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A few weeks ago there was a telling incident that, while of no great consequence in the scheme of things, provides a behind-the-scenes look at the Collins spin apparatus and says a lot about the Maine media. Worth unpacking briefly. #mepolitics 1/X
On June 28 @KJ_Online ran a sharp, carefully-crafted letter from Cornelius Donovan V focusing on Susan Collins muted reaction to Trump administration anti-LGBT acts and policies. It was especially salient b/c it spoke to the fraudulence of Collins moderate brand. #mepolitics 2/X 
@KJ_Online The letter got attn on social media (e.g. I tweeted it out) but then vanished from KJ's website. I asked editorial page editor @benbragdon why. He replied, "Part of the letter was inaccurate & shouldn’t have been printed. We’ll work w/ the writer to resolve it." #mepolitics 3/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon When I pressed him to elaborate, he wrote the below--which raised more questions for me than it answered. So I called and reached out to him to delve in further. Ultimately, Bragdon graciously agreed to answer some questions via e-mail. #mepolitics 4/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon During that back-and-forth, Bragdon explained: "I got an email from Sen. Collins' office asking about the paragraph about transgender troops. I thought they had a point, so I took the letter down while I looked into it...." #mepolitics 5/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon "...Once I did, I took out the paragraph and republished the letter [bit.ly/2Ysjh3f] - it [originally] said Sen. Collins did nothing while Trump tried to ban transgender troops. That's inaccurate; she's put in legislation." #mepolitics 6/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon The problem w/ this rationale, of course, is that the original letter never *does* say Collins "did nothing" as Bragdon suggested; it just raises a reasonable, easy-to-understand rhetorical question ("Where was Collins?") re: her response to Trump admin actions. #mepolitics 7/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon Moreover, that Collins says she backs a bill on one of these issues in no way refutes/falsifies the belief that her response was insufficient--clearly the point of the letter. In short there's nothing here that can reasonably be called an inaccuracy or falsehood. #mepolitics 8/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon I raised these points with Bragdon who replied: "The line between 'inaccuracy' and 'insinuation' is a judgment call. I thought the line we took out was an inaccuracy that at least required more of an explanation from the writer." #mepolitics 9/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon He also said: "We treat all letter writers the same" & that he's edited LTEs post-publication "maybe a handful of times" in 6 yrs. (He declined to provide the e-mail from Collins staff & didn't answer my Q on why she shouldn't've just penned own LTE in response.) #mepolitics 10/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon I agree that ferreting out inaccuracy is often a judgment call; I just think Bragdon (who strikes me as a straight shooter and not e.g someone in the tank for Collins) botched this call. He's just dead wrong here. #mepolitics 11/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon But the decision to sanitize the letter speaks to a couple important dynamics.
First, Maine media's almost reflexive deference to Collins. Bragdon seems to be acting in good faith. But you gotta wonder if he makes same choice w/ someone less powerful/connected. #mepolitics 12/X
First, Maine media's almost reflexive deference to Collins. Bragdon seems to be acting in good faith. But you gotta wonder if he makes same choice w/ someone less powerful/connected. #mepolitics 12/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon But more important is what it says about the posture of Collins and her staff toward the press:
She's used to having almost a veto over local coverage--and she's got a reputation for lashing out in person or thru her staff when that veto isn't respected. #mepolitics 13/X
She's used to having almost a veto over local coverage--and she's got a reputation for lashing out in person or thru her staff when that veto isn't respected. #mepolitics 13/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon We saw this when then-Free Press editor @aobrien2010 broke the media code of silence around Collins behind-the-scenes pressure, disclosing that a taxpayer-paid Collins staffer had marked up an editorial from the paper, suggesting Collins-friendly edits. #mepolitics 14/X
@KJ_Online @benbragdon @aobrien2010 It's the same impulse to erase opposing views at play in push to censor this LTE.
A dangerous, power-mad impulse. But part of an approach that's worked for Collins 20+ yrs!
2020 outcome could easily hinge on whether that posture keeps paying off going forward. #mepolitics 15/15
A dangerous, power-mad impulse. But part of an approach that's worked for Collins 20+ yrs!
2020 outcome could easily hinge on whether that posture keeps paying off going forward. #mepolitics 15/15
