If anyone had any pretense of the Virginian-Pilot newspaper giving non-partisan coverage in the State Senate contest between Senator Frank Wagner and Democrat cable guy Gary McCollum, that pretense is gone now.
Jane Batten, widow of Frank Batten who owned the Pilot/Landmark, and mother of Frank, Jr who currently does, just gave Democrat candidate Gary “Cable” McCollum $50,000.
I guess the Pilot will mothball that editorial about “too much money in politics” for a few months.
Jane, of course, has never given a dime to Republicans according to VPAP.
In fact, the Virginian-Pilot has wound up endorsing 100% of the candidates that Jane Batten writes a check to.
I guess the print media and the cable company can hop into bed together when the issue is supporting liberals.
Isn’t it nice to know that our local neighborhood, non-partisan newspaper who proports to give fair, equal and non-biased news coverage of politics takes your subscription money and funds Democrat candidates?
It’s nice to know that the family whose newspaper laid off so many workers has so much money to give Democrat candidates.
The Pilot editorial board might as well print their endorsement right now. I can almost write it now.
“Although the cable guy has no experience in legislating and is probably being paid by Cox Communications while he is campaigning, we here at the Virginian-Pilot can’t be expected to write anything the Batten family can object to. Newspaper jobs are hard enough to find. Show us a checks signed “Jane Batten” for 50K and our work is done.
“For Senate, we endorse whoever endorses Jane Batten’s check.”
At the very least, every Virginian-Pilot story about the Wagner-McCollum race should have a disclaimer:
“The McCollum campaign is paid for and authorized by J. Batten, whose family owns this newspaper”
The Pilot believes in transparency, right?
