Ryerson + Straub

Dateline: Wed 12 Sep 2012

The Indy Star reports (buries, really) this morning that Frank Straub, the former embattled public safety boss, has been appointed director of law enforcement in Spokane, Washington.

What the newspaper fails to mention is that its former executive editor, Dennis Ryerson, actually went to Spokane and vouched for the guy. 

Why? What self-respecting journalist would be so partisan and so needy that he would assume the role of cheerleader for a man he never supervised or worked with? Three other people also were flown to Spokane (tab paid by Straub and the Spokane mayor).

According to my friend Gary Welsh at Advance Indiana, they were Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Officer Candi Perry, Indianapolis Fire Department union prez Wayne Smith and a retired police officer from IMPD, Spencer Moore, whose cop son was killed in the line of duty.

The other three testimonials make some inherent sense. Ryerson as a character witness for Straub is simply nutty and crosses some invisible line out there.

From Welsh's blog, here is what the idiot said:

"Frank is a very sober, serious guy. He got to work. He made a difference. He was courteous, always professional."

This hammers home an earlier point that Ryerson was the kind of editor who liked to mix it up in the community/cocktail party circuit. The guy is so totally clueless. Obviously he does not have many journo/reporter friends to vouch for, but hey, if it makes him feel good to be Straub's dog, so be it.

The paper is inifinitely better without him and under new leadership. 

Thanks to Welsh for the tip.

 

 

 

Comments

hendy [Member] said:

The concept of the Fourth Estate is now blurred once more. Egads.

2012-09-12 09:56:48

Seneca [Member] said:

Aren't there only two "estates" now? The have mores and the haves? No one else counts.

2012-09-12 12:24:32

Whitebeard [unverified] said:

I agree with you, Seneca.

Ruth, I imagine much of the motivation for the former editor's trip is summed up in: "(tab paid by Straub and the Spokane mayor.)"

This episode reminds me of last year when The Star's (former) education reporter alerted an IPS employee that some video journalists were preparing to film a public meeting, resulting in them getting the boot.

2012-09-12 13:22:49

ruthholl [Member] said:

All good points, guys. Thanks for the memory, WB. That is again crossing the line.

2012-09-12 13:33:10

Tell The Truth [Member] said:

And every time that line gets crossed, without stern rebuke, the corral of acceptable conduct gets slightly expanded.

That rebuke used to come from editors. When the editors engage in this kind of conduct, I'm not sure who rebukes them.

Wait a minute--it's us.

I'm still kinda puzzled at the "pick up the tab" split--why Straub is paying for anything is beyond me. Sloppy reporting, again?

Where was this man's moral barometer when asked, about Straub, to say: "It's not appropriate for me to comment on that."

Which he could've and should've done without the benefit of a trip to Spokane. I've been there. it ain't all that. Kinda dreary in fact.

Dennis, we hardly knew ye. And that's just fine. Do ye know ye?




2012-09-12 17:59:30

escapedbeforebeinggannettized [unverified] said:

This is only a guess.....Don't be surprised to see Ryerson as the new Communications Director of the Spokane Police Dept....or some other position within Straub's posse.

2012-09-13 08:05:59

Lassie [unverified] said:

"It is obvious that the man of vigorous mind and stout convictions is gradually shouldered out of public life ... This leaves the field to the intellectual jellyfish and inner tubes." -- Mencken

2012-09-14 16:22:19

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