OK, I have taken off the gloves. I have been watching the Faye-fest over at The Jackson Free Press for several days. It started with their so called "Truthwatch", publishing stories such as "Is Robert Smith in Bed with Criminals?", "Does Faye Peterson Try Cases?", "Did Faye Peterson Create Court Facilitator System?" Some of the headlines currently on the website:
JFP Truthwatch: Factcheck of DA Candidate Claims (Audio below) more...
Posted on Aug 22, 07 10:40 pm [1] read story/comments (256 views) +
Posted on Aug 22, 07 10:40 pm [1] read story/comments (256 views) +
RECENT NOISE HEADLINES:
Aug 22, 07 12:17 pm
JUST IN: Faye Peterson's New TV Ads (64)
Aug 21, 07 5:45 pm
Cases DA Peterson Has Tried (43)
Aug 21, 07 11:57 am
BREAKING: Sheriff McMillin Endorses D.A. Faye Peterson (88)
Aug 20, 07 5:38 pm
Council Delays Budget Band-Aid (14)
Aug 20, 07 2:36 pm
BREAKING: Michele Purvis Endorses D.A. Faye Peterson (36)
Aug 22, 07 12:17 pm
JUST IN: Faye Peterson's New TV Ads (64)
Aug 21, 07 5:45 pm
Cases DA Peterson Has Tried (43)
Aug 21, 07 11:57 am
BREAKING: Sheriff McMillin Endorses D.A. Faye Peterson (88)
Aug 20, 07 5:38 pm
Council Delays Budget Band-Aid (14)
Aug 20, 07 2:36 pm
BREAKING: Michele Purvis Endorses D.A. Faye Peterson (36)
So-called Truthwatch headlines:
The bias in favor of Faye Peterson is quite evident. The writers at that publication have all taken basic psychology courses and know these headlines for what they are. In the forums Smith is repeatedly accused of being a puppet of Frank Melton. Ms. Peterson's new ads are prominently posted. A list of cases tried by Ms. Peterson as well as endorsements are highlighted. Mr. Smith is not completely ignored: the names of criminals defended by Mr. Smith are mentioned. In an attempt to inflame readers to vote for Ms. Peterson, incidents involving smear tactics by associates of Frank Melton who is a scumbag for not correcting them, or preventing them from slandering Ms. Peterson, are repeatedly published. (They are so blinded by their hatred for Melton, which I can understand, that they lose sight of the fact that few people knew about the slander when it occurred. They are NOT doing her any favors when they keep bringing it up in their forums and stories as it merely keeps it alive, thereby hurting Ms. Peterson even more). The fact that Mr. Smith has nothing whatsoever to do with this trash is immaterial. All that matters is the reader is enraged in such a manner that he will vote for Ms. Peterson simply because of a possible connection to Melton.
Meanwhile, Faye's treatment of a school shooter is ignored. See http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/08/dont-forget-tuesday-hinds-county-da-did.html, where that post discusses how Ms. Peterson did not prosecute the JSU Shooter for possession of a gun on a school campus, which did not need an indictment, and did not call the victim and prosecuting officer before the grand jury. The thug who shot the other student was a convicted felon in his early 30's who used a stolen sanitized gun and who just happened to be the nephew of Credell Calhoun. Read the earlier posts for the rest of the story as the reasons for my rage will become quite clear. The same JFP tossed softball questions to Ms. Peterson about this case on the radio. Ms. Peterson claimed it was self-defense, ignoring the fact that the law for possession of a gun on a school campus provides NO exception for self-defense and that Mr. Mack, who's mother is a Dean at Jackson State University, took the gun to school instead of seeking help from campus authorities.
The coverage and the comments on the JFP website concerning this race have crossed the line and I am perfectly within my rights to call out their methods in this forum. "In bed with criminals?" THAT is a headline? That is straight out of Smear Tactics 101. I can hear it now, "Oh, we were just covering what a candidate said about another..." Uh-huh. I am tired of the shameless attempts to slant the truth in favor of Ms. Peterson and inflame voters against Melton, and thus by extension, Robert Smith. I am outraged by the JSU shooter case and how it was handled. A letter I authored in The Northside Sun discussing the case drew no response from the D.A.'s office. One person said that those backing Mr. Smith, such as former District Attorney Ed Peters, were not without sin either, to which I agreed (I haven't forgotten how Peters made a deal with someone who murdered a Millsaps student and someone else separately that left the killer eligible for parole after serving only ten years) but then replied that this case was too important for me to ignore. I am also disappointed in the non-coverage of this race by The Clarion-Ledger. It has virtually ignored this race even while it reports on the skyrocketing crime rate. (In this instance Ms. Ladd is correct: the local newspaper needs to step up to the plate in this election.)
With all due respect to the readers who are disturbed by my choice of photos, I take school shootings very seriously. I haven't forgotten the kids at Pearl who ran for their lives as Luke Woodham used them for target practice, a Holocaust survivor at Virginia Tech sacrificing his life to a scumbag so his students could live, or other school shootings where students have been sheep in a slaughter house. For whatever reason, Ms. Peterson did not take the shooting at JSU seriously enough. If they can run around saying Robert Smith is in bed with criminals (he IS a defense attorney), then I can put up these photos in an effort to show how Ms. Peterson handled a school shooter and remind everyone how serious such a crime is.
7 comments:
You did good.
The more I think about the D.A. race, the less I know what to think. My endorsement and vote still goes to Faye Peterson, but if Robert Smith wins, I won't be shedding any tears. Truth be told, I have confidence in both candidates--a rarity, I guess.
Let me see, Purvis is in Meltons pocket yet endorses Faye, Higgenbotham or whatever his name is slams everyone.
I thought I was a little harsh til I put up all the JFP stuff promoting Faye and read the forums and could see how the tactics used.
Face it Fish, the only thing missing in this whole election is a formal announcement from the Peterson camp that Ladd and the JFP are active working members of her campaign team. There is no pretense. It is right out there in the open for anyone to see. If her readership is as smart as she touts then they see it also regardless of whom they support politically. The only thing missing is reported cash disbursements on Peterson's financial disclosures made out to Donna Ladd.
Great write-up 'Fish. I wish your column could be cut & pasted straight to the CL. On a more serious note, have you heard any rumors to the effect that Faye has promised Michelle a job after the election in return for her endorsement?
Wow. That is awesome!!!!!!
Actually, we owe a debt of gratitude to the Jackson Faye Press. They cooked up Sheriff's McMillin's non-endorsement of Faye, sparking a significant backlash against her amongst a number of voters, black and white.
That non-endorsement was eaily good for 2.5 points. Thanks, Donna!!
Oh look.
Former District Attorney Faye Peterson is now a Circuit Court Judge. If she didn’t reply as DA to the letter you wrote in some high school newsletter then she definitely won’t acknowledge the fact that you moved up to fries.
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