Dirtbag Journalism Case Study No. 12,647

Collect them all:

On January 2, 2006, I awoke in Baghdad to a front-page New York Times story written by David Cloud and Jeff Gerth alleging that I had improperly hidden an affiliation with and funding from the Lincoln Group, a U.S. government contractor. At issue, was a December 1, 2005, New York Times story regarding the Lincoln Group's payment of remittances to Iraqi journalists. In that article, New York Times reporters Gerth and Scott Shane quoted me as saying, "I'm not surprised this goes on. Informational operations are a part of any military campaign, especially in an atmosphere where terrorists and insurgents — replete with oil-boom cash — do the same. We need an even playing field, but cannot fight with both hands tied behind our backs."

No Scandal, But Instructive
Cloud and Gerth's attempt at scandal fizzled. Many journalists and commentators smelled a non-story inflated with agenda. A few shrill blogs and a Baath-party website condemned me, but there was otherwise silence. Reporters from other newspapers already knew I was familiar with Lincoln Group work; indeed, I had briefed several reporters about it when asked. I am not an employee of the Lincoln Group, though. I have never received a salary from the Lincoln Group. Nor have I received an honorarium. In the January 2 story, Cloud cites a portion of a general explanation I made in response to a barrage of e-mails from him. He quoted me as saying, "Normally, when I travel, I receive reimbursement of expenses including a per diem and/or honorarium," and then adds "But Mr. Rubin would not comment further on how much in such payments he may have received from Lincoln." This last statement is false. He ignored offers to show paperwork contradicting his thesis. A Lincoln Group administrator also told him it was false. Cloud rushed the story to print.

The incident is instructive. It demonstrates the "gotcha" mentality with which reporters draw narratives first, omit facts which do not fit, and drive public opinion against personalities with whom they disagree. Several investigative reporters maintain a private Internet listserv in which they discuss targets with left-wing bloggers. Many U.S. newspapers reward headlines, not truth. Muck-racking journalists become tools of policy battles.