NY Times Nixes Probe After Blair's Race Threat

NewsMax.com ^ | 5/22/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

Two days after disgraced New York Times reporter Jayson Blair boasted that he was sitting on enough anecdotal evidence of racism at the paper that he could fill a book, Times executives have ceased cooperating with a federal probe into whether Blair had committed wire fraud.

"There are a lot of people who are not racist [at the Times]," Blair told the New York Observer on Tuesday. "But there are a lot who are."

In the next breath the unrepentant plagiarist delivered his thinly veiled threat, telling the Observer, "I have anecdotes upon anecdotes upon anecdotes that I'm not going to share. A book full of anecdotes."

Blair's reference to a "book full of anecdotes" on Times racism came just a day after published reports suggested he was angling for a seven figure book deal.

Within 24-hours of Blair's book threat, Times executives informed James Comey, the U.S. Attorney for New York's Southern District, that the paper no longer wanted to pursue a criminal probe into Blair's misconduct.

"Sources said that after Comey's office requested information last week, the Times said it would cooperate - only to put the shutters up this week," the New York Post reported Thursday.

"They said they weren't going to cooperate - it seems they want to hide behind the First Amendment," a source familiar with the matter told the paper.

Prosecutor Comey is said to be "troubled" by the Times' decision to stiff his investigation.

"If the victim says, 'Don't pursue it, it makes it tough [to investigate],'" the Post's source explained.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Media Bias

[Arkie2]

What an obnoxious little Sh*t!

[ImpotentRage]

Oh no! This is delicious! Can you just IMAGINE what the people at the NYT are going through? This could turn out to be SUCH fun!!

[prairiebreeze]

Actually, it's taken a little longer than I expected for Jayson to play the -R- card. A lying, cheating addict--doesn't have much else in his arsenal I suppose.

This is yet another example of how giving undeserved handouts and helpouts, in the long run was a huge disservice to the individual.

Lib-think fails again.

Prairie

[rovenstinez]

Kind of like Jesse Jackson, always talking about 'race'. Doesn't anyone ever report that perhaps, MAYBE, a slight chance exists that some of these black people be a little bit 'racist', and have a thing about white people? Can it go both ways, or is the only race that is guilty of racism the white people?

[BrooklynGOP]

Definately not a good year for liberals.

[smith288]

From what I have heard Blair say, its racism against whites. He indicated he was able to cheat the system based on his race.

[BenLurkin]

bttt

[BaBaStooey]

Wouldn't it be delicious to see liberal tactics like racial allegations self-destruct the paper that carries the banner of liberalism. This is too delicious, can't wait to see this whole mess self-destruct.

[BaBaStooey]

Blair is not even close enough to honest to do something like that.

[smith288]

I wouldnt trust a single word that came out of his mouth but him slamming the liberals regarding their overzealous affirmative action policy warms my heart.

[eureka!]

"Oh no! This is delicious! Can you just IMAGINE what the people at the NYT are going through? This could turn out to be SUCH fun!!"

Seriously. Think of the chatter at the presstitutes' cocktail parties....

[Alberta's Child]

On a positive note, I haven't received a single call from someone selling subscriptions to the NY Times since the whole Blair situation broke.

[mewzilla]

Somehow I think racism is the last thing the NYT is worried about...

[angkor]

Disgruntled journalists are always pining to write an expose of the inside machinations at [pick a newspaper].

But with Blair and the NYT, it could actually happen.

Raines must be terrified.

[axxmann]

They're going to drop criminal charges and he's still going to write his "Racism at the NYT" book. Stupid liberals.

OK, how do we read his book without contributing to his income?

[martin gibson]

Doesn't anyone ever report that perhaps, MAYBE, a slight chance exists that some of these black people be a little bit 'racist'...

B-b-but that's HATE SPEECH!!!

[Cooter]

OK, how do we read his book without contributing to his income?

Visit your local library.

[kcvl]

Someone will need to buy ONE copy and post it here. lol!

[axxmann]

Yeah, I thought of that one. Thanks