If you need any more evidence of the blatant animus that a mainstream newspaper like the Boston Globe can have for conservative Republicans, here you go. Compare the following:
- Sean Bielat was the Republican challenger to Rep. Barney Frank in the 4th Congressional District in Massachusetts last November. While spending ten months to run for the seat, he paid himself a salary of $10,000.
- Mac D’Alessandro, a self-identified "progressive Democrat," was a primary challenger in the 9th District. The Globe heartily endorsed D'Alessandro, a "public-interest attorney," "community activist," and political director for the SIEU. Even though his campaign barely lasted five months (he lost the primary), he collected stipends totaling nearly $27,000.
Well, last week, the Globe slammed Bielat with a can't-miss, top-of-page-B1 article (Sat. 2/12/11), "Law change helped House candidate pay himself: Bielat took $10,000 salary from campaign in loss to Frank."
The article made no mention at all of Democrat D’Alessandro collecting his stipends, even though D’Alessandro collected over two-and-a-half times what Bielat collected in a campaign that lasted half as long. In fact, the Globe falsely reported that "it appears Bielat is the first Massachusetts candidate" to collect a salary. The Globe begrudgingly published a weak "clarification" for their error a few days later.
Mr. Bielat has responded to the Globe hit piece. In doing so, he also pointed out that the Globe also conveniently failed to mention that he donated $3,500 to his own campaign, so he actually "netted" only $6,500. So his salary roughly equaled $3 an hour. "Not exactly a get rich quick scheme," said Bielat.
The 2002 McCain-Feingold law made it permissible for candidates for federal office to collect a salary. The goal was to make it possible for people who are not millionaires or deeply entrenched incumbents to run for office. (In other words, the law encouraged regular folks like Bielat to run.)
But it seems in the Globe's view, there is only a problem if a Republican takes advantage of this law.
One-sided reporting? You bet.
-- Dave Pierre is the author of the book, Double Standard: Abuse Scandals and the Attack on the Catholic Church. Dave is also the creator of TheMediaReport.com and is a contributing writer to NewsBusters.
