AP's Chet Brokaw Has Double Standard on Politicians Accused of Sex Crimes

October 31st, 2007 4:47 AM

Democrats never get "outed" as Democrats by the MSM if they are accused of crimes and corruption, but if they are Republicans... well, that party affiliation is rarely held back by that same media. Some may have scoffed at this claim that GOPers are always outed while Dems are always shielded, but here is so perfect an example of it that it almost seems that we wrote it ourselves as a Halloween joke. Today we have a case where the party affiliation of a Republican nearly leads the report of a legislator accused of a sex crime. Even more amusingly -- or sadly as the case may be -- our example here is written by the same AP reporter who failed to report the Democrat label in past stories. Nope, no bias here!

On October 4th, we had a Newsbusters piece displaying the "reporting" of one Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer, who gave us a little tale about a state Senator from South Dakota who is accused of sexually molesting a legislative Page. One tiny aspect of the facts of that particular story seemed to slip by old Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer and that would be that the accused legislator is a Democrat. So, go ahead... ask. What would old Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer, do if he should be assigned a story where the eeeeevil sex offender was a Republican lawmaker? Come on, I know you are dying to ask. Well, since you asked, here are the first two paragraphs of a recent piece by my man Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer:

PIERRE - A former state lawmaker will stand trial starting Tuesday on rape charges based on accusations that he molested two of his foster daughters under the pretense of helping them make thousands of dollars by selling their reproductive eggs. The charges against former Rep. Ted A. Klaudt, R-Walker, mark the second time in a year that the South Dakota Legislature has been rocked by allegations of improper sexual conduct by a lawmaker. One of Klaudt's alleged offenses occurred when a foster daughter was a page during a legislative session.

What is that you see there, in the second paragraph 9 words in? Gosh, why it's a party affiliation. And what is the party again? (he asks expectantly)

"The charges against former Rep. Ted A. Klaudt, R-Walker..."

Could the accused lawmaker be a Republican from Walker, South Dakota? I think so... in fact, I KNOW so because our little pal Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer, made darn sure we'd learn that salient fact. Say, did we ever mention that the Associated Press has a policy that party affiliation is only mentioned when it's pertinent to a story? Musta been waaaay pertinent this time but not in the other story, eh? Elsewise our buddy Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer, would never have bothered mentioning it this time, but not last time. Right? (Hat tip Newsbuster clifcrds)