Governors' ex-aide linked to campaign probe (the smoking gun)

[cmd]

http://www.cleveland.com/budgetscandal/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1117791231263120.xml&coll=2

H. Douglas Talbott, a former top aide to two Ohio governors, told federal authorities that Republican coin dealer Tom Noe persuaded him to contribute $2,000 to President Bush's re-election campaign - then reimbursed him for the donation, The Plain Dealer has learned.

Talbott appeared Wednesday before a federal grand jury in Toledo that is investigating whether Noe illegally reimbursed as many as two dozen contributors to a Bush fund-raiser in October 2003. The grand jury is looking into whether Noe made the reimbursements to circumvent campaign finance laws, which limit individual contributions to $2,000.

much more..........

[Dhalgren]

1. Man, you got to love the reporting!

"The grand jury is looking into whether Noe made the reimbursements to circumvent campaign finance laws, which limit individual contributions to $2,000." Oh, gee, you think?

[Pacifist Patriot]

2. Boy that's a tough leap to make, isn't it?

[Roland99]

5. Well, that's actually good reporting. Not drawing conclusions.

"Just the facts."


That's the way I like it. Let them report. *I'll* decide! :D

[Dhalgren]

7. A more "factual" statement would have been something like

"The grand jury is meeting to decide if Noe should be indicted for breaking campaign finance laws that limit personal contributions."

Not,"The grand jury is looking into whether Noe made the reimbursements to circumvent campaign finance laws, which limit individual contributions to $2,000." - If the evidence is true, Noe 'in fact' "circumvented campaign finance laws". The way this statement is "mealy-mouthed" would be like saying, "The grand jury is looking into whether Mr. Gotti ordered the hits on his rivals to circumvent the laws against murder."

[Roland99]

8. "allegedly" breaking campaign finance laws

To you and I it's obvious what was going on but a journalist shouldn't act as judge and jury.

[Dhalgren]

9. But it is the grand jury who is making the "allegations".

The indictment, itself, is the "allegation". When a grand jury returns an indictment for murder or for campaign law violations, they are alleging murder or campaign violations with their indictments. Now, afterward, between the indictment and the verdict, the defendant is "alleged". But an indictment, itself, is for the crime, not for the "alleged" crime.

I just think that most reporting (this instance included) these days tries to soft-pedal most news that is seen as negative to the administration. One of the tactics is using convoluted sentences and mealy-mouthed construction in order to make the report's impact less negative and less clear. Just my opinion...

[Roland99]

10. But that's not how it works.

Allegations are what we are seeing now. If Noe is arrested, then he'll be booked and charged with offenses.

Then, he'll be brought before a grand jury to determine if enough evidence exists to indict Noe and bring him to trial.

Then, at trial, it will be determined if he is innocent or guilty of the charges.

[Dhalgren]

11. The grand jury makes allegations (indictments) and the indicted

person is arrested. The grand jury does not return indictments for "alleged" crimes; it returns indictments for crimes. The grand jury alleges that a crime has been committed and the "alleged" criminal is taken into custody. It isn't very often that a person charged with "white collar" crime or campaign finance crimes are arrested first, then indicted. It is most commonly the other way around.

I think that maybe neither of us will concede on these points, so let's just hope this pustule goes to prison and takes as many Busheviks with him as possible. :hi:

[Roland99]

12. I deal with law enforcement, offenders, charges, releases, etc. every day

I suppose one could play the semantics game and call charges "allegation" but they have been charged with a crime and are up on trial at that point.

[Doctor_J]

3. The breadth of the GOP corruption is breathtaking

they are evil on every level.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Thanks for posting, cmd! nt

[librechik]

6. BUSH campaign implicated in illegal fundraising scam!

would be a better headline. We deserve a little Hillary payback!