I know what they say about imitation being the sincerest form of battery.
I meant “flattery.”
I felt mildly battered — I mean “flattered” — Sunday, Feb. 17, when my wife told me the Detroit Free Press had run its verson of my joelontheroad.com story of Feb. 9 asking why it was, in the Kwamegate affair, that only the woman, Christine Beatty, wound up losing her job. Meanwhile, her paramour Kwame continues in his job, principally defined now as running up legal bills for taxpayers in the city of Detroit.
You can see my story here in joelontheroad.com under People and Kwamegate. It’s called “What’s good for the goose…”
I thought it was kind of clever.
So did the Free Press, I guess. It only took the Freep eight days to manufacture its own version of the same idea.
But those skyrocketing Kwame-generated legal bills were the subject of yet another joelontheroad.com column on Feb. 9 that also was belatedly mirrored in the Freep. In that column (“Free Press coverup?”), I pointed out that once the courts have ruled in favor of disclosing the text messages, a battalion of media lawyers headed by the Free Press’ stalwart Herschel Fink will bill the city for the news organizations’ legal expenses. The Michigan Freedom of Information and Open Meetings Acts provide that victorious plaintiffs can be reimbursed for their court costs. Once again, I wrote, taxpayers will foot Kwame’s legal bills.
Doggone if I didn’t read my story line today (Tuesday, Feb. 19) in Brian Dickerson’s Free Press column. By gum, Brian, you’re 10 days late! “Meter still running as mayor stalls,” said the headline over Brian’s column.
You can find my Feb. 9 column (“Free Press coverup?”) under People and Kwamegate.
Now I admit it’s just slightly possible that these writers missed my essays in joelontheroad.com. My blog doesn’t have the clout of Matt Drudge. Yet. But my webmaster tells me I’m getting lots of hits from computers belonging to something called “Detroit Media Partnership” DMP is owner of the Free Press and Detroit News. And I spoke to one of the Free Press Kwamegate writers about that legal fees column. So,…
I don’t mind Free Press — or any other writers — recycling my stories. But hey, folks, this obscure little blog could use a tip of the hat to joelontheroad.com.
Give me a call, Brian — I have more ideas!
‘Course, I’ll post ’em on my blog first!
