This morning, Jesse Holland of the Associated Press reported on yesterday's filibuster shenanigans in the Senate.
In an article titled "Byrd, Frist, Spar Over Filibuster Changes," Holland reprts on the exchange between Frist and Byrd, but also brings in Harry Reid's comments on Judge Henry Saad's FBI file.
Writing that Reid "was criticized by conservatives for mentioning it," Holland goes on to quote one such critc:
"With his unsubstantiated charges, Senator Reid unfairly and irresponsibly defames Judge Saad," said Jeffrey Mazzella, president of the Center For Individual Freedom.
Who's that, now?
The Center for Individual Freedom? Sounds like a nice group. After all, who can argue with freedom for individuals? Oh, and look, they say right on their
web page that they're a "non-partisan, non-profit organization with the mission to protect and defend individual freedoms and individual rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution." You'll need to take their word for that, since they are remarkably less-than-forthcoming with their Board of Directors.
Fortunately, my time over at ePluribus Media has taught me the value of a good search through corporate filings at the state level. A quick query in the Virgina State Corporation Commission website reveals the players:
Guy A Vander Jagt SEC/TREAS
Anthony M Fabrizio JR CHAIRMAN
Jeffrey L Mazzella EXEC DIRECTOR
Bruce Herschensohn DIRECTOR
Even the most cursory Google search reveals that these folks are as partisan as they come. In fact, Mazzello, in addition to his duties at the CFIF, serves as one of the "experts" at the Coalition for a Fair Judiciary, along with, wait for it - Manuel Miranda.
Shame on the reporter for failing to do his homework on this one. Kos's debunk of this smear was up hours before Holland filed his story. That liberal media is at it again.
Update [2005-5-13 10:29:13 by Biblio]:I mentioned in comments that I didn't find this article to be in need of a retraction, as there is nothing demontrably false reported. My problem comes from the way in which Mazzello is given the last word in an attempt to "balance" a story that didn't require it. I've attempted to address this in the e-mail I've sent to the AP:
To Whom it May Concern,
I have been following the debate in the Senate over the use of the filibuster and read Jesse Holland's 5/13 article "Byrd, Frist Spar Over Filibuster Changes" with interest. Overnight, Harry Reid's rationale for continuing to oppose Bush-nominee Judge Henry Saad, namely that there is a "problem" in Saad's FBI report, was characterized by Washinton Times reporter Charles Hurt as justification for Reid's expulsion from the Senate. Hurt quoted former Frist staffer Manuel Miranda saying "Harry Reid is a disgrace to the Senate and to [his] Church of Latter-day Saints," simply for referring to an FBI file that is not secret and which has already been repoted on by the media.
The Washinton Times is well-known for its conservative slant, so I was interested in how the presumably neutral AP would report the story. I was surprised to see that Mr. Holland also reported the conservative objection to Mr Reid's comments without clarifying that Mr. Reid had revealed nothing secret nor broken any Senate rules. Mr Holland quotes Jeffrey Mazzella, president of Center For Individual Freedom, a conservative lobbying group:"With his unsubstantiated charges, Senator Reid unfairly and irresponsibly defames Judge Saad."
Mr Holland fails to note that Mr. Mazzella, who is on the record calling for Republicans to exercise the so-called "nuclear option" of doing away with the filibuster, serves as an "expert" for the right-wing Committee for a Fair Judiciary, along with Mr. Reid's other critic, Manuel Miranda.
Sincerely,
Biblio