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Is @washingtonpost once again downplaying its own reporting in order to protect @GovLarryHogan?
@postlocal, when you gonna cover this story?
1/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/maryland-cancels-big-coronavirus-mask-order-11588447348?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1
@postlocal, when you gonna cover this story?
1/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/maryland-cancels-big-coronavirus-mask-order-11588447348?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=1
Here’s some background:
The Hogan admin agreed to pay $12.5M for PPE — which never showed. Before Md. forked over a $6.3M downpayment, troubling signs were hard to miss. For instance, the hired firm was ONLY A WEEK OLD. 2/
The Hogan admin agreed to pay $12.5M for PPE — which never showed. Before Md. forked over a $6.3M downpayment, troubling signs were hard to miss. For instance, the hired firm was ONLY A WEEK OLD. 2/
The firm, Blue Flame, is led by top GOP fundraiser Mike Gula. He suddenly pivoted to his new line of work because, as @politico reported 4 days before Md. signed the $12.5M contract:
“He saw an opportunity to capitalize on the coronavirus response.”
3/ https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/27/republican-fundraiser-company-coronavirus-152184?mod=article_inline
“He saw an opportunity to capitalize on the coronavirus response.”
3/ https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/27/republican-fundraiser-company-coronavirus-152184?mod=article_inline
Gula’s partner John Thomas declined to tell @politico how much money the just formed firm was raking in on coronavirus contracts. But Thomas offered this assurance (!):
“We are incredibly sensitive to gouging." 4/
“We are incredibly sensitive to gouging." 4/
After @wsj’s 5/2 report the Post’s national desk followed up ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/maryland-cancels-125-million-ppe-contract-with-firm-started-by-gop-operatives/2020/05/02/b54a14f0-8cbe-11ea-8ac1-bfb250876b7a_story.html):
"The price Blue Flame was charging at the time for N95 masks — $4.52 each — was much higher than the list price provided by manufacturers."
But WaPo buried its story in back of A section. 5/
"The price Blue Flame was charging at the time for N95 masks — $4.52 each — was much higher than the list price provided by manufacturers."
But WaPo buried its story in back of A section. 5/
A few days later the Post broke the story that DOJ was investigating Blue Flame. This story was again buried in the back of the A section. 6/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/justice-department-investigates-blue-flame-medical-after-claims-it-failed-to-provide-masks-ventilators-to-maryland-california/2020/05/06/e30b5224-8fa1-11ea-9e23-6914ee410a5f_story.html
The Post’s story got more prominent placement elsewhere. @baltimoresun ran it on A1, and reported:
"The Hogan administration has awarded more than $341 million in quickly approved contracts during the crisis”
7/ https://www.baltimoresun.com/coronavirus/bs-md-blue-flame-investigation-20200506-5n4xhclngrcebee4oksetmg23i-story.html
"The Hogan administration has awarded more than $341 million in quickly approved contracts during the crisis”
7/ https://www.baltimoresun.com/coronavirus/bs-md-blue-flame-investigation-20200506-5n4xhclngrcebee4oksetmg23i-story.html
. @nytimes also ran the Post’s buried story on its front page. The Times noted Gula's fundraising firm (which he just left) "has been paid more than $36 million since 2008 by a range of top Republican politicians and political committees” 8/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/06/us/politics/coronavirus-masks-tests-ppe.html
In an earlier story (days before the Hogan admin signed the suspect $12.5M contract), @nytimes quoted Blue Flame’s John Thomas:
“In politics — especially if you’re at a high enough level — you are one phone call away from anybody in the world.”
9/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/us/politics/coronavirus-money-lobbyists.html
“In politics — especially if you’re at a high enough level — you are one phone call away from anybody in the world.”
9/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/28/us/politics/coronavirus-money-lobbyists.html
For the reasons outlined above, this story merits @postlocal's attention. The Post has the resources to quickly find answers to questions like:
Who did Gula and Thomas contact in the Hogan admin to secure a $12.5M deal for their one-week old firm? 10/
Who did Gula and Thomas contact in the Hogan admin to secure a $12.5M deal for their one-week old firm? 10/
Gula is a top fundraiser for Republican senate candidates — which Hogan may be in 2022 ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/could-deep-blue-maryland-elect-republican-larry-hogan-to-the-us-senate/2019/10/18/feaad0b6-f0f7-11e9-b648-76bcf86eb67e_story.html). Did this factor at all into the Hogan administration awarding a $12.5M contract to Gula's one-week old firm? 11/
Blue Flame also quickly secured contracts with a couple other states (like California for $600M!) and agencies (like a municipal police dept). Each of these deals merits their own locally reported stories. 12/
The Post has huge influence in Md. and @postlocal needs to break its silence on this story.
Especially when the Post earlier ignored its own damning reporting on another of Gov. Hogan's questionable deals for covid supplies. 13/End https://fair.org/home/gov-hogans-purchase-of-korean-covid-tests-looks-like-a-pr-stunt-and-media-fell-for-it/
Especially when the Post earlier ignored its own damning reporting on another of Gov. Hogan's questionable deals for covid supplies. 13/End https://fair.org/home/gov-hogans-purchase-of-korean-covid-tests-looks-like-a-pr-stunt-and-media-fell-for-it/
