In the news business, just like in life, there are things you know, things you think you know and things you wish you knew.
That's the way I have been for a year-and-a-half on the Jake Files story. There are things I knew, things I thought I knew and things I wished I had known all along
I, personally, have not reported a lot on the story since we started this site back in November. There hasn't been much to report other than the auction of his home and business, the refusal of the Republicn Party in the state to call for his resignation and various machinations within the legal system that has brought us to this point.
The bottom line? I spent a year hamstrung at my "previous" site on what I could and couldn't report report on, investigate and research in the case. Details of those restrictions are no longer relevant to me, but let's just say the misdoings of Senator Files were not the only thing that got "left out" at the previous site from time to time.
In the world of news it's not always what you know. Sometimes it's who you know. Or are related to. Or who "advertises" with you.
Some websites, newspapers and television stations may be able to roll with that.
Me? I have to sleep at night. Eventually, not getting paid to be dishonest got to me. Well, that and hunger.
I've heard the snickers. "Certain" people are not concerned. McCaslin and his "little blog". Big deal. Not one is reading. But they are reading. It's growing by a rate of about 400 folks a week. Do the math. People are catching on.
Personally, I consider myself a moderate conservative with leanings to the right. In this day and age, that makes me a "Republican" and the entire episode concerning Files and the unwillingness of the state Republican Party to call for his resignation long before now is appalling. He, and everyone associated with that charade of him being "innocent until proven guilty" as the reason for not broaching his resignation before now should be ashamed of themselves.
That is what I know. This is what I think I know.
There are a lot of folks out there tonight holding their breath in anticipation of where the yellow brick road of this federal investigation may take us. I could be completely wrong -- and in a way I hope I am -- but there has been no mention of why this "guilty plea" seemingly emerged like a phoenix from the ashes of Senator Files personal, business and policital life.
The handwriting has been on the wall for awhile. Could "cooperation with the investigation" be a factor? Like in, the investigation continues and there are other individuals. agencies and politicians that may take a tumble before this is all said and done?
My research, some of which hinges on an FOIA request I made last week, indicates as much. Maybe not connected directly to unfinished ballfields, fraudulent loan applications or bank and wire fraud specifically. But it looks like --to paraphrase recent comments in the news-- that there may be a "there" there.
Where there is the proverbial smoke......?
Few among us fail to recognize that the playing field is tilted against us. There are the "haves" and the "have-nots" and the former wants to do everything they can to the latter to maintain their grip on that delineation.
It manifests itself in one group of people doing what they want, when they want and how they want to people they consider beneath their consideration.
Sound familar? Be it website owners, newspaper publishers, television executives, local, state and national politicians (elected and appointed), an aversion to the truth is all to often linked to personal agendas and motivated by greed. As broke and maligned as my ass has been for the past year, the temptation to look the other way and go along to get along has never been a consideration.
Because, like it says up there on that masthead. The truth matters.
Other factors may have figured in " "Let's let that one go!" for example. "It's different when person 'A' gets a DWI and when person 'B' gets one!"
And that brings us to things I wish I had known all along.
You can't let financial survival, personal relationships, family ties and a desire to be "media friendly" and loved by everyone you have to report on guide your search for the truth and your willingness to tell it.
Intimidation and crooked small-time politicians do not phase me. I may have been remiss in that regard due to cirmustances beyond my control right up until October 31 of last year.
I'm not proud of it. It won't happen again.