03-23-09, E-Mail from Bruce Philpott to John O’Loughlin Regarding Denial of the  Glendale News Press to Publish Letter of Rebuttal

 

 

From: Brcphilpott1
To: John.Oloughlin@latimes.com
Sent: 3/23/2009 3:38:23 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time
Subj: Appeal of a Decision

 

Mr. Olaughlin, I would like to appeal a decision by the Glendale News Press Editorial staff that denied a piece I wrote in response to a letter published on March 14-15, 2009.

 

The letter was written by a retired Glendale Fire Chief.  His letter titled, "Philpott not the candidate for safety" referenced a letter I had written and published on October 23, 2008.  Michael Miller told me today over the phone that my rebuttal would not be printed because the policy of the paper was that it would allow one response or rebuttal to each letter written.  This supposed rebuttal referenced a piece I wrote and published over five months ago.

 

While I respect and believe this policy to be sound, I also believe that this particular case is an exception and falls outside of this policy.  As you can see by scanning down the list of letters or community commentaries over the past five months, there were seven pieces published critical and two favorable to my position. So there has been a history of back and forth with a factor of two to one in favor of my critics.

 

The other element here that would also take it outside of your policy of one to one is the fact that in February of this year, I was certified by the city clerk to be a candidate for city council.  Having published Mr. Hinz letter during the campaign season (three weeks before the vote and right in the middle of the vote by mail process which in 2007 constituted 58% of the all votes cast), and denying me an opportunity to rebut him doesn't seem fair.  His letter would be the eighth critical of my position, to the two that were not, with both in favor written by me.  Mr. Miller told me that he had run it by Dannet Goulet and she affirmed his position.

 

So that you are aware, the three candidates endorsed by the GNP are the same three candidates that the fire union have endorsed.  All of the letters that the GNP has published, some going back before those identified below, have to do with fire department staffing.

 

Because the letter published by Mr. Hinz appeared during the campaign season and only referenced in a very minor way a letter that I wrote and published on October 23, 2008, I ask you to reconsider this decision preventing me from being published in response as a rebuttal.

 

I obtained the published letters through Google.

 

Bruce Philpott

1418 Western Ave

Glendale, CA 91201

818.240.8949

 

 

 

Articles and Letters Regarding Bruce Philpott's New Model and the Glendale Fire Department's Response :

11-01-08, Letter in the Glendale News-Press by Vince J. Shellock of Glendale, "Fire chief’s analysis is on the money"

10-31-08, Bruce Philpott's Response to Vince J Shellock's 10-18-08 Letter in the Glendale News-Press, "Fire staff is in no need of cuts"

10-31-08, Bruce Philpott’s Response to Marvin Owen’s 10-14-08 Letter in the Glendale News-Press, “Fires need a full response team"

10-29-08, Community Commentary in the Glendale News-Press by Glendale Fire Chief Harold D. Scoggins, "Fire Department critic is misinformed"

10-29-08, Letter in the Glendale News-Press by David Smith of Glendale, "Philpott unqualified to judge staffing"

10-23-08, Unedited Version of Bruce Philpott’s Glendale News-Press Community Commentary, “Trimming fire staff will save city money”

10-18-08, Letter in the Glendale News-Press by Vince J. Shellock of Glendale, "Fire staff is in no need of cuts"

10-16-08, Letter in the Glendale News-Press by John Muir of Ventura, "Glad to hear from someone in know"

10-14-08, Letter in the Glendale News-Press by Marvin Owen of La Crescenta, "Fires need a full response team"