$25,000 BUYS YOU ACCESS AT THE POST
$25,000 BUYS YOU ACCESS AT THE POST
The Post's 'monumental' ethical lapse
The Washington Examiner reports "The Washington Post's plan for lobbyist-sponsored, off-the-record meetings with high-level government officials was "an ethical lapse of monumental proportions," Post ombudsman Andrew Alexander wrote in a Post op-ed Sunday.
The newspaper's publisher, Katharine Weymouth, Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli and other top editors "were all aboard a fast-moving vehicle that, over a period of months, roared through ethics stop signs and plowed into a brick wall," Alexander wrote. A Washington Post Co. spokeswoman did not return calls for comment.
The ethical stumble came to light earlier this month when a Politico reporter obtained a flier advertising so-called "salons." The flier had been distributed to various lobbying firms and described the nonconfrontational gatherings as a chance to "hear and be heard as an equal with key policymakers and other stakeholders." The events were to be held in Weymouth's home and include Post editors and reporters. The flyer said sponsorships for the events were available for $25,000 each."
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/The-Post_s-_monumental_-ethical-lapse-7962231-50586977.html