MSM claims another victim

In their neverending attempt to get Karl Rove, an effort that has consumed tens of thousands of man hours and millions of dollars over the past 5 or 6 years, the MSM claims another victim. But it wasn't Karl. The Washington Post thought it had found a major malfeasance, like what does Karl Rove claim as his legal residence, and a reporter called an attorney in the Texas Secretary of State's office. The attorney, one Elizabeth Reyes, 30, of Austin, says the reporter never identified herself as such nor did she identify Karl Rove as the target of her no doubt hard hitting, Pulitzer bound story about, well, nothing.

The original shocking revelation was that Rove had erroneously received a $3400 homestead tax deduction over three years. The tax deduction was offered to Rove and he no doubt said, "Thank you very much." The Texas tax office realized their mistake and sent him an apologetic letter and asked that he reimburse them the $3400 which Rove agreed to do.

Since that pig didn't fly for the Post, the reporter, one Lori Montgomery, asked about Rove's legal residence, describing two cottages that he and his wife own in Texas. Rove lists one of the cottages as his legal residence and is registered to vote there. The Post reporter got the unfortunate Ms. Reyes to say that the cottage didn't sound like a legal residence if the person had been living out of state for 5 or 6 years (Rove works in Washington, remember) and that it was a felony to vote in a district other than the one where you live. Ms. Reyes went on to say that one's intention to return was also critical in establishing permanent residency. The Washington Post didn't mention that little tidbit in the article that it printed. Now the Post thought it had found a pig that could fly, printed the article and quoted Ms. Reyes prominently.

Ms. Reyes' boss read the Post article about the dastardly Rove and his illegal felonious voting habits and called the Post. After he talked to them, reminding them of the "intent to return" part which they had cleverly failed to mention, their flying pig came crashing to earth. The Post was forced to print a retraction and correction and admit, in so many words, that the miracle flying pig they thought they had could really only root with the rest.

The Post did claim a victim, however, as the sorrowful Ms. Reyes was fired for divulging information to the press without permission. We've got a she said / she said here because Ms. Reyes claims that the reporter never identified herself as such. Ms. Reyes says she believed she was answering a taxpayer's questions about legal Texas residency. The Post reporter claims she told Ms. Reyes twice that she worked for the Post. She doesn't say that she identified herself as a reporter, however.

Ah, those MSM reporters. What they won't do in their pursuit of skullduggery, especially when Karl Rove is involved, or George Bush, or any Republican, for that matter.