Trib sat on Blagojevich wiretap story

[21]

Trying to imagine the shudder that went through the Tower when Fitzgerald disclosed this. Gotta believe they didn't see that coming.

Maybe Sam Zell demanded it. Being a great journalist and all.

The more I think about it, seems rather stunning that for all the things Fitzgerald won't comment on, he didn't hesitate to 'congratulate' the Tribune for its participation.

As stated on the other thread, the Tribune definitely had reason to see Blag go down, which raises a lot of other questions. Would they have been so willing to withhold the story if they hadn't been victimized by his blackmail/threats?

 

[toomanycookies]

More from the AP story regarding the Tribune:

The affidavit also outlines Blagojevich conversations related to Tribune Co., which has been hoping to sell Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs which the publishing giant also owns.
Blagojevich was quoted in court papers as telling Harris in a profanity laced Nov. 4 conversation that his recommendation to Tribune executives was to fire the editorial writers "and get us some editorial support."
Harris is quoted as telling the governor Nov. 11 that an unnamed Tribune Owner, presumably CEO Sam Zell, "got the message and is very sensitive to the issue."
The affidavit said Harris quoted a Tribune financial adviser as saying cuts were coming at the newspaper and "reading between the lines he's going after that section," apparently meaning editorial writers. Blagojevich is quoted as saying: "Oh, that's fantastic."
"Wow," Blagojevich allegedly replied. "Keep our fingers crossed. You're the man. Good job, John."
Harris allegedly told Blagojevich in his conversation with the financial adviser he had singled out deputy editorial page editor John McCormick as "somebody who was the most biased and unfair."
After hearing that, Blagojevich allegedly stressed to the head of a Chicago sports consulting firm that it was important to provide state aid for a Wrigley Field sale.

I hope the editorial writers are taking some satisfaction in all of this. Also, interesting to see if Mr. Zell is implicated, or asked to cooperate with the Feds.

What an incredible shirt stew. Every time I think the old-school era of Chicago politics is over, I'm always proved wrong.

 

[WaylonJennings]

So it's possible that Zell was considering selling out his own editorial page writers to placate the governor?

Or was he not?

 

[Ace]

So it's possible that Zell was considering selling out his own editorial page writers to placate the governor?

Or was he not?

Sounds like he was.

 

[Double Down]

So it's possible that Zell was considering selling out his own editorial page writers to placate the governor?

Or was he not?

Maybe Sam Zell is like Arvin Sloan in Alias, except not nearly as crafty. He does work with the evildoers, until it becomes advantageous to turn them in, at which point he pretends it was all ruse and that he was on the side of the righteous all alone. Thematically, it doesn't always make sense but that's why Jennifer Garner is there, dressed in skimpy clothing, to distract you and keep you from asking those kind of questions.

In this metaphor, I believe Garner is the Cubs.

 

[ondeadline]

According to a Chicago Sun-Times writer on CNN, Zell made six-figure contributions to Blagojevich's campaign before he bought the Tribune Company.

 

[WaylonJennings]

According to a Chicago Sun-Times writer on CNN, Zell made six-figure contributions to Blagojevich's campaign before he bought the Tribune Company.

This is going to get fun.

 

[21]

Trying to imagine. :'(

 

[Joe Williams]

So it's possible that Zell was considering selling out his own editorial page writers to placate the governor?

Or was he not?

Sounds like he was.

Damn straight with the Royko pic, 21. He's got to be spinning in his grave. He thought Murdoch was the worst thing that could happen to his beloved Chicago newspapers. Hah!

--Zell was selling out his editorial board in order to get favorable treatment from the Gov. on his desperate measures to sell Cubs/Wrigley Field.

--Meanwhile, Tribune news was sitting on stories to cooperate with prosecutors.

--Over at the other paper, which has been laughing about the Tribune's Chapter 11 turn of events, one of its celebrity journalists was being played like a fiddle by the crooked governor:

http://gawker.com/5105531/chicago-columnist-outed-as-blagos-favorite-patsy
Michael Sneed is a local gossip columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. And she's the latest journalist to be steamrolled by Chicago's US attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald—the same prosecutor who sent fallen Times reporter Judy Miller to jail! But Sneed won't have to go to court to try to keep her sources secret, because they're named right in the indictment of corrupt governor Rod Blagojevich. You see, Sneed was allegedly the guv's go-to reporter for planting fake rumors designed to help his scheme to extort money in exchange for Obama's replacement in the Senate.

 

[Ace]

If you are getting tips from the governor over who he is going to name to a Senate seat, are you a bad journalist for posting them in your gossip column?

 

[Joe Williams]

If you are getting tips from the governor over who he is going to name to a Senate seat, are you a bad journalist for posting them in your gossip column?

Some would say you're not a journalist at all if you write a gossip column.

Beyond that, you might want to ask and satisfactorily answer a question to yourself: Why would the governor be leaking names (not just one, but various) to me for this Senate appointment -- might he have something to gain from it?

Acting as conduit for someone in power isn't journalism, it's PR.

 

[Ace]

If you are getting tips from the governor over who he is going to name to a Senate seat, are you a bad journalist for posting them in your gossip column?

Some would say you're not a journalist at all if you write a gossip column.

Beyond that, you might want to ask and satisfactorily answer a question to yourself: Why would the governor be leaking names (not just one, but various) to me for this Senate appointment -- might he have something to gain from it?

Acting as conduit for someone in power isn't journalism, it's PR.

Tell it to the New York Times.