Loudoun Independent puts some research into Greason story and finds Greason’s innocence supported
I wrote on Monday of a story in the Loudoun Independent regarding local candidate Tag Greason. The story is, simply put, a smear job. I went into all of that in that original post so feel free to read that one first if you want to get caught up. In answering some e-mail about it this evening I was notified that the Independent has actually updated the story. They have included 2 new paragraphs in the original story that involve speaking with Greason’s former commanding officer, retired Colonel Gene A. DeWulf. I’m told it took someone over there at the Independent about an hour to come up with DeWulf’s contact information and get a call to him. Here’s the new material from the story:
Greason’s military service was recalled by Col. Gene A. DeWulf (ret.), who said, “Tag Greason is one of the finest soldiers and officers with whom I have ever had the privilege of serving. He is a proven leader who cares deeply about America and has served her well.”
DeWulf went on to say, “I am fully aware of the false charges brought against Lieutenant Greason. The federal court decision to dismiss the charges obviously exonerates Tag. But more importantly, his service record is exemplary and he continued that service in the Virginia National Guard. I was his commanding officer, and I have nothing but pride and admiration for Tag’s character, integrity and service to his country.”
Might have been nice to have had this take on things before publishing the original article, wouldn’t it? So, this is solid confirmation that the case was fully reported and the allegations determined to be baseless. Which puts the entire episode squarely in the “fiction” department. Which begs the question of why it’s appearing in an alleged news publication.
John Geddie of the Loudoun Independent: you’ve been had. You’ve either been suckered into it or permitted yourself to be used as a political weapon. Either way, it’s your credibility and that of your newspaper that’s now in serious question. What are we to think the next time you publish some kind of investigative series? Whose political rear end will you be covering then? Whose bidding will you be doing in pursuing whatever line of investigation you’ll do?
Whomever it was that aimed you at this story and sent you after it was complicit in publicly accusing a man of a crime he was exonerated of years ago. You don’t owe someone who does that to your newspaper the anonymity you’re granting. If you felt your readers needed to know about the accusation, then you owe it to us to tell us who it was now that it’s clear that the accusation was bogus. Someone is trying to use you to skew an election, sir. We should be told who that someone is.
Either way, Tag Greason has been seriously wronged and this personal attack against him should make us all wonder why his political opponents are getting so desperate.
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