Dan Rodricks Smears Journalism with Attack on SbyNEWS

I have always argued that journalism and op-ed are distant cousins at best.  That said, Baltimore Sun columnist Dan Rodricks claims to be a journalist.  Just look at his bio on the Sun’s web site.  Any pretense of journalistic integrity, or checking one’s sources, went out the window with Sunday’s smear of SbyNEWS publisher Joe Albero.
The thesis of Rodricks’ hit piece is that Albero is a bad man who has profited from the misfortune of others.  His evidence?  The self-admitted ranting of a grandparent of a murder victim and blogger / Albero hater Jonathan Taylor.  Albero wasn’t even contacted for comment.
Let’s look at the evidence.  Don’t believe me, look no farther than the Daily Times; never a lover of Albero’s brand of mixing op-ed with hard news.  In Sharahn Boykin’s first piece on the subject, she quotes Wicomico State’s Attorney Matt Maciarello regarding Roberta Wechsler’s claims that Albero is a “criminal”:

“These are bald allegations,” Maciarello said. “There is no substance at this point.”

Rodricks attempts to portray Albero as someone who wrongfully attacked members of Wechsler’s family and is somehow profiting from doing so.  Neither has any basis in fact.
It is true that Albero published items regarding members of Wechsler’s family that were less than flattering.  If I were the editor of SbyNEWS, I would not have done so – but for reasons unrelated to either their newsworthiness or veracity.  However, I find it interesting that no one is taking Albero to court and denying any charge levied against these individuals.
Rodricks quotes Taylor:

“Mr. Albero published anonymous comments that disparaged the Foxwell family”

Try that one on for size.  Albero published ANONYMOUS comments?  Rodricks’ own paper allows you to post comments with nothing more than an anonymous email address.  By putting such a statement in one of his columns, Rodricks is crawling down into the cerebral sewer populated by the likes of Taylor.  We should remember that Taylor has attacked the children of his enemies.  Rodricks would know this if he had bothered to do a little research before using Taylor as a supposed credible source of information.
Here are a just a few interesting items he would have found:

• Attacking political candidates regarding their sexual orientation.
• Referring to Albero’s wife as a bitch.
• Admitting that he would attack SbyNEWS advertisers because he couldn’t be as successful.
• Attacking a local charity because they have received help from Albero and dared recognize him for that help.

Given Rodrick’s leftist predilections, he probably wouldn’t have been too upset by Taylor unjustly portraying elected officials as racists.
Most ironic of the charges levied against Albero is that he profits from the misfortune of others.  Given that Albero donates his advertising revenues to local charities or charitable causes, AND gives his advertisers the credit, Rodricks may have deliberately stayed clear of this line of attack.
While I have frequently (usually) disagreed with Rodricks, I did have respect for him as a columnist … until today.  Op-Ed isn’t supposed to be fair.  However, it is supposed to be accurate when it makes representations of fact or when we are expected to view sources as credible.

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Author’s Note – I almost look forward to seeing the response triggered by the above post.  I can visualize the Photoshopped pictures, the accusations that I am performing a sex act on Albero, what a general scumbag I am, etc., etc., etc.  My only wish is that readers examine the above argument and contrast it with that response.  My case will have been proven.