Sic Is Officially “Big Time”
No, we’re not talking about Sic Willie’s ever-expanding waistline or the Pablo Escobar sweatpants he has to wear every day to conceal it.
Nor are we talking about his burgeoning bank account, or the kabillions of new readers FITS is getting each day.
We’re talking about real props … the kind you can only get when the mainstream media is handing out awards to people investigating you.
That right … it actually happened over the weekend as Wes Wolfe and Corey Hutchins won the S.C. Press Association’s “in depth reporting” award for their story last year about how our founding editor was (is) supposedly the secret leader of a vast libertarian conspiracy.
From Wolfe Reports:
The entire process of running down the story was an ordeal, taking two months. It all started with the question, “Where is Will Folks getting his money?” After some asking around, the hit list proposal dropped in our laps and the story took off from there.
While it was assumed that Folks wrote the proposal, there was no certainty, as there was no listed author on what we had. Nor was the organization it was written for. However, after doing an immense amount of background research and talking to a number of people, the path hit the homestretch: calling the members of the listed core council.
Because every one of the groups allied with Gov. Mark Sanford are staffed like an interlocking directorate, it was a bit of luck that one of the first calls was to Chad Walldorf. The assumption was that the proposal was written for Reform SC. However, during a phone call the day after Christmas, Walldorf, who was the chairman of both Reform SC and S.C. Club for Growth, said that the proposal was written by Folks for SCCfG. Without that key confirmation, the whole thing probably would have fallen apart.
Amazing.
Nobody in the MSM will report on our local governments having $2 billion tucked away in reserve funds that nobody knows about, but they’ll give out awards for this crap.
No wonder the old media is dying.
Comments
By Wes Wolfe on March 16th, 2009 at 4:38 am
So, did Chad Walldorf lie, or what? It is absurd for you to do this song and dance every time you talk about this story. And, it is not crap. It was the biggest state political story of 2008. Sorry you are upset because your sensitive ass got whipped on this one, big boy.
By Dirty Dan on March 16th, 2009 at 9:18 am
I gotta go with Sic on this one. I did not get why the fact that a memo from Will Folks outlining his political “strategery” was news at all, much less award-worthy. I’m sure his big ideas were brilliant, but frankly, who gives a damn? Real news is that local governments — and state agencies — are hiding pots of money while they raise taxes and fire teachers. State legislators funnel state dollars to their hometown projects, taxpayers’ money pays lobbyists, legislation passes that eats our civil rights for breakfast, and the press doesn’t bat an eye. But Will Folks’ secret memo — yeah, man! That’s some big stuff there! Why would you even bother writing about dirty government dealings with such high-level stuff brewing?
Wes, have you checked out what is going on in Anderson County, or any other government? Why don’t you dig into all the “economic development” money they are spending and refusing to disclose? Is it because you are lazy, biased or not smart enough to figure that stuff out? Those stories happen all over the state, they show the corruption and abuse of power that politicians get away with, and you guys are busy writing about Will Folks’ homework. No damn wonder this state is so ass-backwards.
By Jim on March 16th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Wolfe – more than 25% of members in both the House and Senate Republican caucuses are new. Around half of the newcomers defeated incumbents and many more didn’t want to face Sanford-backed candidates.
So it’s ridiculous to claim the governor is having little success. Want proof? Reformers in both chambers led the charge early this session (despite legislative leadership – especially in the House) to change the roll call rules. Little by little the reformers are winning, despite the efforts of people like you to prop up the old guard.
By fitsnews on March 16th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Weswie, Weswie, Weswie …
Listen to yourself, friend. We are laughing at this, you are the one getting all sensitive and serious.
As to Sic Willie’s appearance in your “award-winning” story, we would refer you to our original statement:
http://www.fitsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/free-times-statement.jpg
As to it being the “biggest state political story of 2008,” we would refer you to the wisdom of Warren G, who once said “Ah-ite den.”
-FITS
By Craig on March 16th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Dirty Dan is correct. That stuff was hardly newsworthy. Was it a secret that Sic and the CFG wanted an bunch of legislators run out? I mean that is the central organizing principle of the CFG, the reason for its formation at both the national and state level. Waldorf confirmed it because it wasn’t a secret. Waldorf and his crew loved the attention Wolfe gave to it because that is how the CFG operates, they want the RINOs to know they are coming after them.
By Mike on March 16th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Biggest state political news story of 2008?! Ask 100 non-wonks about it, and you MAY find a handful who can give you even a glimmer of recognition. You are misinformed or delusional…