There is a natural tension that exists between the press and politicians. Reporters are often trying to gather information in the public interest that politicians either do not want to share or suspect will reflect poorly on them.
Preferably there is a healthy respect, but sometimes relationships sour, and that is what has happened between MetroNews, our reporter Brad McElhinny and Gov. Jim Justice.
It began several weeks ago during a zoom press briefing when the governor objected to McElhinny’s question about one of the many financial issues facing Justice family businesses. Justice bristled and wondered aloud why he bothered to call on McElhinny.
At a briefing the following week, Justice launched into a criticism aimed at our reporter. “If it gets to the point in time when things are totally absurd, totally ridiculous, fake news and stuff and everything, it just goes on and on, won’t stop, won’t stop and everything, then we got to go in a different direction,” Justice said.
In the meantime, I had received a call from Larry Puccio, a lobbyist for The Greenbrier, on behalf of Justice, complaining that McElhinny’s reporting was excessively negative, and he asked for a response from me. Several days later, I sent Puccio my reply:
At MetroNews, we believe it is our duty to cover all news that is pertinent to West Virginians. One of the most important pieces of that coverage is state government and its governor. Additionally, this is an election year and fair coverage of candidates is a fundamental responsibility of all news media. Our coverage of you and your business affairs are an important part of that duty. We examine each story to ensure fairness and strive to give an opportunity with any story for each side to make their position known. We also look at the timeliness of each story in an effort to stay on top of new information.
In accordance, we strive to provide every reasonable opportunity for you to tell your side of any story that deals with you, your administration, and your business affairs. To that end, West Virginia Radio and MetroNews will continue to seek your comments and offer you airtime to address the issues that pertain to you, your office and your business issues and/or to correct stories that you believe are unfair.
Subsequently, Justice’s press office refused McElhinny’s request to participate in the weekly media briefings. In fact, the press office did not reply at all, nor did it respond when I emailed and asked for an explanation.
The issue came up again during Justice’s briefing last Thursday, which was the fourth where McElhinny was denied participation. Justice suggested that McElhinny’s exclusion might have been “an oversight on our communications people.” That is not plausible.
Justice then said he would welcome McElhinny back to the briefings, but he then went on to criticize McElhinny and our coverage. “I’m not concerned or afraid of Brad’s negativism,” he said.
He then accused McElhinny of reporting “nothing but fake news. Why in the world would you just continue to just do it and do it and do it and do it.”
Then for good measure Justice added, “We’ve got too many good things going on in this state of West Virginia to deal with just purposeful vile. I don’t understand what is driving the vile other than some two bit headline. I don’t have time for that.”
McElhinny and the rest of us at MetroNews have been around awhile and we have pretty thick skin. We understand that there are times Justice and other political leaders do not like what we report or opine about. We try hard to be accurate and fair, and as I said in my statement to the governor, we offer him an opportunity to respond to any story.
Reporting on the Justice family financial problems is hardly fake news. Much of it is based on public records in court filings, and other state media are reporting the stories as well. Asking Justice for his perspective on these financial conflicts that are already in the public record is actually the fair thing to do.
It is news when the governor of the state — who may be our next U.S. senator — has an ever expanding track record of non-payment or delinquent payments of bank loans, mine safety fines, state property taxes, sales taxes and health insurance premiums for employees of The Greenbrier.
By the way, the health insurance for about 400 union employees at The Greenbrier is still in jeopardy, though an extension has been granted. A law firm representing the Health Fund said The Greenbrier Corporation is “four months delinquent in its contributions” and that includes $612,000 in contributions deducted from employees’ pay but not remitted to the Fund.
When asked about that issue during last Thursday’s briefing Justice said, “There is no way that the great union employees at The Greenbrier are going to go without insurance. There is no possible way. And I’ll promise you to the good lord above that insurance payments have been made and were being made on a regular basis [emphasis added] just like we’ve done in the past in many ways.”
I checked that statement with Ronald Richman, an attorney with Schulte, Roth and Zabel representing the Health Fund. He said the Fund stands by its statement. “We have checked with the Health Fund. The Health Fund has confirmed that the delinquent contributions in my letter dated August 16th are correct at this time.”
I know I speak for Brad McElhinny when I say having this kind of public dispute with the governor is awkward and uncomfortable. But we believe strongly that we are doing our job and acting in the public interest.
If Jim Justice believes that makes us “vile,” “fake” and “ridiculous,” then there is not much hope the relationship will improve anytime soon. In the meantime, we will continue to report stories of importance to West Virginia, and that does not require Justice’s approval.
