ABC Buries Democratic IDs in Story on Massive Dem Corruption in NJ

Newsbusters ^ | July 29, 2009 | Scott Whitlock

[Titus-Maximus]

ABC’s Ron Claiborne on Saturday managed to file a report on vast Democratic corruption in the state of New Jersey and, at the same time, not once use the word Democrat. While reporting on an unfolding scandal that saw the arrest of a number of the state’s mayors and assemblymen, all but one a member of the Democratic Party, the Good Morning America weekend news anchor completely ignored party identification.

Claiborne vaguely explained, "44 people indicted, including three mayors, two state legislators and five rabbis and allegations of money laundering, kickbacks and bribe taking." The journalist used the same tactic as he went on to highlight the history of corruption by New Jersey politicians: "Robert Torricelli left office in 2003, under the shadow of an illegal campaign contribution scandal. And Harrison Williams resigned his seat in 1982 while under indictment for bribery."

Claiborne added, "Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James is currently serving time after being convicted on federal corruption charges." What fact is absent from this description of New Jersey’s woes? All of the above are Democrats. He continued this list by highlighting another unidentified Democrat: "Hoboken Mayor Pete Cammarano took office three weeks ago. In a matter of days, he allegedly took a $25,000 bribe."

[Titus-Maximus]

More grotesque hypocrisy from the media. It never stops.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Well we’ll have to enlighten the public.

[chris37]

ABC makes me want to vomit. Awesome work, tools.

[Chode]

whenever there's no affiliation mentioned anybody with half a brain know it's a RAT, but since RATS have less than half a brain they prolly think it's a Republican...

[Brilliant]

All they had to say was “New Jersey.” Everyone knows what that means.

[skeeter]

ABC will always fight tooth & nail to be first in line to kiss Barack's arse. Just like they did for Clintoon.

The MSM speaks only for Big Government now. NOTHING they say can be taken at face value. Not a single damn thing.

[norraad]

New Jersy RATS are esp. demonic, they’re so used to getting away with anything and everything(sort of like the O’idiot).

[Plumres]

The important fact is the people of New Jersey know they are Democrats. I think in 2010, the chickens are going to come home to roost for the Democrats in new Jersey!

[Carley]

NJ home of the sopranos.

[napscoordinator]

Who cares. Everyone knows they are mostly Democratic. There is some Republicans involved but just a few. Everyone knows this is a huge Democratic mess. However, they are Mayor’s who don’t officially have a Republican or Democratic ID when they run for office.

[Free_SJersey]

Really a waste of energy to note the party in N.J. Even if they are listed as a Republican, odds are they are actually a Democrat. The Republican Party in NJ is for the players who couldn't make the big team.

What really funny is that the State A.G.'s office has not really made news of corruption arrests in decades- it's all been the feds. Now suddenly, with the election looking in doubt for Corzine, the A.G. office is shouting from the rooftops how the just broke up a huge gang.

I can imagine the phone call:
CORZINE:" Ann, my campaign is in trouble. I swore to end corruption in the state and we haven't done a thing. You've got to arrest some people, Republicans preferably, but I'm willing to throw a few Democrats under the bus if it will save my election. The "ONE" does it all the time, so it must be alright."
ANN MILGRAM(NJ A.G.)"If I have to, I'll see what I can do, but it isn't going to be easy. Can't go after a Democrat, no judge in the state would allow a conviction."
CORZINE:" Then Republicans...."
ANN MILGRAM(NJ A.G.)"Not likely, there aren't any Republicans in the state with any clout or name recognition. It would barely cause a ripple. They'd resign and plead guilty."
CORZINE:" You've got to give me something, Ann."
ANN:"How about a drug dealing gang? We've got lots of them. No one in the party would loose much except some protection money."
CORZINE:" I guess that will do, just try to make it big. I need headlines."
ANN:" I'll see what I can do. Been meaning to do something anyway. Could be fun to be in the limelight."

[Joshua]

I told my wife as we were listening to it on NJ radio that they were Dems.
If the word Republican is not used a minimum of 20 times in a 30 second news bite, you know they’re Dems.