The truth, and nothing but the truth
The president of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in the Berkshires awarded me an honorary doctor’s degree in journalism at last weekend’s commencement.
As an alum, it’s more than I deserve. I declined at first, but President James Birge insisted. I accepted on behalf of everyone who believes in the truth.
“Truth is my job,” I said in my acceptance speech. “Even if it takes all day, I never stop digging for the truth.”
Truth keeps my old car on the road and sells this newspaper. I promised President Birge and his amazing staff I’d write about the recognition and today is proof the Herald keeps a promise. I’d rather stay out of the news, but sometimes it can’t be avoided.
Ain’t that the truth. What was just delivered to President Biden is Exhibit A.
Former U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Rachael Rollins called the Herald liars and blocked me from her Twitter feed after she attended a DNC fundraiser featuring First Lady Jill Biden at a private residence in Andover in July. The Herald reporter standing in the street that day asked her if attending the event could be a possible violation of the Hatch Act.
“No,” Rollins said. She then walked inside. That action, as the Department of Justice Inspector General’s Office is reporting “raised significant questions regarding her conduct as U.S. Attorney and compliance with DOJ policies
and the Hatch Act.” The act basically spells out that ethics and nonpartisan appearances matter.
Rollins then blocked me from her Twitter feed — allowing trolls to smear this paper’s good name unchallenged. (I’m still blocked as I write this.) We did seek her comment and we did photograph her walking inside that private Democratic party event. I will keep defending the journalists who did their jobs that day — even if you block us from Twitter.
The DOJ IG states, in Footnote 78 on Page 109-110 of the Rollins report, that they had “concerns” about her social media posts and banning a journalist from following her.
“Rollins’s decision to block a Herald reporter from accessing her social media account that she used at least on occasion for MA USAO and DOJ-related business — including following the reporter’s coverage of her activities at the Andover fundraiser, activities that raised significant questions regarding her conduct as U.S. Attorney and compliance with DOJ policies and the Hatch Act — could have resulted in a First Amendment challenge to her action,” the IG states.
The First Amendment is all that stands between us and totalitarianism. Politicians, prosecutors, federal and state employees all must abide by the Constitution. We all do. And there’s a reason freedom of speech and freedom of the press comes first.
“The First Amendment provides that Congress make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise. It protects freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” That’s straight from the White House website. Rollins should read it.
Rollins has now resigned ahead of any discipline. Her lawyer says she’ll share some kind of elaboration soon. I doubt I will be invited, if she even does hold a press conference.
But here’s the truth: The memo sent to President Biden about this twisted affair states “the Herald ultimately did not run a story before the (September) primary election” based on information leaked to us by Rollins. Acting DA Kevin Hayden bested City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo 54% to 46% in that primary, securing his election.
He did not face any GOP challenger a month later in the general November election, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. That’s the truth. Rollins was leaking like a sieve to help Arroyo. That’s why we waited.
We protect our sources, but the DOJ is reprimanding Rollins and exposing her questionable tactics. They outed her based on a storm of texts to the Boston Globe and then a few to the Herald. It’s a fact we held off until after the primary.
Running her leaks ahead of the vote was just not something I wanted to do. Go ask the Globe if you are curious about how they handled it all.
This isn’t the column I intended to write today about the honor of being recognized by a college where I found a calling. I went hoping to be an economics major, but I was always a journalist at heart. That’s why I earned a master’s degree from BU and I keep on learning.
This “Readers’ Corner” series is more about you and how we can do better or chase a story you want to read about. I just vow it will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help me God.