Anatomy of a Smear: How poor reporting trashed a Vermont judge (accuses FR of smearing idiot judge]

Vermont Guardian ^ | Feb 3, 2006 | By Will Hunter

[Jim Robinson]

BURLINGTON - It began with an inaccurate local television news report, with the errors repeated by Vermont print and broadcast media. The story was quickly picked up by Internet bloggers and right-wing talk radio and soon reached at least three sensationalist national cable shows. Within a week, bloggers were posting ever more extreme comments, calling for vigilante action against a longtime Vermont judge and posting his home address and phone online. State politicians jumped at the chance to be on national television, repeating the errors and adding to them. Nationwide, there were calls for boycotts of Vermont if the judge were not removed from the bench. Both the Republican governor and the Democratic Speaker of the House joined in condemnation of the judge.

~~ snip ~~

Another blog which promoted the WCAX story was freerepublic.com where postings were equally intemperate. “Any parent that does not move from Vermont immediately needs their head examined!,” one declared. “More proof liberals do not care about children, although that’s what we keep hearing is the reason to take our money.” Appeals to vigilante justice were frequent: “Time to get a rope,” preached one writer. “Get two, one for hizzoner and one for the perp! Same tree, side by side would send a clear message to perps and judges!” echoed another.

Postings soon included links to the website of Gov. James Douglas, so that complaints about Cashman could be submitted electronically. Another posting provided the judge’s home address and telephone number. Bloggers pushed for national coverage of the story. “Rush [Limbaugh] mentioned this case at the end of his show today, and I hope [Bill] O’Reilly comes on board when he returns on Monday . . .

[Unrepentant VN Vet]

"Conclusion: The reporter and all of his similar thinking socialist/liberal cronies and judges are DUMBER THAN A BOX OF ROCKS!"

---

Wrong. Accusing them of being "dumb" only supplies them with an excuse.

The arrogant bunch of bums simply think that everybody around them is stupid enough to buy this crap.

They won't be the first ones disabused of that notion over the last few years........

[bert]

....This Will Hunter might feel different if that little girl was his granddaughter......


Think on that a minute.....it's Vermont. Some married folks there have no kids. No kids, no grandkids

[Supernatural]

The truth hurts, so the libs twist the truth into a lie to suit their purposes.

Read my tag line.

[Lancey Howard]

According to the government, Hunter had set up a real estate company for Frank M. Sargent Jr., a 26-year-old man with a previous conviction for drug dealing, whom the government alleged was selling cocaine out of his home in nearby Windsor, Vt. The drug profits allegedly were being siphoned into Sargent's fledgling company, Connecticut Realty Trust, to buy run-down properties and refurbish them, according to the affidavit. "It is clear. . . that Sargent and Hunter had worked together to launder Sargent's money and that they used CRT for that purpose," James Bradley, special agent for the US Drug Enforcement Administration, said in the affidavit.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Cute isn't it.

[satchmodog9]

yup

[who knows what evil?]

VT's print media are totally out of touch with reality.

So are many of the people in Vermont; primarily the 'transplants'. They just don't understand what all the fuss is about. This has been SOP in certain areas of Vermont for ages, and since they sit way up north out of sight, they have been able to get away with it. Thanks to Cashman's 'blunder', the national spotlight has been turned on the worker's paradise, and they are squealing like pigs.

[WVNan]

Is it just me or does this kind of thing make you think the Judge, the prosecutor and the author of this piece might be child molesters themselves ? What else explains this behavior

Bingo! See, I was really nice in the original thread, I didn't say it, but I sure thought it. The judge especially looks like a pervert. (That was un-nice of me, wasn't it?)

[boop]

Actually I will agree to the 60 days under the following conditions: 1) the pedophile is sent to the state prison

2)he is released into the general population of convicts

3) they announce his arrival over the prison loudspeakers, along with what he did to the 6 year old.

4)the guards let the prisoners "work it out amongst themselves". Whatever is left of his corpse can be on probation.

[rlmorel]

LOL!!!! I remembered that quote...kind of liked it, too...:)

[Casloy]

The guy repeatedly molested a child. Why all the talking in circles by this judge? 20 to life, then bang the damn gavel, next case.

[Drango]

I think Will Hunter and his editors should spend 60 days in jail for writting this swill.

[traviskicks]

“More proof liberals do not care about children, although that’s what we keep hearing is the reason to take our money.”
---

heh heh... Some author quoted some freeper above. Reminds me of:

"The claim is that a particular perspective serves the general welfare. What is really served is a will to power."
- CA Justice Janice Rogers Brown

[SuziQ]

Rep. Wright appeared on Hannity & Colmes on Fox, inaccurately quoting Judge Cashman as saying “I no longer believe in punishment” and promising to work to get him to resign.

The headline said that poor reporting caused all Cashman's problems. According to the story, that statement from Rep. Wright was the only thing that was inaccurate, but that happened well after all the other reports. The article spent most of the time bashing what it considers right wing radio and media. So did the Judge do what the reports said he did, or not?

[Don Carlos]

**“Time to get a rope,” preached one writer [FReeper: somniferum].-- “Get two, one for hizzoner and one for the perp! Same tree, side by side would send a clear message to perps and judges!” echoed another. [FReeper: Don Carlos]**

I, um (blushing) don't know what to um, say. I'll try to not let it, um, you know, go to my head.

[Don Carlos]

Whoo Hooo! Famous, at last!

Mama always said she had confidence in me!

[dangus]

Yeah, as I read the article, it sure sounds like they're saying only 60 days jail time... If there were any inaccuracies in the initial report, this article doesn't correct them. All they do is throw ad-hominem attacks at the people offended.

[Candor7]

I Agree, then they are as you say:

Arrogantly Dumb and about to die a political death.!

Bums! They are a bunch of Diddler Enablers!

[conservative in nyc]

“My bet is O’Reilly will be all over this if he here’s [sic] about it,” another predicted.[FReeper: unknown. This looks an awful lot like my post, however mine ended after the word "this".]

That quote is actually from someone named ANV on another website, Liberty Post.org. FReepers usually spell better than that. The author probably deliberately included a post with a spelling error to make us look like we're stupid.

[cgk]

Thanks!! I searched every Cashman thread for that quote and googled it to no avail (alas only on FR), and only mine LOOKED similar, but I know my hears and here's. :)