Time to email the WaPo ombudsman

[quaoar]

For spreading the lie that Abramoff personally contributed to any Democrats. He didn't. Tribal clients of his did, by Abramoff DID NOT.

In the excerpt below, you will see that the ombudsman, Deborah Howell, relies on Susan Schmidt's info for this assertion. You will note that Ms. Schmidt had been the lead reporter on the case until the put two more reporters on it -- a sure sign that she wasn't able to handle it. And then the ombudsman lauds her for her ability to dig. Well, if she was so great at digging, how has she managed to mangle this one simple fact so badly?

The email address is [e-mail]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/14/AR2006011400859.html

Susan Schmidt, a Post veteran of 23 years, has been the lead reporter since the story began to unfold in the fall of 2003; she was later joined by R. Jeffrey Smith and James V. Grimaldi. Their work has been supervised by editors on the national and investigative desks.

Schmidt is known at The Post for a remarkable ability to dig and develop broad and deep sources from all sides of a story.

< snip >

Schmidt quickly found that Abramoff was getting 10 to 20 times as much from Indian tribes as they had paid other lobbyists. And he had made substantial campaign contributions to both major parties.

[grasswire]

1. as we all know

Susan Schmidt has the journalistic ethics of a pit viper.

Schmidt was the stenographer for the Starr investigation. She stepped out of the role of journalist and became a participant in the coup attempt on Bill Clinton.

And The Washington Post protected her from criticism then. Leonard Downie, publisher, will do so again.

We should have tried harder to drive her out of the profession then, knowing that she is unethical.

[TomInTib]

2. "remarkable ability to dig" bullshit. They don't call her "Steno Sue"

for nothing. Karl writes, Sue copies.

You could tell how deep WaPo wanted to go on this when they assigned her.

[marylanddem]

3. emailed Deborah Howell & demanded correction. n/t