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Where’s the Truth? Ehrlich caught in web of misinformation.

Monday, November 29, 2004

<><>Justifying Gag Order, Ehrlich accuses Nitkin and Oleskar of “made-up quotes”
Last Monday, Nov. 22^nd, on WBAL’s Chip Franklin show, Governor Ehrlich accused Baltimore Sun reporter David Nitkin (the author of a series of articles detailing Ehrlich’s secret land deal) and columnist Michael Olesker of journalist fraud. “When a series of stories is written with incredibly inaccurate innuendo, with false quotes, made-up quotes, dots that do not connect, gotcha stories, sometimes you just have to draw a line,” Ehrlich said. “Made-up! Made-up! Made-up!,” Ehrlich yelled. “And with Olesker it’s a long history...” Listen to Ehrlich’s remarks from WBAL Radio: http://wbal.com/stories/articlefiles/25243-ehrlichchip.mp3

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<>Ehrlich changes tune Part I: ‘Only Olesker made-up quotes’

Later that afternoon when asked about the Governors remarks on WBAL radio “The governor's office said it accuses only Sun Columnist Michael Olesker of making up quotes. Shareese DeLeaver, a spokeswoman for Ehrlich, referred to a May 14 column by Olesker that included quotes from Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele on multiculturalism. Steele does not recall speaking to Olesker, DeLeaver said,” The Sun reported.

<>Changes tune Part II: Both Oleskar and Nitkin don’t ‘report quotes accurately’

<>The next day on Nov. 23rd Governor Ehrlich reiterated his original claim that both Nitkin and Oleskar were engaged in fraudulent journalism. “We literally do not trust them to report the news accurately, nor to report quotes accurately which is what they should do for a living,” Ehrlich said of both Sun journalists while speaking to WUSA-TV reporter Bruce Leshan. Ehrlich went on to say that Olesker fabricated an entire conversation with the lieutenant governor. In a separate TV interview regarding the land deals Ehrlich told WBAL-TV reporter David Collins that if a reporter ever questions his integrity, “that is very dangerous territory.”

Ehrlich Administration changes tune Part III: ‘Olesker didn’t make up quotes’

The following day, on Wednesday Nov. 24^th, the Ehrlich administration acknowledged “that Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele had a conversation with Sun columnist Michael Olesker at Pimlico Race Course in May -- a reversal after the administration had been saying for several days that no such conversation occurred,” the Sun reported. An Ehrlich spokeswoman, said “Steele would not comment… A message left Wednesday for Steele's press secretary, requesting an interview with the lieutenant governor, was not returned.”

Ehrlich changes tune Part IV: ‘Making things up, making quotes up’

Later, on Friday Nov. 26^th , even after the stunning reversal on Wednesday, Nov. 24^th, Ehrlich repeating earlier claims about “two writers who have no credibility." He again accused the writers of making things up, “At what point does a monopoly newspaper abuse its privilege, its First Amendment privilege, in making things up, making quotes up, making context up?" Ehrlich said on WBAL radio. He added that the gag order is “meant to have a chilling effect on them. They have no credibility," the Sun reported.

Liberal Media Bias? The Sun gave Ehrlich endorsements for each of his 4 congressional campaigns: 1994, 1996, 1998 & 2000. Ehrlich only has himself to blame for this tangled web of misinformation. He can’t blame it on liberal media bias. The Governor wanted to conduct a secret land deal (possibly the first of many) and he got caught; simple as that.