To Michael Gallucci, Managing Editor of CLEVELAND SCENE: I came across the following article on <http://freetimes.com>freetimes.com today:
<http://www.freetimes.com/stories/15/90/point-of-impact>Point Of Impact: If There Was A Plot To Steal The 2004 Election, Michael Connell Knew About It. Is That Why He's Dead? By James Renner What concerned me most of all was the following paragraph: "After her husband was named as a witness in Arnebeck's lawsuit, Heather Connell was hounded by self-styled online journalists. Some sent threatening postcards. One, a reporter for the website Raw Story, handed Mike's daughter a slip of paper asking Heather to meet her in a nearby park. The cloak-and-dagger approach frightened Heather so much that Connell called his lawyers and had them prepare a restraining order." The "self-styled" reporter referenced here is Ms. Larisa Alexandrovna, right? She is after all the journalist from Raw Story reporting this case, and she was the reporter to come forward after Mr. Connell's crash. I apologize if I am wrong in my assumption, but to anyone following this story, it is rather obvious who Mr. Renner is talking about. I don't understand why he does not name the reporter in question. If I am right, then I am outraged, because I have been reading Raw Story for years and have been following Ms. Alexandrovna's work in general, including her work with John Cusack, of whom I am also a fan. So if you are speaking of Ms. Alexandrovna, would you please do me the honor of explaining how a reputable investigative journalist becomes a "self-styled online journalist"? I don't know what did or did not transpire at Mrs. Connell's home, or if Ms. Alexandrovna did in fact stalk that family. I have no way of knowing. But I am astonished that these accusations are presented by suggestion. It is underhanded. And why is Ms. Alexandrovna not responding to the allegations? Did you try to contact her? Did she decline to comment? I am entirely confused by this article. Is the implication that Ms. Alexandrovna sent the threatening postcard to Mrs. Connell supported by any documentation? Do you have this postcard? If you do have it, how do you know who it was who sent it? As a long-time reader of the Cleveland Free Press and now your publication, I am shocked at the lack of answers and the amount of unsubstantiated claims delivered in such an underhanded way. What about these other people who have allegedly stalked the Connell family? We are not told who these people are, what they did, nothing. It's bizarre and rather troubling to see a journalist attack a fellow colleague in this manner. You simply don't see this often. I am just wondering why Mr. Renner uses such peculiar verbiage in referring to Ms. Alexandrovna, who has been nominated for several awards. True, she is not Big Media. She is an independent investigative reporter, as Mr. Renner claims to be. She is well-respected within the journalistic community and throughout the general public. She is the Managing Editor for investigative news of Raw Story, and a contributor to Alternet, The Huffington Post, and other publications. Her work has been referenced in major news outlets online, in print, on talk radio and in reference collections, scholarly works and historical books. Furthermore, she and her research were even quoted during Rep. Kucinich's impeachment efforts against Bush-Cheney. All of this as well as other credits, and yet Renner dismisses her as a "self-styled online journalist"? I am sorry if I seem overly upset. But Ms. Alexandrovna is one of the few people who have kept me sane during the Bush years. Her courage in demanding the end of torture, and the release of political prisoners, was inspiring to me. She inspires loads of us, which is why she has a following. I would not be surprised if others write to you about this issue. I cannot imagine how she must feel right now being so attacked and in such an ugly way. Again, I don't know if Ms. Alexandrovna stalked Mrs. Connell per your article - although I find it difficult to believe - but the way you people have presented this reads like character assassination. Again, if I am wrong, and you know that this is not Ms. Alexandrovna who is being described, then you should still clarify who it is that you are talking about, or you should provide their response. Because anyone following this story will think it is she, given that she has openly discussed that she had met Mrs. Connell in a park. Also, I am confused why in the article in does not say that Mrs. Connell and Ms. Alexandrovna met. Did Mrs. Connell deny this? If so, why did you not publish the denial? I am entirely confused as to the purpose of this article, the agenda of its writer, and the decency of your publication. I do not plan on reading Cleveland Scene again. And, if I recall correctly, at Ms. Alexandrovna's personal blog she has a section for links to publications she respects. I remember seeing your publication there, which I promise you did more good for you than you can imagine. I hope she removes that link. As a fan of hers who has left comments on her blog, I will suggest this course of action. Regards, James O'Connell --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to Mark Crispin Miller's "News From Underground" newsgroup. To unsubscribe, send a blank email to newsfromunderground-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com OR go to http://groups.google.com/group/newsfromunderground and click on the "Unsubscribe or change membership" link in the yellow bar at the top of the page, then click the "Unsubscribe" button on the next page. For more News From Underground, visit http://markcrispinmiller.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
