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The Editor's Log

Council, leaks and polygraphs

Wouldn't it be fun if City Council member T. Dianne Bellamy-Small called for all council members to take polygraph tests to determine who leaked the selection of the new city manager?

As you'll recall, a previous version of this council -- one in which most of the members remain -- agreed to take lie detector tests to find out which among them leaked the RMA report. Bellamy-Small declined -- all the others did and "passed" -- and, consequently, she was widely presumed to be the leaker, a charge she denied.

It was, in my opinion, one of the more embarrassing episodes of Greensboro's recent history. But given what she went through, who could blame her if, just to watch the other members squirm, she called for a polygraph. Or if a polygraph goes too far, perhaps an affadavit, as member Mike Barber championed.

It's only fair. And consistent.

Update: Other thoughts from Roch Smith.

Tuesday Update: Bellamy-Small has read this and posted this comment on her site:

The only thing I ever asked the newspaper to do, was to say I was not their source. If this is as close as they will come, so be it. FINALLY ! TDBS

Now let's move on with the 2009 campaign and the needs of Greensboro for the future.

Unfortunately, I guess that means that she isn't going to ask the rest of the council to take a polygraph. It sure would make the meeting interesting. (Someone does need to talk to her about linking and fair use, though.)

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Tags: Quirky, Open government, city council

Posted by John Robinson on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at 8:17 am

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gsostudent

August 29, 2009 - 1:45 pm EDT

If City Council had to take a lie detector about everything they did, it would take hours to listen to the violations of some CIty Council members (cough cough, Mike Barber). Too bad the N&R is in bed with him and didn't care to report allegations that he tried to bribe Officer AJ Blake....

John Robinson

August 29, 2009 - 2:50 pm EDT

Are you referring to this? http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/06/02/article/officers_brother_c...

lexalexander

August 29, 2009 - 4:46 pm EDT

Forensic analysis found that it definitely was Bellamy-Small's copy of the RMA report that was leaked --

http://www.news-record.com/content/2006/11/08/article/analyst_leaked_rep...

-- but I don't recall whether there was any conclusive evidence that she did or didn't do the leaking. Just out of curiosity, was there?

John Robinson

August 29, 2009 - 5:24 pm EDT

Not that we ever reported, Lex, and not to my knowledge.

gsostudent

August 29, 2009 - 10:39 pm EDT

No, I am referring to the lack of coverage of AJ Blake's allegations that Mike Barber tried to bribe him. Maybe you didn't even know it happened since Amanda Lehmert and Ryan Seals didn't mention it, but in Blake's press conference with Jorge Cornell, Blake himself confirmed that Mike Barber tried to bribe him. He couldn't comment on it during the press conference with his brother that you did cover because it was during his ongoing trial. After he was found innocent, he came forward with information about Barber AS WELL AS THE ASSERTION THAT THERE IS A POLICE TAPE WHERE AN OFFICER TALKS ABOUT THE NEED TO FRAME BLAKE TO GET HIM TO DROP OUT OF THE LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY and said that the Police Chief knows about the tape. Where was the News & Record then?? Ask your reporters about it if you don't understand what I'm talking about.

John Robinson

August 29, 2009 - 10:53 pm EDT

I'm aware of that allegation. But bribery is a serious charge. Until there's actual evidence presented, it will take more than a news conference by an officer in the process of being terminated. For all we know, it could have all the basis as you saying we're "in bed" with Barber. Sorry.

gsostudent

August 30, 2009 - 12:04 pm EDT

Are you kidding me?? First of all, you're wrong- he was terminated prior to his courtdate, then he was found NOT GUILTY on both charges, and THEN he held the press conference. So you've got your order wrong which is essential in presenting the news.
Second of all, I'm NOT asking you to print that Mike Barber bribed him. I am saying it's your JOB to print that he has been accused of bribery. And not by an anonymous commenter on your site, but by a police officer who is very much in the public eye. How can you not report the allegations? If someone well known alleged that, for example, Bellamy-Small made a mis-step, you'd report it (as shown above). Why is it that allegations of bribery (as you stated, a serious charge) go completely unmentioned by the N&R? Don't you have a responsibility to report that, especially since the press conference was newsworthy enough to get coverage? Why were key elements of his statement (the police tape and Barber allegedly trying to bribe him) not printed?

What you are doing is taking sides and protecting his image based on your discretion that this is somehow not worth reporting. That's why I made the comment that your organization is in bed with him. It means that you are taking sides and are not nearly as unbiased as you'd like to pretend.

John Robinson

August 30, 2009 - 2:58 pm EDT

I appreciate that, but it's irresponsible reporting. A fired police officer accuses a council member of a crime. The evidence he provide is what? So, why would we report it simply because someone make the accusation in a news conference. Provide some evidence and we'll look at it. Otherwise, Blake gets a free ride to disparage a council member. How fair is that?

You have drawn a conclusion about the News & Record based on how you think we operate. That's fine, but it doesn't make it right.

Spag

August 30, 2009 - 2:08 pm EDT

The N&R knows who the leaker was. I understand they have to protect their sources. That said, if Bellamy-Small was the leaker and the N&R knows she was the leaker, then they should have reported that as soon as she started denying it. In my book, that is an elected official deliberately lying to the public and that alone is newsworthy.

John Robinson

August 30, 2009 - 2:55 pm EDT

I agree, Spag. And we didn't report that Bellamy-Small was lying to the public. You can draw the conclusion from that, I think.

Spag

August 31, 2009 - 5:57 pm EDT

For my money, I think the leaker was none other than Mitch Johnson.

John Robinson

August 31, 2009 - 7:38 pm EDT

Mitch isn't the root of all evil, Spag. If that's your best guess, then I'll break my own rules and say that it's a good thing you didn't put any money on it.

The fact is, every guess that I've heard hasn't even been close.

Spag

August 31, 2009 - 9:44 pm EDT

A good political leaker always has a few degrees of separation to maintain plausible deniability. I never believed that Bellamy-Small or Johnson would have given you guys the report in person. Rather, they would have done so through someone else so they could deny it with a straight face. I could be wrong, but that's how I envisioned it playing out.

gsostudent

September 1, 2009 - 11:05 am EDT

How fair is it that Mike Barber, because of his postion, gets to disparage who ever he wants without being held accountable by anyone? The N&R could run a 'fact checker' style story and say, 'well, looks like Barber made bogus allegations against someone else". That would be interesting to read. YES Weekly did just that over some ridiculous allegations Barber made about the ALKQN. Now granted the N&R didn't cover it at all, but silence doesn't mean you haven't taken sides.

John Robinson

September 1, 2009 - 11:11 am EDT

We didn't cover Blake's accusations against Barber or Barber's accusations against the Latin Kings? Seems about equal in a strange way.

gsostudent

September 1, 2009 - 11:06 am EDT

Also, who is Roch Smith and why do you link to him?

John Robinson

September 1, 2009 - 11:09 am EDT

Roch Smith is another blogger in Greensboro. He doesn't like many of my decisions so he's probably a kindred spirit. :) The link takes you to his site.