RECKLESS

What's Behind the Washington Post's,

County Politicians' Crusade

Against Montgomery's Finest?

Montgomery County's police, fire and rescue personnel protect the public from criminals and respond to auto accidents, fires, medical emergencies, natural disasters, and just about every other crisis you can imagine.

What is the thanks they get for their services and sacrifice from the Washington Post and our elected officials?

Slanderous headlines, and a reckless, poisonous effort to undermine the public's trust in their police department.



As regular readers of this blog know, this is hardly the first time the Post has attacked Montgomery's Finest. It's bad enough that the Post is known for its anti-police bias. Rarely are any heroics or positive profiles printed. But anytime there is a police "scandal," real or imagined in any jurisdiction, it is sure to get a bold headline at the top of the Metro section's front page.



Nothing quite compares to the amount of ink the Post has expended going after Montgomery County officers in the two phony "scandals" over the last year: disability benefits, and the county's Executive/County Council Approved tuition assistance program.

During the former, Councilmembers Phil Andrews and Duchy Trachtenburg claimed that there were "convicted felons" in the ranks of the county police department. Yet, they have so far been unable to name names of actual convicted felons on the force. In the process, they recklessly gave the public the impression that some county officers were convicted felons. Is there any more dangerous way to undermine the public's trust in its officers?

I've challenged them, and the Post, in the past - and again today - to produce a list of names to back up their claims.

They are unable to do so, and therefore have no credibility.

But they and the Post (and others) are not done yet. Seizing on an entirely legal tuition assistance program fully approved by County Executive Ike Leggett and the members of the Montgomery County Council, they are announcing that there is yet another "scandal." This one is as fake as the last.

Please read my blog from last week to get the full facts on that:

http://robertdyer.blogspot.com/2010/03/county-council-executive-make.html

But the Post & Co. never have time for the facts when it comes to smearing police officers with false charges and hyperbole.

Check out some of the words and phrases the Post used in yet another disgraceful editorial:

"Cheat!"

"Crooked cops"

"These courses...were in fact (sic) scams."

The inspector general's report "makes for lurid reading." (Really?)

"the officers' greed"

"fraud, waste and abuse"

"officers were able to evade the county's scrutiny"

"blatantly abusing"

"schemes"

"is it too much to expect that cops would know right from wrong?"

"schemes that allowed officers to score guns on the taxpayers' dime"

-The Washington Post Editorial Board

This Post editorial, like others, was simply beyond the pale. As you have read, the attempt to sully the reputations of police officers was a shameless one.

So what's going on here?

I've said it before, and I'm going to keep hammering the point home until citizens realize that some elected officials, the Washington Post, and special interests are behind a move to shift local government budget funds from public safety to developers and other political considerations.

What's happening cuts to the core of fiscal responsibility and the basic definition of American-style government.

Under this new scheme, money is to be moved from basic government functions (public safety, education, transportation, and even assistance for the disabled!) to massive development projects, "green" environmental scams, and "non-profit" contractors with ties to elected officials, among others.

Apparently, those behind this campaign are willing to stoop to new lows, and try to undermine the public's trust in its police department at a time when gang violence is at an all-time high, and the area is under constant threat of terror attacks.

It's outrageous.

Tell the Post and your elected officials you're not buying it. Support our police officers and firefighters. And get ready to express that support when you vote this November.