Dear Editor:
I consider article “Pay Pals” by Assata Wright on the first page of The Jersey City Reporter of Sept. 16 as an example of bad journalism inappropriate for your publications.
The author made a statement about the alleged violation of the Jersey City pay-to-play law by the City Councilman, Steven Fulop. To substantiate the statement the following sources of reference are mentioned (they are cited in the order of their appearance in the text): …some people in New Jersey’s well-connected world; …several Fulop and Rivera associates;…one politically active New Jersey attorney; …several people who wished to remain anonymous; …another attorney; …some people; … several people; …one source…; …there is further evidence, but no evident was mentioned.
The only source referred to by a name was Jersey City’s corporation counsel, William Matsikoudis, cited as saying that he had seen no evidence in this case that the ordinance in question had been violated.
Does your paper consider us, your readers, as buying the above referrals as reliable sources or buying somebody’s interpretations of non-substantiated facts as convincing evidence? If you do, you are wrong.
The article’s author ignored the fact that the members of the city Board of Education had been elected by us, the majority of Jersey City residents concerned about the situation in the public schools, – it were we who endorsed them by voting for them.
In the election season, the article, I am concerned about, looks and acts like a campaign against Councilman Fulop – professional reporters usually don’t participate in such an activity.
Very truly yours,
Leon Adlershteyn