Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
The Washington Post has caused quite a scandal with this terrible idea:
For $25,000 to $250,000, The Washington Post has offered lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to "those powerful few": Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and -- at first -- even the paper's own reporters and editors.The astonishing offer was detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he felt it was a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its "health care reporting and editorial staff."
The details on this flier are unreal:
"Underwriting Opportunity: An evening with the right people can alter the debate," says the one-page flier. "Underwrite and participate in this intimate and exclusive Washington Post Salon, an off-the-record dinner and discussion at the home of CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth. ... Bring your organization's CEO or executive director literally to the table. Interact with key Obama administration and congressional leaders."
Newspapers charging lobbyists to rub shoulders with government officials so they can influence them on policy. The Post's editorial staff initially said that they had nothing to do with this, but that strikes me as irrelevant. The management of the Washington Post actually thought this was a good idea and apparently were oblivious to the obvious ethical problems it presents.
The Post has now canceled the event after a major outcry from left and right alike. But how in the world did they not see what a bad idea that was in the first place?
Politics
Comments
And with such cozying up to the powers-that-be, the WaPo can be the watchdog of government for the American public how exactly?
Posted by: James Hanley | July 6, 2009 9:57 AM
Yeah, this is a terrible idea, why not just be a lobbyist and get acess for free?
Posted by: T. Mackiewicz | July 6, 2009 11:16 AM
I'll believe that Weymouth and Brauchli knew nothing about the financial arrangements when the business guy Pelton gets his walking papers. Not holding breath.
Posted by: Pieter B | July 6, 2009 11:49 AM
While the Wall Street Journal has been able to get away with its editorial pages being dedicated more to propaganda than a forum for honest debate, I'm not sure the Post can survive its recent prat falls in terms of being the recognized paper of record for the most important city on the globe. Politico and The Hill should be the winners, while readers are losers. I rarely go to the Post now for news or opinion.
I hope the loss of credibility can be effectively leveraged by the sister media outlet to Ed's Michigan Messenger, that being the Washington Independent. That will require more access, here's hoping they earn such an opportunity.
Posted by: Michael Heath | July 6, 2009 11:59 AM
I have to wonder if the reason for the outcry and the cancellation was because it went public...
Posted by: dogmeatIB | July 6, 2009 12:00 PM
dogmeatIB: considering how often reporters, lobbyists, and pols rub shoulders informally at dinner parties throughout Washington, I think you're probably right about this. The Post has been compromised for a long time, what's offensive about this is the brazen openness with which they've attempted to make money from their corruption.
Posted by: Julian | July 6, 2009 1:58 PM
Here's an article that exposes that the WaPo was merely trying to copy what is already being done by The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, and The Economist. The Atlantic publisher David Bradley defends the practice. I'm a subscriber to all three.
I couldn't find the Bradley defense used as the source of the above Politico article, but found this defense by an Atlantic writer.
I'm not sure how one can maintain editorial independence when a revenue stream from past and future guest lists can be compromised. They're going to hold back when they should let loose.
Posted by: Michael Heath | July 7, 2009 6:51 AM
Editorialboard the lot of them!!
Posted by: democommie | July 7, 2009 7:33 AM
Because this is how the game is really played. They simply forgot that you're not supposed to let the rubes know that. That is what the outcry is about.
Posted by: Dunc | July 7, 2009 8:03 AM