An investigation by the Associated Press uncovered some 1,000 U.S. law enforcement officers who lost their badges for incidents of sexual misconduct, including rape, sexual assault, sodomy, child pornography and having intercourse while on duty. The accusations “reflect a betrayal of the badge,” says AP.
Aaron Schock, GOP boy wonder, might soon have some problems that are much larger than office decorations or, uh, that other stuff. According to a new AP report, the Illinois representative used over $75,000 in campaign donor funds since 2011 for private air travel, several concerts—including a Katy Perry show—and, because Congressmen work very hard, massages.
The Associated Press Twitter account is a must-follow for breaking-news junkies. It's also a great guide to the many ways you can fuck up breaking news. Like when it reported the status this morning of an aircraft carrying the bodies of MH17 victims back to Holland:
Yesterday, we told you about gun-control poster-boy George Zimmerman's latest foray into visual art: a Shepard Fairey-esque rendering of the woman who prosecuted Zimmerman for killing Trayvon Martin. He may have something else in common with Fairey: ripping off the Associated Press to make his masterpieces.
Before the Obama Regime began tapping journalists' phone lines and crushing Wikileaks' ability to accept credit card donations, right wingers traditionally occupied the role of harassing journalists and those who leaked scandals to the media. Who wants to "execute and torture" these bad people? Roger Ailes!
Barack Obama and a visiting foreigner just had a press conference, but nobody cares about the other country (Turkey?) because there are scandals afoot in Washington, so everything's about Eric Holder always doing terrible things. Eric Holder is Obama's friend. So he won't be fired unless all of this doesn't go away in the next couple of news cycles.
It's quaint how people still manage to get outraged about surveillance. You are being monitored, right now, just like everybody else with a phone or a computer or a bank account or a pressure cooker, because Total Information Awareness is real. ‘Welcome to America. All of that stuff is being captured as we speak whether we know it or like it or not." Who said that, maybe Alex Jones?
In the face of mounting pressure from activist campaigns like "Drop the I-Word," the Associated Press announced today that it would continue using the term "illegal immigrants" in its immigration coverage if and when the situation calls for it. Drop the I-Word and its proponents—like journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, himself an illegal immigrant—argue that media outlets using the word "illegal" to describe people is a "racially charged" tactic that "confuses the immigration debate and fuels violence." Critics would rather newspapers and wire services use terms like "undocumented immigrant" or "unauthorized immigrant," instead. Despite those protestations, however, the AP appears to be resolute in its decision.
You would think that the AP would be satisfied with its status as "last remaining source of non-local 'news' for 95% of American newspapers." But no! Now they want to be kings of the internet, and whatnot, as well.
In your hazy Thursday media column: Patch struggles with internet tendencies, Wall Street loves News Corp, Chris Matthews is banned from HBO, "new media residuals" sucks, and the AP warns reporters about the Twitter.
In your beautiful Wednesday media column: MSNBC's doing fine without Olbermann, network news is on the rise, a crazy NY Daily News rumor, the AP plays footsie with North Korea, David Cho to Grantland, and a Village Voice strike update.
In your overcast Monday media column: a new yuppified AP Stylebook, NewsBeast's ad troubles, HuffPo keeps on poaching, Carol Smith to Hearst, and Glamour's iPad revolution.
In your breezy Friday media column: Conde Nast forsakes its hasty iPad pursuits, Fred Dicker's still alive, journalists meet Tumblr, TV networks approach pseudoevent overload week, and the AP and its union strike a deal.
