How the 'Contra Costa Times' Uncovered a Letters-to-the-Editor Scam

.editorandpublisher.com ^ | April 25, 2005 | Graham Webster

[Rebelbase]

NEW YORK Every now and then, letters to the editor at the Contra Costa (Calif.) Times don't get posted to the paper's Web site with the rest of the day's paper, after midnight. When Dan Hatfield, the paper's editorial-page editor, arrived at the office at his usual 5:30 or 6 a.m. on those mornings, he'd find out right away that some letters hadn't made it up, because there would an angry e-mail waiting in his inbox from Kyle Vallone.

Hatfield could never understand why Vallone cared so much.

Times reporter Sarah Krupp solved that riddle in a story published Sunday. After a months-long investigation, Krupp exposed Vallone as the man behind an unusually sophisticated letter-writing campaign.

"We have always found a few little things," Hatfield told E&P about previous instances of dishonest letter-writers. "We had found a number of other people who were not nearly as sophisticated as this one."

Vallone went further than anyone, making up letter writers, securing false phone numbers, and even faking accents on the phone to match his made up names, the Times reported.

After months of reporting, and one earlier confrontation, Krupp got Vallone to admit that he had worked on as many as 200 false letters sent to at least three Northern California newspapers: the Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Tri-Valley Herald.

Krupp started looking into the letters when she was covering a local election and some suspicious letters surfaced in the campaign.

"She started going through mountains of letters looking for the same phone numbers, and she found a few," Hatfield said. Once she tracked down the numbers in question, she managed to contact Vallone, who at first denied any knowledge of the letters.

After Krupp found out more about Vallone and solidified the reporting for a story, Vallone came forward, saying he had started writing false letters when he was working for a Republican political campaign in 1994. During that campaign, staffers would write letters to the editor, which volunteers would sign and send in their names.

The Times and the Chronicle both verify letters to the editor by phoning the writer and sometimes by other means, but Vallone used free voicemail services to create fictitious identities, the Times reported. Vallone could not be reached for comment by E&P.

As Krupp's investigation progressed, the Times developed and implemented new procedures that Hatfield wouldn't discuss publicly. And with the publication of Sunday's article, the Chronicle has also started an investigation into any letters it received.

"We are certainly looking into it to determine if we also were targets of his letters, as the article indicated," John Diaz, the Chronicle's editorial-page editor, told E&P Monday afternoon. "It's obviously an area of great interest and concern to us."

Regardless of the outcome of the inquiry, Diaz said, the episode has called letter-verification procedures into question, and the Chronicle will "take steps to reduce the changes of this happening again."

But both Diaz and Hatfield acknowledge that there is probably no way to completely prevent false letters.

"I think it's probably not possible to build an absolute firewall against somebody who is bound and determined," Diaz said. Even with new measures, Hatfield agreed, "there is no fail-safe that I know of to guarantee that no [falsified] letter ever will get in there."

Both the Times and the Chronicle had caught Vallone for previous deceptions. The Times had caught him writing in the name of a local former mayor, and the Chronicle nailed him for plagiarizing portions of a letter from The Wall Street Journal -- a violation the paper corrected in print.

The papers simply didn't know that the same man was writing under other names. Only after Krupp's meticulous reporting did the facts become clear.

"She's the star of this show," Hatfield said. "This has certainly gotten her noticed here."

[Rebelbase]

"Vallone came forward, saying he had started writing false letters when he was working for a Republican political campaign in 1994. During that campaign, staffers would write letters to the editor, which volunteers would sign and send in their names."

Someone got caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

[No Longer Free State]

Given the history, he's probably lying about which campaign he was working for when he began this little deception.

[narby]

saying he had started writing false letters when he was working for a Republican political campaign in 1994.

Somehow, I just knew this was a "bash the republican" story from the first line.

You have to know that there are as many, or more, Dem's who do the same thing. But this is the first story on this subject that I've seen, and surprise, surprise, surprise, the evil doer is a Republican.

[federal]

If this guy started as a dimocRAT this doesn't even warrant a story.

[c.nugget]

I think it was in a local paper (Cincinnati,) after the Vice Presidential debate last year I read an editorial talking about the paper receiving several letters claiming that Edwards "destroyed" Cheney. The paper pointed out that the letters were received 4 hours before the debate began!

[Dan from Michigan]

It's one of the oldest tricks in the book.

[Michael.SF.]

Hi Rebelbase, LTNS!!

This has to be BS, implying that this guy is a Republican. Here is why:

1. As a subscriber to the CCT, which is not as obliviously left wing biased as the SF Comical), the Letters section usually runs 5 or 6 to one left over right. (I have had three to four letters published in 6 years. At least twice that many have been rejected.)

2. Why do they not come right out and say which side he supports? Note the wording, it implies he is a Republican supporter but does not come out and say so. They also do not give any hints as to the subject matter of his writings.

3. I have also long noticed a pattern in the letters supporting the Dems, indicating to me they are responding to the talking points of the left (move-on or other similar groups).

[Whispering Smith]

If they had only put half the effort into one of the Clinton scandals and its spin miesters.

[sully777]

Making Up Stories 404a
Professor: Mary Mapes

This course introduces the student to techniques of forgery, with an emphasis of degrading military personel, religions outside of Buddhism and Islam, the NRA, and the GOP.
(3 credits).

---

Making Up Stories 404b
Professor: Dan Rather

Requires MUS404a. This course gives the student advanced techniques of forgery, lying, and insane ramblings that degrade all levels of society except elite, wealthy, secular liberalism. Taught by the premier expert.
(Demands full credit for all successes and no fault at failure--the professor's that is)

[Neanderthal]

"As a subscriber to the CCT, which is not as obliviously left wing biased as the SF Comical"

I disagree. The CCT is actually much more biased than the Chronicle in its news reporting. The Chronicle is probably more biased in its editorials and columnists, but everyone expects left-wing editorial content from the Chronicle.

In the CCT most "news" stories about local school issues are obviously just re-writes of what the local teachers union friend of the reporter thinks. Any "news"the CCT prints about county government is terribly slanted. They deliberately avoid printing facts that would put blame on their friends the 'Rats. Readers have no idea that it was the 'Rats and the 'Rats alone that have bankrupted the County with absurd pension giveaways to public employee unions. Public pensions and other retirement benefits will become a glowing financial mushroom cloud in just a few years. The CCT will explain that "mistakes were made," and leave it at that, rather than blame the 'Rats.

[SmithL]

	Posted on Sun, Apr. 24, 2005
	Letter writer fools Bay papers with various noms de plume By Sarah Krupp CONTRA COSTA TIMES SAN RAMON - Batswala Dala, France Amoore and Tom Shane all have published letters to the editor in Bay Area newspapers. Trouble is, none of the men exist. Under dozens of pseudonyms, Kyle Vallone has orchestrated the publication of scores of letters to the Times, San Francisco Chronicle and the Tri-Valley Herald during the last decade. A Times investigation found that the San Ramon man submitted more than 100 letters under fictitious identities to the three newspapers. Vallone estimated that he has had a hand in 200 bogus letters published in Northern California newspapers. Vallone said the idea occurred to him while he was working on a Republican campaign in 1994. He and other workers would write letters on behalf of a candidate and send them to a "tree" of supporters who would sign their names and send them to newspapers. It occurred to him that he could skip a step, make up fictitious identities and send the letters via e-mail. He used free e-mail accounts and various voice-mail systems, his cell phone and home phone numbers to pull off his hoax. "That probably wasn't the correct thing to do, but we were just having fun. It wasn't like something that we really took seriously," Vallone said. The newspapers' editors aren't laughing, though. "Bogus letters have a tremendous effect on the readers," Times Editorial Page editor Dan Hatfield said. "People need to be able to know that the letters to the editor are real people, writing about real issues. They need to be able to believe what they read in the newspaper. The discovery of false letters makes the reader wonder about the veracity of the opinions on our pages." While the letters may raise ethical questions, making up fake names for publication isn't illegal, according to Contra Costa Deputy District Attorney Jim Sepulveda. Vallone's letters preached conservative politics or ideologies on topics ranging from boosting missile defense to ousting Gov. Gray Davis. They often provoked readers to write response letters. As his reputation grew, Vallone said people began to send him letters they had written, but didn't want to be associated with. He said he also acted as a "ghost writer" for friends who weren't adept at writing , and submitted the letters under their names. In the last four to five years, Vallone said that other campaign workers wrote most of the letters. His helpers weren't aware, though, that he was sending them in with fictitious names, he said. "The early stuff was all mine and I would use big words, like parsimonious. Then as time went on, I just didn't have the time to write them," he explained. The Times, Chronicle and Herald have similar letter to the editor verification policies. A writer must provide his or her resident city and phone number. A newspaper employee then calls the writer to verify that they sent it in. Vallone would call back and pretend to be the letter writer. "I am very good (at accents). It was all just a creative thing. I just got to use my brain to create these folks. We would write these letters and I would use my computer skills to make it work," Vallone said. (He is most proud of coming up with the name Batswala Dala.) Hatfield said the paper has tightened its policy, but there is no way to screen writers intent on breaking the rules. "Unfortunately, there is not a fail-safe way that I have found. No matter how elaborate the system one designs, there is always some knucklehead out there who wants to ruin it for everyone by proving that he or she can beat it." Vallone's most recent campaign work was as a co-chair of the letters to the editor for Republican Bill Jones' 2004 senatorial bid. The Times found eight letters submitted by Vallone during the campaign, seven of which blasted Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer and one that praised Jones. Jones said he had no knowledge of Vallone's letter-writing deception. "We never heard anything about it. We had no knowledge that that was going on," said Brian Forrest, an assistant campaign coordinator for Jones' senatorial campaign. Vallone, a three-time state Republican party delegate, said he didn't consider the deception involved. "I thought of it in terms of getting the message out and also, all these campaigns do it. The unions do it. Everybody does it. They all do it. They have trees of people that they use," he said. "OK, does that make it right? I don't know," he said. Vallone has been a prolific writer under his own name as well. He admitted to plagiarizing portions of a letter published in the Chronicle in 2003 lauding Gov. Davis' recall. Vallone took much of his letter from the Wall Street Journal, according to the Chronicle. The Times began looking into the origins of the letters after an anonymous flier blasting the Antioch mayor was distributed a few days before the November election. Published letters to the editor matched the flier in content and tone. The identities and addresses given for the letters writers were false. One letter attributed to Richard Copenhaver of Antioch included Vallone's cell phone as the writer's contact number. There is no Richard Copenhaver living in or near Antioch. When a reporter called, Vallone put on a phony accent, pretending to be Copenhaver. In a second phone conversation, he told the reporter that he thought it was one of his friend's playing a practical joke on him, but he wouldn't reveal his real name. The Times then linked the cell phone number to Vallone. Vallone said that he submitted the letters on behalf of a friend who had written them. He refused to say who the friend is. But he said he has no connection to the flier and doesn't know who was involved with it. Antioch city leaders have asked the state Fair Political Practices Commission to investigate the flier, which they contend violated state election law by not disclosing its funding source. The FPPC will not comment on whether it is investigating the complaint. An August letter to the Times submitted by Vallone accused Boxer of playing partisan politics for attending a premiere of "Fahrenheit 911," a documentary critical of the Iraq war. It was signed Susanne Schlendorf of Danville. Susanna Schlendorf, a council woman and a Danville mayor in the early 1990s, believed that the letter was intended to impersonate her. The letter concluded that Boxer "is not fit to represent California for six more years." Boxer didn't attend the screening. Moreover, she is a friend of Schlendorf's. The Times wrote a clarification, stating that the former mayor didn't write the letter and that the facts in it were inaccurate. Vallone said he hasn't falsified any letters since the Times began investigating the story in November. Depending on how people react, however, he said he may return to his "hobby." "I don't know that I am going to retire. We'll see how this plays. If I get a lot of crap about it, I probably am going to retire. No one will want to work with me again." Reach Sarah Krupp at 925-779-7166 or skrupp@cctimes.com. Staff writer Brooke Bryant contributed to this story. Times letters Letter writers are required to provide their first and last names, phone numbers and city of residence. A Times employee calls the writer to ask if he or she authored the letter. Writers are limited to one letter on any topic and one response to a Saturday forum question every 30 days.

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© 2005 ContraCostaTimes.com and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.contracostatimes.com

[Cultural Jihad]

It's one of the oldest tricks in the book.

"I voted for President Bush eighty-three times, and I support him in everything he does, but he is wrong-wrong-wrong about immigration reform, and he is probably all corrupt, and is being blackmailed, and cares more about foreigner rapists than he does about hard-working Americuns, and he is a socialist traitor destroying our nation's sovereignty, [yada, yada, yada]."

[PA Engineer]

2. Why do they not come right out and say which side he supports? Note the wording, it implies he is a Republican supporter but does not come out and say so. They also do not give any hints as to the subject matter of his writings.

I thought the same thing. This does not pass the smell test.

[Michael.SF.]

Thanks.

I did not see that the article was an excerpt and assumed it was complete.

[SmithL]

What I just posted is what the Contra Costa Times published yesterday. It's what the E & P was reporting about today. I agree that the Times has gotten a lot more liberally-biased since Dean Lesher died, a few years back.

[Jeff Gordon]

It's one of the oldest tricks in the book.

Snail Mail Freeping?

[LtKerst]

Given the history, he's probably lying about which campaign he was working for when he began this little deception.

No i believe that He is a Republican. writing letters to Editor is an effective way to debate the issues and get the truth out, but the Contra Costa Times is a biased liberal Rag and it is a Joke to expect a fair and ballanced letters to Editor page. Ditto the San Jose Mercury News, SF Chronicle..etc. Conservatives get letters set aside and Liberal's letters get published.

I am not supprised that this person tried different names and tactics to get His letters published. while dishonest...it is no more dishonest than the Scumbag Left Papers who fill the Letters pages with one sided swill from Leftist idiots every day.

He is only getting down into the gutter with the Rats and fighting the same style.

I have no problem with this Guy. More power to him.

[LtKerst]

The Times found eight letters submitted by Vallone during the campaign, seven of which blasted Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer and one that praised Jones

7 letters against Boxer? this guy deserves a Congressional medal of Honor!!!

[exDemMom]

"Bogus letters have a tremendous effect on the readers," Times Editorial Page editor Dan Hatfield said. "People need to be able to know that the letters to the editor are real people, writing about real issues. They need to be able to believe what they read in the newspaper. The discovery of false letters makes the reader wonder about the veracity of the opinions on our pages."

Oh, that is too much! Whenever I look in the letters to the editor section, I see that the letters have been selected to represent a variety of leftist opinions, with maybe one kooky conservative letter thrown in to both show "balance" and to demonstrate just how kooky those right wing fanatics are. Now, on what basis would I believe what I read in the newspaper??? Not the letters, and not the factually challenged articles, either!

[GVnana]

During that campaign, staffers would write letters to the editor, which volunteers would sign and send in their names.

Nothing wrong with this. Unfortunately, creeps like Vallone ruin things for honest people.