Independent journalist Marisa Kabas on Monday posted a question on Bluesky:
“i am inviting anyone from a legacy media organization to explain to me why the house judiciary dems report on trump’s epstein’s ties and multiple allegations of rape isn’t worthy of extensively reporting on. i’m serious. i want to understand.”
She later posted she had gotten no responses.
She wrote on Tuesday to Patrick Healy, assistant managing editor for standards and trust at the New York Times, to ask the same question; no response.
The coverage of a report by House Judiciary Committee Democrats was, well, all over the map.
Late Monday night, the story led the home page of the Miami Herald, written by Julie K. Brown and Claire Healy. Brown received a special citation from the Pulitzer Board this year for her investigation into Jeffrey Epstein in 2017 and 2018.
The story also was featured prominently in Time magazine and People magazine. Other outlets that did cover it to one degree or another were doing so quietly as of late Monday.
The explanation within easy reach is that a lot of editors are wary of a story like this a week before the election. The Democrats presumably timed release of the report intentionally, and newsrooms don’t like looking like they’re being led around.
Hillary Clinton, an expert in October surprises, would like a word.
The New York Times reported the story, grudgingly, it seemed to me: We can’t avoid this completely, so here. It’s a short piece placing the report in the context of political strategy. Rape — there is a new allegation — is not mentioned.
The head: Democrats Call for Special Counsel to Scrutinize Trump Ties to Epstein
The subhead: The request comes as Democrats are working to paint Republicans as corrupt and highlight their plans to investigate Trump should they win the midterm elections.
The story, by Michael Gold, almost screamed not to be noticed:
A new report written by Democratic staff aides on the Judiciary Committee accuses Mr. Trump of being “an active participant in Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of young women,” though it largely cites allegations that have already been public.
Whatever else is in the story, this paragraph tells us something the Times decided before the first word was written: We’re not making this a thing — “it largely cites allegations that have already been public.” Largely is doing a lot of work in that sentence.
Editors make decisions on narratives every day: what stories are one-and-done, which ones have legs. Those choices are the craft; they are your editorial statement. A congressional report with a new development in a story that Trump and friends have managed to stonewall? That’s an easy yes unless your frame is already set on something else: We’re not making this a thing.
In contrast, the Cheesecake Factory food fight is a thing in many internet places.
And Politico has an exclusive: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been using a Police Department gym for evening pick-up basketball games. Grumbles have been heard.
Voting rights, commentary on briefing.center
“The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.” — late Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., civil rights activist
Here are regularly updated voting rights resources for the midterm elections, on John Dineen’s briefing.center website. And here is John’s daily commentary on his briefing.center home page.
Also in the news
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Trump administration moves to weaken methane emission rules for oil and gas
NYTimes’ ‘Extremely detailed ranking of the most gerrymandered states in America’
State and local election officials are teaching poll workers what to do if immigration enforcement officers show up
Wired: ‘Massive groups of volunteers are ready to face down ICE at the polls’
NYTimes: Early voting data offers limited insights, but there are some takeaways worth monitoring
Silicon Valley billionaires deploy $333 million political ad machine against proposed California wealth tax
ProPublica: Conservative election lawyer Cleta Mitchell is a key Trump ally in effort to assert federal control over voting
Grand jury declines to indict former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson, star witness of Jan. 6 committee
Heather Cox Richardson on concerns about Meta outages affecting opponents of Trump and his authoritarian allies, more
To make AI morally good, tech companies are turning to religion, but some say it’s not that simple
KFF: Hospital units dedicated to treating the nation’s critically ill children are disappearing nationwide
Drug-resistant germs a ‘growing threat’ to Americans, CDC report says
You can call the Capitol switchboard, (202) 224-3121, and be connected to the offices of your representative and senators. To email your House member and your two senators, you can connect to their websites at Congress.gov. Most lawmakers seem to only accept emails from their constituents, but these leaders accept emails from Americans nationwide, at:
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer
Senate Majority Leader John Thune