Where I Stand — Brian Greenspun: R-J compounds error

Friday, Nov. 8, 2002 | 3:42 a.m.

ANOTHER OPEN LETTER to Warren Stephens, managing partner of the partnership that owns the Review-Journal.

Dear Warren:

It has been a while since last I wrote you. Three weeks to be exact. This was going to be a "thank-you" note for paying such prompt attention to my first missive, which was a request to correct a glaring Review-Journal error which, for reasons that will become obvious in a moment, I don't need to reiterate right now. But, alas, things change and there will be no "thank you" just yet.

By the way, I am writing to you as the managing partner because your lawyer, who tried to clear up the legal chain of command in your multi-headed organization and the exact who and how the Review-Journal is owned, told me that was your title. So, even though he muddied the waters a bit, it remains quite clear that your family, through however many partnerships and legal entities you use, still owns and is responsible for your newspaper.

The way I look at things, you must own that paper because when I wrote you a few weeks ago, all hell broke loose and a correction was published immediately, which is the first time that's happened over there. So, if you aren't in charge, don't say a word because those guys down the street who work for you sure think you are.

Anyway, I've got a problem. You guessed it, it's the same one I had when I first wrote. Here's a flash: someone at your newspaper doesn't like me very much. You know what I mean -- as in malice. If you don't know what that means, ask that nice lawyer you had write me the letter.

What he will tell you is that you are not allowed to publish lies about people, especially when it hurts their reputation, because it makes them look like they are self-dealing at the public's expense. And especially if you know better.

So, a little history. On Oct. 10, you published a news story written by Ed Vogel that said I tried to exempt real estate companies from a proposed gross receipts tax that the Governor's Task Force on Tax Policy is considering. Three days later, your editorial said the same thing, after the Las Vegas Sun ran the correct story which said that I, as a real estate developer in Las Vegas and as a member of the task force, was opposed to any such exemption.

Then came my demand for a retraction. Then came the Review-Journal's correction, an admission that you were wrong. And, even though you allowed your editor to muddle things about, the fact remains that you knew you were wrong and you corrected it. That was on Oct. 27.

Now here's the problem, Warren. Just five days later, on Nov. 2, your reporter Ed Vogel, the very same fellow who got it wrong in the first place, got in wrong again. On page 3B.

Now, I can forgive a guy who makes a mistake once. Maybe even twice, when a person who ignores the truth repeats the transgression, if his boss is a stand-up guy and admits he was wrong. That would be you, Warren, because your editor, Tom Mitchell, doesn't have the class to admit when he is wrong.

But here's the rub. The ink was barely dry on your correction when Vogel did it again. I can only surmise that both he and Mitchell knew they were printing libel and didn't care. Not only did they not care but they chose to repeat the lies in an effort to do further harm to me.

What they don't understand is that they are harming whatever reputation your paper has for accuracy and credibility, a matter of debate that will not take place during this writing. They also are impugning the integrity of the governor's task force, the governor and everyone else associated with trying to solve some very major problems in the state of Nevada.

Now, I understand that a fellow who is interested in only taking millions of dollars out of Nevada and not leaving any money in the state to pay for school books, health care, parks, roads and police services wouldn't care about libeling an entire state and harming its budding future. But that wouldn't be you, would it Warren?

So, please, make the correction again, this time with an apology. And do us both a favor. Keep Mitchell's mitts off this one. Let your lawyer handle the job. If not, he will have to handle the mess that may result.

Sincerely and seriously,

Brian Greenspun