You can usually tell a newspaper and their agenda when you contrast and compare stories by two reporters for two different newspapers, who are sitting in the same room.
The two newspapers in this case? The San Bernardino Sun/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and the Riverside Press Enterprise.
The subject? The corruption trial of former Assessor employee and Rancho Cucamonga Councilman Rex Gutierrez.
The reporters? Joe Nelson for The Sun and Richard K. De Atley for the Press Enterprise.
The story titles? In The Sun newspaper it was “Testimony links official, builder” and in the Press Enterprise it is “Councilman hired as favor to developer, witness says”.
De Atley attempted to at least present a somewhat balanced story. Nelson must have been somewhere else othe than the courtroom.
Adam Aleman, key witness in all the county corruption cases filed by District Attorney Michael Ramos, is a convicted Felon under California law and is cooperating as a part of a plea arrangement in exchange for immunity from further charges and a lesser sentence. De Atley reconciles this point in his story. With Nelson, you can forget it.
De Atley also pointed out Aleman testified that his own hiring as Assistant Assessor was a “joke”. Nelson, must have been on a break at the time.
The only point covered in both stories seems to be discussion over a memo drafted by former Communications Officer Ted Lehrer and given to former Assessor Bill Postmus listing talking points related to Gutierrez’s performance.
One point missed by both reporters? When asked by Attorney Jim Reiss if he (Aleman) had ever referred to Developer Jeff Burum as ‘The Big Fish” in any conversations about the District Attorney wanting to get the “Big Fish”, Aleman denied ever using the term.
A few hours later Lehrer testified that Aleman routinely used the term to describe Burum.
Observers in the courtroom also say Aleman testified that he had met with investigators more than one hundred times. An amazing number of meetings for any prosecution case.
It would be interesting to see all those interviews and statements.
Aleman’s vagueness in his responses to defense questioning is also puzzling especially when contrasted with his knowledge of exact dates and times when questioned by the prosecution.
Another red flag.
Nelson seems more intent on driving home the “alleged” ties between Burum, Postmus, and Gutierrez “allegedly” used to secure and maintain Gutierrez’s employment, even if it is coming from a credibility-challenged witness.
A witness who routinely communicates with Nelson.
Sources tell InlandPolitics.com that Nelson and his editor have been repeatedly challenged over significant reporting inaccuarcies and ommissions in order to taint various subjects related to the county corruption probe.
It seems like nothings changed.
If the evidence of Nelson’s lack of reporting the facts were the same type of evidence used in the Guiterez trial, Rex would be enroute to prison.
But we know that is not the case. Nelson hasn’t figure out yet that even if getting Rex a job through connections were true, IS IS NOT a crime.
Guess Joe thinks this is the only case of friends getting a job through connections.
HEY JOE, wake up your former peers, Watson and Page got a job through connections. OR is that different in this case?
Here’s another news flash Joe, if anyone in this County knows about corruption and who is and is not connected to it, it is Page and Watson since both wrote more than their share of stories about it.
Now look behind you Joe and see who has their arm up your backside, Pine or Ramos?
Here is another clue Joe. YOU should asked Mr.Goritz just how many other exempt employees have been criminally prosecuted for time card fraud in similiar circumstances?
Second clue Joe, is how is Aleman and the rest of these witnesses against Rex going to explain to the Jury about these alleged criminal acts being allowed to go on all that time?
Are they going to say we were told to shut up or get fired, or did they simply fear retaliation for speaking out?
Neither one gives you a pass when you know there is a thief working under you.
So far Joe, all they have on Rex is he was a bad employee. But working on the clock for other than County business is no worse than having sex on the County clock.
Know where to look for that Joe, or do you need us to draw you a map in crayon?
ACU, how do you really feel? Mikey has the feeble Pineman in a full Nelson…and all the reporters from the sister papers to incl. the Redlands Daily Fiction, the SBCo. Moon and the IE Daily BS know better than to print anything “politically incorrect” towards Uncle Reamus (right Jesse?)
What’s the matter, does Nelson have all you guys running scared? I don’t see the PE reporting on all the “anti-Mikey” business since certain people, and I won’t mention any names (JIM ERWIN, BILL POSTMUS, JEFF BURUM, REX GUTIERREZ) became suspected in a criminal conspiracy. But you guys, I’ve noticed, always target The Sun for some strange reason. Why is that? Oh, that’s right, it’s because the Sun focuses on the Jeff Burum and conspiracy angle more in his stories, while the Press Enterprise buries it and shys away from it, just like you prefer. I hate to tell you guys this, but for your information, the JEFF BURUM/JIM ERWIN/BILL POSTMUS conspiracy angle IS THE STORY here. So of course Mr. Erwin is going to attack Nelson on behest of his boss, Burum, any chance he can get. Funny! It’s like watching O.J. Simpson trying to defend himself.
As a reader of both the Sun and Press Enterprise, I have to say I am more impressed with Nelson’s stories. They seem to just tell me what I really care about. Of course it’s not what you care about Mr. Erwin. You’re a defendant who’s fate likely hinges on the outcome and developments in this trial. Are you testifying? I can’t wait to see what you have to say whern you do. Or will you take the 5th, like Mr. Burum, who has absolutely nothing to hide.
Funny how so many people are lying about this whole conspiracy thing, and only the defendants are telling the truth. Funny!
Yeeah, you guys just keep telling yourselves that.
Oh, and I heard a little story about all you supporters of Erwin and Postmus: I hear you’re all mentally unstable and on medications.
According to anonymous the defendants are all lying. Fine, we should skip the trials and take the defendants straight to sentencing. With that mentality we can see who is really on medication and mentally unstable. Sounds like anonymous just has a personal beef Erwin and Postmus, nothing else.