DASCHLE CHALLENGER CALLS FOR REPORTER TO REVEAL TIES TO SENATOR

Talon News ^ | 6/5/03 | Jeff Gannon

[Elkiejg]

WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- A potential candidate for the United States Senate has called on South Dakota's leading newspaper to disclose one of its reporter's ties to Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD).

Sioux Falls businessman Neal Tapio issued a press release Tuesday in which he demanded the Argus Leader reveal to readers the relationship that its top political reporter has with the three-term Senator.

The connection that Tapio makes between Daschle and David Kranz, who has covered politics for 30 years, began at South Dakota State University in 1968. Daschle was president of the Political Science club that staged a mock Democrat Convention. Kranz was Daschle's publicity chairman, but wrote an article praising Daschle as a reporter for the South Dakota Collegian without disclosing that relationship.

Tapio highlights the ethical lapse and implies that relationship may have continued to influence his reporting. In his press release he says, "It is no secret that many in South Dakota have been suspicious of the manner in which Kranz spins political stories."

Tapio cites articles in the New York Times and Roll Call that have noted how Kranz and the Argus Leader have "unfairly reported on Republican office-holders." He maintains that the newspaper's refusal to report Daschle's low polling numbers and his wife Linda's lobbying activities on behalf of the airline industry, Boeing, and Schering-Plough are further evidence of pro-Daschle bias.

Talon News contacted the Argus Leader Executive Editor Randell Beck for a response to Tapio's allegations. Beck refused to permit Kranz to be interviewed saying, "He works for me and I'm not going to allow Dave to get into a pissing match with a guy who makes this stuff up."

While Beck did not refute Tapio's charges, he said that Tapio has "taken some facts and embellished them" to give a false impression. Beck defended Kranz, telling Talon News, "He's one of the finest political reporters in the country."

Tapio implied a double standard when he said, "The Argus Leader has demanded full disclosure, open meetings, and transparent government in the past."

"Now the Argus Leader must apply such principals to itself," Tapio continued.

Until the extent of the relationship between Kranz and Daschle is revealed, Tapio suggests that Kranz be "forbidden to cover matters related to Senator Daschle and the 2004 Senate race." Tapio further said, "After full disclosure, it may be necessary for Kranz to be walled off from any reporting or discussions relating to Senator Daschle."

[Elkiejg]

My, my - is little tommie having some problems back home? Attention SD freepers - can you shed any light on this situation or people involved?

[finnman69]

bump

[Drango]

Talon News contacted the Argus Leader Executive Editor Randell Beck for a response to Tapio's allegations. Beck refused to permit Kranz to be interviewed

I love it when the PRESS refuses to do interviews...

[Michael.SF.]

"Tapio ... Argus Leader have "unfairly reported on Republican office-holders." .. refusal to report Daschle's low polling numbers ... Linda's lobbying activities...evidence of pro-Daschle bias."

Oh my gawd. Tapio is NOT suggesting, that the press may have a liberal bias is he? This is unbelieveable!

[/sarcasim]

[BenLurkin]

Hey, how about that crooked Boeing aircraft leasing deal that Daschle's wife put together?

[SoDak]

http://southdakotapolitics.blogspot.com/

This blog is a goldmine for new and interesting news about this controversy.

[DakotaGator]

Ping

[kcvl]

dkranz@argusleader.com

Poll questions reflect concerns for Daschle on certain issues

David Kranz
Argus Leader
published: 05/18/2003

[kcvl]

S.D. Democratic Party looks lost without Daschle

By David Kranz
Argus Leader
published: 11/17/2002

[Grampa Dave]

Great find!

This is just another example of how the fishwraps of America have been in bed with their Rat Politician Buddies for decades.

[unixfox]

"He's one of the finest political reporters in the country."

I guess that's why he works for this little rag instead of the N.Y. Times.

[kcvl]

Friday, February 21, 2003

The Sioux Falls protest against Tom Daschle's filibuster of the Estrada nomination gets a write-up in today's Argus Leader by Democratic-coddler David Kranz. Dan Pfeiffer, a Daschle staffer, says there's "more to the story" and, in true communications director form proceeds to subtract from clarity:


"[Miguel Estrada] has failed to provide the Senate with basic pieces of information. If Mr. Estrada would do that, Sen. Daschle would be glad to schedule a vote."

The White House also is party to concealing requested information, he said.


"No one would consider hiring someone for a job without an interview, and that is essentially what the White House is asking," Pfeiffer said.



David Kranz, in his usual balanced form, fails to report the Republican response to the Pfeiffer/Daschle canard that background information on Miguel Estrada has not been forthcoming and is being "concealed." The "background information" Daschle is requesting is confidential Department of Justice memoranda in which Estrada provided appeal, certiorari, and amicus recommendations while he was a career attorney in the Office of Solicitor General. All living former Solicitors General (four Democrats and three Republicans) have strongly opposed Daschle's request for Solicitor General memoranda and stated that it would sacrifice and compromise the ability of the Justice Department to effectively represent the United States in court. It would be akin to a lawyer violating the attorney-client privilege by revealing confidential information, which is the unforgivable sin in the legal world. Also, according to the White House letter linked below, the Senate has not requested memos such as these for any of the 67 appeals court nominees since 1977 who had previously worked in the Justice Department (including the seven nominees who had previously worked in the Solicitor General's office). Of course, Dave Kranz fails to report these pesky facts, and lets Pfeiffer get away with a throw-away quote. And it's not as if Dave Kranz is unaware of the Republican response. Since Dave knows and reports about the letter sent to the White House by Senator Leahy, he knows about and fails to report White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales' letter in response. Why does Dave Kranz omit this important part of the story? Is he just a bad reporter who simply cannot round up all of the relevant facts? That may be part of it, but mainly, the problem is that it's devastating to Daschle's case, and in the Kranz world, that is something that cannot be allowed to happen.

[bandleader]

How does that go again?"What's Sauce For The Goose"???...........

[DakotaGator]

S.D. Democratic Party looks lost without Daschle

He's certainly their hero. It'd be a major blow to them if he was bounced out of office.

They'd still be around. The "something for nothing" crowd is always with us. Thing is, without Daschle, all the outside money helping the SD Dim Party would dry up.

Now that's a drought I'd like to see!

[bandleader]

Yes,but remember that she's not allowed to "Lobby"him!!!!!What a load of HorseSh*t!!!!!!!!

[cardinal4]

I think little Tommy is going to have to fight for his reelection..

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for posting this.

This article/lie by this leftist bozo should be sent to the publisher of this fishwrap and ask why this writer lied about the rats not getting the data re Judge Estrada.

[kcvl]

The negative tone of the race has been met with scrutiny. Some members of the media have expressed worries that the negativity of the race will turn off voters In an article written by Argus Leader reporter David Kranz, Gary Aguiar, a political science professor at SDSU says "if [the ads] continue at this pace...people will be disgusted with the race..."

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has also criticized the negative approach of the Republicans. He has asked President Bush to tell Republicans to call off the negative ads in South Dakota. He also called these ads "unacceptable and wrong."

[DakotaGator]

The negative tone of the race has been met with scrutiny.

Yes. That's their tactic this election. South Dakotan's were disgusted with the last election's bickering between candidates. They didn't think it was appropriate. That doesn't mean South Dakotan's don't like a good election battle. They just want it done with meaningful data.

Daschle & company are seizing on this and the so-called "Campaign Finance Reform Act" as ways to virtually censor any true exposing of his duplicity.

[kcvl]

The Washington Post 's Kamen reports "word that Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) is starting to talk to publishers about doing a book on the Senate. The topics would likely include controversies such as the Florida recount, the battles with President Bush, the days of the 50-50 split, the Jeffords switch that made Daschle majority leader, Sept. 11 and the anthrax threat and the war on terrorism."

"He's got Washington superlawyer Robert Barnett talking to publishers. He'll then likely be getting a "collaborator," to help with the writing."

David Kranz actually gets Daschle to talk about his book proposal: "'I have had the great privilege over the last year to have a unique vantage point of one of the most historic and at times harrowing years in this country,' Daschle said. 'It was the year of a shift in power in the Senate from 50-50 to Democratic control, to September 11 to the anthrax attack. I hope this book will provide a record of those times.'"