THE DOMENECH DEBACLE

Michelle Malkin ^ | March 24, 2006 | Michelle Malkin

[PJ-Comix]

***scroll for updates...statement from NRO...Domenech speaks to Human Events Online***

I just got home from Pittsburgh and am late heading out the door for the Abdul Rahman event in D.C., but I can't let this blog sit silent about the plagiarism debacle now engulfing young conservative Ben Domenech, the Washington Post's "Red America" blogger.

I cheered for Ben, the editor of my last book at Regnery, when he announced his new position. I criticized unhinged bloggers on the Left who leveled vicious ad hominem attacks against him. It's clear, as the good folks at Red State (which Ben co-founded) note, that his detractors were on a search-and-destroy mission from the get-go.

But now the determined moonbat hordes have exposed multiple instances of what clearly appear to me to be blatant lifting of entire, unique passages by Ben from other writers. It is one thing to paraphrase basic facts from a wire story. But to filch the original thoughts and distinctly crafted phrases of a writer without crediting him/her--and doing so repeatedly--is unacceptable in our business. Some of the cases occurred while Ben was in college; he is blaming an editor for these transgressions. But at least one other incident involved a piece he wrote for NRO after he graduated. The side-by-side comparisons of these extensive passages is damning.

I certainly understand the impulse on the Right to rally around Domenech. But I can't ignore the plain evidence. And the charges can't be dismissed as "lies" or jealousy attributed to Ben's age.

As someone who has worked in daily journalism for 14 years, I have a lot of experience related to this horrible situation: I've had my work plagiarized by shameless word and idea thieves many times over the years. I've also been baselessly accused of plagiarism by some of the same leftists now attacking Ben.

The bottom line is: I know it when I see it. And, painfully, Domenech's detractors, are right. He should own up to it and step down. Then, the Left should cease its sick gloating and leave him and his family alone.

***

Conservative blogger Rick Moran weighs in. And Junkyard Blog.

Domenech resigns.

Stephen Spruiell says the Post should salvage the "Red America" blog.

More fallout:

Howard Kurtz
Editor and Publisher
The College of William and Mary student newspaper
Vaughn Ververs
Ankle Biting Pundits

Fishbowl DC is looking for Red America candidates.

NRO posts at The Corner:

As the previous links on the matter mention, at least one of the pieces Ben Domenech is accused of having plagiarized was a movie review for National Review Online. A side-by-side comparison to another review of the same film speaks for itself. There is no excuse for plagiarism and we apologize to our readers and to Steve Murray of the Cox News Service from whose piece the language was lifted. With some evidence of possible problems with other pieces, we're also looking into other articles he wrote for NRO.

Ed Morrissey wishes the best for Jim Brady.

[PJ-Comix]

This is the part of this article that got me pissed off BIGTIME:

As the previous links on the matter mention, at least one of the pieces Ben Domenech is accused of having plagiarized was a movie review for National Review Online. A side-by-side comparison to another review of the same film speaks for itself. There is no excuse for plagiarism and we apologize to our readers and to Steve Murray of the Cox News Service from whose piece the language was lifted. With some evidence of possible problems with other pieces, we're also looking into other articles he wrote for NRO.

Yeah, thanx for NUTHIN' NRO. I sent you examples of my AL GORE AT THE MOVIES and you wouldn't even give me the time of the day! Instead you publish a movie review that was PLAGIARIZED. Please forgive me for submitting an ORIGINAL piece of work.

As to Ben Domenech.... I just don't think Blogs as part of a news organization really work. What is appealing about blogs is their anarchic nature which is counter to the corporate environment. If newspapers want to LINK to blogs by having a Blog LINK page that is a different matter but Blogs as PART of a News Organization? It just doesn't fit.

[faq]

Here is a link to another thread on this subject:

Full Statement by Conservative Blogger Who Resigned from Washington Post re Alleged Plagiarism

[cgk]

Malkin ping!

Please FReepmail me if you would like to be added to, or removed from, the Michelle Malkin ping list...

[elhombrelibre]

As always, Michelle is right on the money. It doesn't do us much good if we're more loyal to people who choose expediency over hard work. Loyalty to the truth is what serves us best.