More El Paso Times Follies - locally owned and operated

Twice in the last week or so the El Paso Times has written/printed/communicated defamatory or misleading content.  In both situations you know that Susie and Vero were behind the effort. Which is why I'm claiming the El Paso Times is locally owned and operated - by Susie and Vero.  

The first thing they did was hijack a news piece about the EPISD board voting to close Burnet Elementary School in the Northeast.  We could get into an argument about the how and why of closing the school, but that's not what we are here to do.  The fact is the big headline reads that a school is being closed - nobody is going to think that's a happy/good thing. 

So what does Vero and Bird do?  Make sure the El Paso Times runs a picture of Dori running an EPSID meeting so that voters will blame her for the closing.  The only problem - Dori wasn't there and didn't vote on this item. She had nothing to do with it. That's an underhanded, shitty move. 

I beg you to think of yourself for a moment and what they'd do to you if they didn't like you. 

The El Paso Times did print a correction, but that's never good enough.   Damage was done... not that Vero needed any help because this thing is in the bag, out the door and being loaded into the minivan with the kids.  It's just mean for the sake of being mean. 

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Jim Tolbert and friends were told they did nothing wrong and there'd be no charges from the district attorney associated with their non-illegal (not a word) behavior.  Susie and Vero weren't having that one bit and had the El Paso Times convict Tolbert and friends in the court of public opinion without even hinting at the facts that make none of what they did illegal. 

The El Paso Times did admit no charges would be filed, but then let some random dude go into a bizarre, idiotic rant about how they were guilty of a crime based on his limited understanding of the facts (and believe me, the guy doesn't know all the ins and outs of the case).  The newspaper decided to judge Tolbert and friend guilty as charged based on the words of a guy a who has no position to be finding anyone guilty of anything. 

Remember, it's not like these guys went on trial and a jury found them innocent.  The DA didn't even have enough evidence of a crime to try and prosecute the case.  No charges, no grand juries, no investigations and no trial.  That's how a local lawyer who reads this blog put it to me after reading the EP Times defamation job.  You could read the humorous tone in his email as he detailed just how many ways Tolbert and friends weren't found to be breaking the rules or the law, but yet the El Paso Times has some asshole on blast with no business trying people for crimes he has no jurisdiction over and finding them guilty.  

There was a time when an editor at the El Paso Times might look at a story like that and ask some questions.  Like, "who the f*ck is this guy and why does anyone care what he thinks?  Do you want to get us sued?"  No way in the world an ethical newsroom ever takes that line with this story.  The whole world except for one dude finds these people did nothing wrong, but you're going to let this guy talk out of his ass to make a political point for Vero and Susie?

Again, can you imagine if you were a target of their anger.  They own a newspaper that can defame you into oblivion without recourse.  It's not like Tolbert or his friends will get an attorney and force the paper to make things right... so the trend will continue.  

And just for all of you nutty whiners who don't know - the large mitigating factor in this was that members of the public were present.  Had there been no members of the public it would have been different, but still likely not illegal. 

 

Comments

[Copycat]

notice similaries with the Clinton political ploys ?

[JerryK]

The EPT is a spin machine for the local Dems? Shocked! I'm shocked!

[Who Cares]

EPT used part of the front page and all of another page to rehash this story and printed maybe 1 paragraph stating the DA found no reason to bring charges. Amazing how poorly the Times is managed. They just can't seem to find anything to write about except stories about other cities, repeat stories from previous editions and whatever Veronica wants in the paper. Please, Gannett - if you read the blogs - please put this "rag" out of its misery and kill it- just publish the comics and the puzzles. Bet you would get more subscribers.

[Baytoe Moore]

Jesus Christ. What’s wrong with you? NOBODY reads the EP Times. Get a grip. You’re still young.

[Bring back the Herald Post]

You are assuming someone actually reads the El Paso Times

[al bundy]

Just because a DA doesn't file charge doesn't mean no one broke the law. All Esparza said was that he didn't find that they had an intention to break the law. He's pretending to be stupid enough to believe that for his own reasons, but you don't have to be stupid too. Of course, Tolbert and the others broke the law. It was incredibly fucking obvious.

[Mary]

Fortunately for El Paso the Texas Rangers discovered that neither Bob Moore nor any of El Paso's other cracker jack "investigative journalists" have the integrity, common sense, or competence to look at timestamps to validate a sequence of actions or verify who actually sent the text messages.

Here is a link with more detail
http://www.elpasoproud.com/news/local/el-paso-news/in-depth-da-declines-charges-in-ethics-investigations/924408504

In brief:

1. The DA declined to prosecute because of insufficient evidence of CRIMINAL INTENT

2. The investigation revealed they lacked the specific intent to circumvent the Open Meetings Act

The Rangers discovered that the alleged “smoking gun” text to Mr Tolbert was not sent by Mayor Leeser, but instead, his administrative assistant, Taylor Moreno.

Here is the text sent to Mr Tolbert by Taylor Moreno on Mayor Leeser's phone:

“I have been involved in this whole thing longer than most of the people you invited,” Tolbert texted Leeser. “Yet I cannot be at your meeting because of a quorum. At least give me the courtesy of a call afterwards.”

The response (from Taylor Moreno using Mayor Leeser's phone): “If you want to come and be a part of the meeting, I will step out. I just didn't want to have any questions regarding quorum.”

The Rangers also determined, based on a timestamp comparison with the video and text, Mr Tolbert left 20 minutes before Leeser and Niland arrived at City hall.

Mr Tolbert returned to City Hall after the "smoking gun" text exchange with Taylor Moreno.

The Rangers also discovered:

Niland organized both the Hotel Indigo meeting as well as the meeting at City Hall

Mayor Leeser was unaware of the earlier meeting at the Hotel which was supported by a text between Limon and Tolbert

Mayor Leeser and Niland did not attend the meeting at the Hotel Indigo because they both attended a Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting.

Niland asked for the meeting at City Hall to discuss the recall and to meet with constituents.

(Both meetings were with members of the public, 2 historians, 2 activitists, and 1 resident.)

Interviews by Rangers revealed that Svarzbein was told to leave moments after the Mayor's arrival because he was sitting in the Mayor’s seat with his feet on the Mayor’s conference table.

[Who Cares]

Al Bundy: Kind of like "just because Comey said Hilary wasn't "grossly negligent" in handling classified material therefore no charges filed" - doesn't mean she wasn't guilty. I get your line of thinking. Depends on who you support politically in order to determine guilt or innocence.

Mary: thank you for the timeline.

[Marc Salazar]

If they were aware of the quorum problem as Tolbert mentioned and as they spoke of "stepping out" so somebody else could step in then maybe it wasn't criminal intent but it was some kind of violation of the quorum by taking turns.

[carlos el mocoso]

I am Shocked, absolutely Shocked! David KKK, you didn't shout out that the EP Times is Anti-Semitic?
They are reporting news you don't like, so Everything must be a conspiracy against "poor Dori."

I was expecting to read your (long winded/wind bag) piece on the El Paso Times and then pull out your "Poor Dori, she's a victim" card. And then follow up with your "Poor Dori, she's a Jew, so the EP Times is Anti-Semitic."

[Who Cares]

So Carlos you think it’s okay for democrats running for Congress to openly trash someone for their religious affiliation? It’s wrong on every level. Escobar uses Abeytia and others to discredit her opponent because of her religion. That is shameful on her part. She should stop it now and call off the dogs. Just proves Veronica has no platform to run on.

[Me, Myself, and Eye on EP]

Do your homework! Veronica Escobar is married to Michael Pleters. A graduate of Cardozo"YESHIVA" Law School Their daughter is a student at Simmons College in Boston, MA. A wonderful school, where for years, young woman have received a quality education and married nice husbands of Dori's religious affiliation...JEWISH. Jaime Abeytia is captain of his own keyboard.

[Who Cares]

Nice try to say Abeytia is his own man. Funny you have accused DavidK of advocating for other candidates.

[Me, Myself, and Eye on EP]

1. I said that Abeytia is the captain of his own keyboard. I never called him a man. He is an idiot that uses politicians to make a name for himself.

2. The only thing I have ever accused David K of being is "mistaken". If David supports Dori, he should stop saying that "Escobar will win". Veronica's victory is not carved in stone. Dori has a very good chance of winning.