Frontline Jim West Response

1. I think the editor Steven Smith differentiated between the two stories because while both would be shocking - the conservative mayor engaging in sexual activity with males and the conservative mayor engaging in sexual activity with underage males - technically it's not illegal for him to do so unless they're underage. It would mean the mayor is actually, legitimately doing something wrong if the males were underage.

2. Morlin said he couldn't create the online user because it's against The Spokesman-Review's code of ethics for him to pretend to be someone he's not. He justified the creation of the online account by saying his job was to find the truth. He also said the creation of the account wasn't intended to alter the outcome of the situation or "bait" West, it was merely presenting the opportunity in order to see how West handled it.

3. The number one reason I think so many stories were printed was because of the shock factor it would have on the people of Spokane. There was a lot of information and potential allegations to keep numerous stories running for a long time with relevancy to the time and proximity of the paper. It was a hard hitting story, especially to the area of Spokane, and it kept people hooked.


4. In the end, I would say the only people who benefited from the exposure of Mayor Jim West were the constituents of the political arena. They deserve to know the truth about the mayor who represents them, but more specifically the way he votes; not necessarily how or with whom he spends he free time. I think the exposure hurt the mayor first and foremost, who dealt with an extremely personal and demeaning situation which was made highly public, but I also think this hurt the gay community. The public eventually saw a gay politician voting to hinder gay rights which bolsters the unfortunate question of "If a gay man disagreed with gay rights, why should I support them?" This scandal also hurt the political structure of the area because it showed a potential abuse of power and lowered the standard of credbililty for the political and social sectors of Spokane. Whether or not the exposure was worth it is a very tough question because while I think politically, a gay mayor voting to limit gay rights is a big deal and highly hypocritical, in an interview West said after everything he probably wouldn't have changed the way he voted on those issues. In essence this suggests that the campaign and time in office would have hardly, if at all, been affected. So, was it worth it? In the end I don't know, but I have to wonder if political efforts and strength could have been more valuable, if spent in more productive rather than destructive areas.

5. While I don't think there are any ethical problems with this story that can be outlined in black or white, I do think the story implies more than the evidence provided, which needless to say creates an ill-conceived perception among the public. The story features a picture of Lynch with a black eye and due to the wording and implications of the story, creates a link between the bruises and High Bridge Park even though it cites Lynch as saying otherwise. The story eludes to the notion that some foul play was taking place because the liasion for the police department and deputy mayor's car was parked at a high-crime park in the middle of the day. While it may be noteworthy that such a prominent figure is taking medical leave with no specific reason, the story implies a lot of connections without evidence. This is especially problematic because the public's perception is usually translated as reality.