The following editorial appeared in the September 2000 issue of Toledo Business Journal. Permission to reproduce this editorial can be obtained by contacting the Editorial Department of Toledo Business Journal at (419) 865-0972.

 

 

Journalistic integrity abandoned by Blade

In a recent editorial in the Toledo Blade, the newspaper unleashed another attack on the board of directors of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and its president, James Hartung.

To understand the actual reason for this recent attack, it is necessary to review some key background information. Prior to the Port Authority levy renewal attempt in 1998, John Robinson Block, Blade co-publisher, also served on the board of directors of the Port Authority.

In 1998, Block brought a motion before the board that would have prohibited Grand Aire, a Michigan based (at the time) specialty air cargo company, from moving to Toledo. Block argued to the other members of the Port’s board of directors that in addition to air cargo, Grand Aire also had a small area of their business which is a fixed based operator selling fuel to private air craft. He further argued that there was too much competition already for fixed based operators at Toledo Express Airport and that Grand Aire should not relocate to Toledo. He did not disclose that he kept his own private plane at one of the fixed based operators and that he had an association with its owner.

The board of directors unanimously rejected Block’s motion and took the position that our system of free enterprise encouraged competition. Most importantly, the board felt that the opportunity to lure a specialty air cargo firm with over 100 new jobs to the area was a very important benefit to the region.

Following the board’s rejection of this motion, eye witness accounts indicate Block issued a personal threat to those board members present and then left the meeting. Block’s term on the board ended soon after this meeting and he refused reappointment.

Immediately following Block’s departure from the Port board, several reporters from the Blade were assigned to investigate the Port Authority and its activities. An exhaustive review of all expenditures made by the agency could only find two or three expenditures to even question.

However, as the 1998 levy renewal campaign approached, the Blade unleashed an almost endless attack against the Port board and management and attempted to persuade voters that the agency was spending money lavishly and wastefully. Voter confusion over this key issue and awareness that there was still another year left to put the issue back on the ballot resulted in the levy’s failure.

Supporters of the levy expressed shock by the Blade’s efforts to falsify information and deceive area voters. Accounts have surfaced that Blade reporters were directed to run stories that were not truthful and stories that were slanted, biased and misleading. The Blade repeatedly ran articles about a “large organization of citizens” against the levy led by Robert Feldstein. After the levy was defeated in 1998, voters began to learn that this “large group of citizens” was in fact a “one-man show” run by a retired publicity seeker in close coordination with the Blade. Community leaders raised serious concerns about the credibility and integrity of Feldstein and the Blade’s sham “citizens group”.

In 1999, the levy was again placed on the ballot and was passed by area voters. Following the levy’s passage in 1999, the Port’s board hired the consulting firm of Booz Allen Hamilton this year to audit management and organizational issues of the agency primarily to clear the air of the false charges leveled by the Blade. $300,000 of tax payer money is being spent on this very costly study.

Even before the results of the Booz Allen study are released, the Blade’s most recent attack questions the study’s validity because it is not examining the compensation of the Port’s president, James Hartung. The editorial insists that a third party should examine the Port’s senior leadership, calls for Hartung’s departure, and again attacks the members of the board of directors.

The Blade has ignored critical third party evaluations of James Hartung and the Port Authority that have recently taken place. In June, the International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA) elected James Hartung to be its chairman and president. Election of James Hartung by senior executives in the transportation field from around the world to the highest position of leadership and trust in this international association is an evaluation of Hartung that goes far beyond any assessment or test that the Blade could have structured.

An even more important evaluation of the Port Authority was conducted recently by Fitch, Ibca, Duff & Phelps, an international bond rating agency. The very high rating given to the Port Authority was based on the sound management and financial position of the agency. This third party evaluation of the Port’s management will result in lower interest costs worth millions of dollars over the coming years to area taxpayers. Why have these impressive third party evaluations of the Port and its leadership been ignored?

The Booz Allen study focusing on the Port’s management and organizational issues addresses the very heart of the charges leveled by the Blade. The recent attack by the Blade however revealed that the newspaper’s charges of lavish and wasteful spending was simply a “smoke screen.” This smoke screen has been used to disguise a personal “vendetta” aimed at Port management and also at members of the board of directors who voted against John Robinson Block’s motion to block Grand Aire’s move to Toledo.

The newspaper and media business is unique in its ability to reach and influence large numbers of citizens. It requires the highest level of integrity and trust. The personal “vendetta” which is continuing to be conducted represents a complete abandonment by the Blade of very basic journalistic integrity.

It is disappointing and sad to use the term “vendetta” to describe the actions of a major newspaper in our area. There are apparently many professionals at the Blade who are equally saddened by such activities.

There has been a highly significant amount of management time and agency funds expended by the Port as a result of the Blade attacks. The Blade is solely responsible for this waste of precious community resources. The damage continuing to be done to the limited economic development resources in our area is causing long-term harm to our community.

We can expect the Blade to attempt to portray the results of the soon to be released Booz Allen study in a most negative light. Look to John Robinson Block’s “puppet” on the board, Jerry Chabler, to put a negative spin on any possible issue.

Members of the Port Authority board of directors and area politicians who appoint these board members will apparently continue to receive unscrupulous pressure from the Blade in this area. This pressure will separate those board members and politicians who have the leadership abilities to confront the Blade’s actions from those who do not have the courage or integrity to do so.

One way to confront this situation is to expose the Blade’s “personal vendetta” against the Port. Ordinary citizens can play a key role in making the truth known by forwarding a copy of this editorial to associates, friends and others. A copy is available on the Toledo Business Journal web site (www.toledobiz.com) for use in church bulletins, association newsletters, company releases, union newspapers, mass mailings, local web sites, etc.

An important way to defeat the Blade’s personal “vendetta” is to ignore its absurd demands for the dismissal of the Port Authority’s president, James Hartung.

There are those counseling appeasement of the Blade’s demands. There are also those strong leaders in the community that know the way to defeat this personal “vendetta” is to stand up against such action and insure its failure.