Posted on 03/24/2006 12:22:18 PM PST by summer
NEW YORK Ben Domenech's conservative blog Red America lasted all of three days at the Washington Post. He quit today after numerous examples of alleged plagiarism in his work surfaced. Yesterday, in a seprate matter, he had apologized for calling Coretta Scott King a "Communist" the day after her recent funeral.
The embarrassing episode for the Post culminated Friday afternoon when washingtonpost.com executive editor Jim Brady posted the following notice on the Web site:
"In the past 24 hours, we learned of allegations that Ben Domenech plagiarized material that appeared under his byline in various publications prior to washingtonpost.com contracting with him to write a blog that launched Tuesday.
"An investigation into these allegations was ongoing, and in the interim, Domenech has resigned, effective immediately.
"When we hired Domenech, we were not aware of any allegations that he had plagiarized any of his past writings. In any cases where allegations such as these are made, we will continue to investigate those charges thoroughly in order to maintain our journalistic integrity.
"Plagiarism is perhaps the most serious offense that a writer can commit or be accused of. Washingtonpost.com will do everything in its power to verify that its news and opinion content is sourced completely and accurately at all times.
"We appreciate the speed and thoroughness with which our readers and media outlets surfaced these allegations. Despite the turn this has taken, we believe this event, among other things, testifies to the positive and powerful role that the Internet can play in the the practice of journalism.
"We also remain committed to representing a broad spectrum of ideas and ideologies in our Opinions area."
David Brock, president of the liberal watchdog group Media Matters for America, issued a statement in response:
“We at Media Matters are pleased the Ben Domenech will no longer be employed by the Post, but serious questions remain about why he was originally hired. The Post still needs to explain why a partisan operative who admits he is not a journalist and who has a history of racially charged rhetoric, homophobic bigotry, and serial plagiarism was given a platform on Washingtonpost.com in the first place. We look forward to a full explanation of these and related issues by the Post.”
Criticism of the Post's hiring of Domenech had also emerged from within the paper's own ranks. Political reporter Dana Milbank in an online chat at the paper's Web site said today: "What I don't understand (although I haven't inquired) is why the website couldn't recruit somebody with more stature to do the job. This city is crawling with good conservative journalists with lots of heft."
Was he also anti-Semitic and a male chauvinist pig? Why stop at racist, homophobic, bigot?
The guy was a plagiarist; he should be sacked.
Nevertheless, liberals can't comment on anybody without throwing the racist, bigot, homophobic line.
His tenure with the Post was longer than Al Gore's Presidency.
Well, I think Jim is an excellent writer! His essays are very well though out and always interesting to read, whether I agree with him on every point or not. The Washington Post would be giving a platform to someone who's certainly an original thinker, in my view.
though = thought
Well, he is a conservative, isn't he? /sarc
"No, he's a girlyman."
I mean, a person probably goes through more vetting applying for a job as a clerk in a county library than this guy went through before being hired by the WaPo. Doesn't say much for the WaPo. Exscept that it belives the hype.
I mean, a person probably goes through more vetting applying for a job as a clerk in a county library than this guy went through before being hired by the WaPo. Doesn't say much for the WaPo. Exscept that it believes the hype.
I guess it's too much to ask that the Washington Post itself would have "surfaced these allegations".
FYI, and thanks for your post on that other thread.
The Post set up a strawman and whacked him. They have a Sunday weeper piece ready to go this weekend, no doubt.
Usually, they're supposed to respond to reader complaints, or investigate-and censure-reporters who have breached journalistic protocol, but I'm not sure they have any vetting authority.
On the other hand, the basic idea is not to repeat the same mistakes on an ongoing basis, which a public editor's analysis, and occasionally opprobrium, is supposed to accomplish.
After the Janet Cooke fiasco I'm amazed that the Washington Post would continue to be so lax in investigating charges of plagiarism.
Re your post #50 -- My point exactly.
"Amazingly one of the first posters on this thread demands that folks who read the Bible do so in the manner approved by the Washington Post.
Not in a million years buddy ~ (could) kick your a$$ around the Capitol building first, eh?!
Graham Jr. IS NOT THE POPE, not even a street preacher.
Capice?
Posted by: Muawiyah | March 24, 2006 03:41 PM"
(NOTE: Edited to meet FR standards which are obviously far higher than those of the post.
It's not terribly easy to use ~ another $100 million down the internet drain by the corporate raiders who now run the Post ~ numbering the posts would help ~ saves referencing.
I don't think I will return.
As in the case of Harrie Miers...
...The Dubai Port deal...
...and now the plagiarizing blogger.
It was only when CONSERVATIVES joined the chorus...
...that the deal got done.
The whiny liberal cries of 'bigot! bigot! bigot!' had no effect...again.
Conservatives flexing our muscles did...again.
Milbank was the a-hole who wore an orange, hunting jacket when he appeared on Letterman or Leno during the Cheney, hunting incident. He's first class, MSM poodle-stool.
And look at Jayson Blair! I mean, how many employers would really want a Jayson Blair to represent their good name under any circumstances? I can't think of any, in light of how he was living his life, as a coke addict on the job or whatever. No employer wants that. Or, if you're a newspaper, no one wants plagerism.
David Brock is always looking for journalists with good "heft".
It was Olbermann.
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