dodging and spinning, so I can appreciate it when one of them turns the tables on me. Maggie Brooks did so today, asking me, before the assemblage of editors, reporters, county officials and the publisher, why I had blogged that another four years of her would be a “disaster.” It was an adept manuever: she made me search my memory even as I wondered how I should counter. She smiled; I foundered. Later, I couldn’t find in any of my past blogs that particular description…
This kind of thing really annoys me. We often criticize the D&C editorial page but we always do so with links and direct quotes (and though I don’t like to admit it, I’m pretty sure I praise them about twice as much as I criticize). Lying to journalists to put them on the defensive is a pure gutter move. Gee, I wonder where Brooks came up with it…oh, that’s right, it’s straight out of the Rove playbook (try typing “Ari Fleischer lie” into google).
This kind of thing is simply unacceptable. Brooks owes Tobin an apology.
Let’s hope the local media doesn’t take this lying down. For too long, the media has allowed itself to be slimed by the right-wing. It’s time they started standing up for themselves.
It’s fashionable to trash journalists these days. But they are at the root of what it means to live in a free society. When politicians try to humiliate members of the free press with Swiftboat-style lies, it is not acceptable.
If Maggie had even an ounce of class, she would write a letter to the paper explaining her mistake and apologizing to Mr. Tobin for impugning his integrity.
But I guess we can’t expect too much class from an outfit run by this guy:
Do you think maybe she was trying to get him off balance to avoid talking about what she had just shoved down our throats?
It’s a pure gutter tactic.
Lee, as a former journalist, doesn’t this make you furious?
Lee: Yes
But, I’m surprised someone with his experience didn’t have a ready response, if nothing more than “I don’t remember writing that, and the issue here is your performance, not what I write about it.” or something similar. Perhaps he’s not used to being questioned in those forums.
Pure deflection. Same with Bruno and his “outrage” over the impropriety of someone daring to question his fundraiser trips. Political Playbook #1: deflect, distract, defame. Looks like Brooks did all 3. A+ for effort.
At 6:30 this morning, Maggie Brooks had commercials running touting her criminal act and assuring taxpayers that this was for the good of the people. They’ve BEEN PLANNING this for a while - those commercials weren’t made overnight folks. This is an artfully, mastered plan that I hope backfires on them. They’re hoping the governor pulls funding, or that the State will sue declaring that the COUNTY does not have the authority to REDIRECT state monies intended for school districts into her purse.
She will take the funds to force the litigation, which will go on for a long enough period of time that she will have acocmplished her initial goal - hands on the money. By the time the litigation finishes - if it goes in favor of the State - the county will be ordered to refund the monies stolen. They will oblige, raise taxes to recover the hole they create, and cry to the electorate that the BAD Democrats in Albany did this to you.
If the State Ed sues them - same scenario - school district budgets will be increased, taxes will increase, they’ll use the funds, and eventually, when they lose, increase taxes on property owners and blame the school districts (which they are already stating they knew ALL ABOUT THIS)…and that it wasn’t HER ADMINISTRATION (a.k.a. The Minarik Meatloaf Machine) that did this - it was those BAD Democrats in Albany and your local school districts that failed you.
Because a bait and switch, rob Peter pay Paul, sell your soul to the devil dealing like this has never been performed, they’re testing the waters knowing damn well that litigation will lock things up long enough for them to get the money and run. They’re also trying to send this subliminal message underlying their OUTRAGE at having to pay “mandated” Medicaid premiums. They’ll try to convince us that we should hate the poor and the elderly, and that it’s unfair to expect THEM to have to provide payments for these bums - and when someone suggests that perhaps if JOB CREATION, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (…and we’re not talking COMIDA Maggie)…and socioeconomic landscape they have created is NOT a reflection of their leadership failures, but instead, a picture of the “undesireable” members of our community who feel that it’s governments role to support them. (Echo~~~ Kanye West: George Bush hates black people)…
So the G.O.P. motto rings true - and the fact that New Orleans HAS NOT been rebuilt, perhaps Kanye was right - maybe all republicans just hate ALL people who don’t hold over-bloated public positions, always look grossly overweight and well-fed, and have trouble keeping their middle fingers down, and their wedding rings on.
Wake up and see the picture they’re painting. It’s a trickle down effect that they’ve taken on from “The Decider” and his bunch of crooked thieves - let’s face it - they’re all doing it - Kuhl, Reynolds, Walsh, Minarik, Brooks, and even at the town levels.
Brooks is just the front person - that’s pretty clear. Minarik and fast fingers Durso are using her to LITERALLY “SKIRT” issues by having “Miss Maggie May I” delivery the news Channel 10 style (and quite frankly, she wasn’t very good then, and she isn’t very good now).
So…here we go - as usual, their timing sucks. It’s September, and this will NOT go away come November. So I guess we can find the good in the bad, and work towards finding legal means to remove her from office, just like they did the Governor in California. Just like impeachment would serve Bush. Just like Iraq would make a nice place for Kuhl to relocate to. Just like Reynolds glandular problem that now haunts him ever since his “outing” with Mark Foley. What goes around comes around, and here’s hoping it’s a GOOD ONE.
[...] the D&C is mortally afraid of appearing partisan, but how many times does Maggie Brooks have to disrespect them before they can take a principled stand? How many lies and falsehoods does the local GOP need to [...]