Allow LL to Correct the Record
This week, Loose Lips wrote about the long-neglected Columbia Heights house belonging to activists Dorothy Brizill and Gary Imhoff. After yesterday's hearing before the city's condemnation board, LL spoke with Brizill for nearly an hour at the Au Bon Pain at North Capitol and H Streets.
Early this morning, Imhoff posted a preemptive response to the column on DCWatch's biweekly Internet newsletter, referring several times to LL's conversation with Brizill. Allow LL to correct the record:
- LL had not "confirmed that the complaint had been politically motivated." LL's reporting turned up no evidence of the complaint's motivation, political or otherwise. In fact, Brizill herself posited that the original citation came in a June code-enforcement sweep after the murder of a 13-year-old a block away.
- LL had not been "tipped off to the proceedings by a person 'at the Wilson Building' who wanted him...to try to embarrass us." LL was tipped off, but he did not reveal to Brizill where the tipping-off took place. And the tip said nothing of the condemnation proceedings—that required several weeks of good old-fashioned reporting—only that some sort of notice had been posted on the house.
- LL never told Brizill, "Your house is very large and very grand....You can't afford your house....You can't afford your repairs." LL merely asked Brizill if she and Imhoff had considered moving to more manageable environs, considering their oft-cited decision to "live modestly on a limited income." Seems like a fair question, no?
- Most outlandish of all is the notion that LL urged Brizill to sell the house to developers "who I know are knocking on your door." LL, owner of a income-limited co-op apartment, is not in a position to be offering real estate advice to anyone.
- Truth be told, LL does not recall uttering any of the words attributed to him. (Except, maybe, "at the Wilson Building." He probably strung those words together at some point.) Not surprising: LL was the only person present taking notes. In fact, at one point, Brizill had to borrow LL's pen to write down his phone extension.
NB: LL also needs to make a clarification: He referred to Brizill and Imhoff's "legendary exposé" of Mayor Anthony A. Williams' forged election petitions. It was actually Tom Sherwood at WRC-TV who broke the fake-petitions story. Brizill and Imhoff pressed the issue with the city's elections board and eventually got him kicked off the primary ballot.
3:18 pm
I disagree that it's a fair question to ask if they plan to move into a more manageable house. It's an unfair question and definitely out of line based on journalistic ethics and clearly the kind of question that I would say would end an interview. To suggest that it was a fair question shows LL's lack of moral ground, or what constitutes "going too far" and shows questionable judgment.
3:58 pm
LL disagrees that it's ever unethical to simply ask a question.
Except, maybe, "When did you stop beating your wife?"
4:05 pm
Whether it is fair or not is really beside the point. What's fair? The question is a tough question and in light of Dorothy's current situation with her home, her past record of upkeep, the fact that the city is using resources to deal with her home, it's a question that has to be asked.
It's one that I'm sure Dorothy has probably considered herself.
Yeah it sucks. I feel sad for Dorothy's situation. But I think if she were the one asking the questions, she'd not only ask that question but demand better answers then answers she gave LL. What she gave LL were excuses that could no way pass a BS detector. Her answer about waiting for the police to finish their investigation...Shit, She knows better!
Don, there's nothing unethical about asking difficult questions.
6:57 pm
What I don't understand is why Dorothy and Gary would expect for their house to be immune to the standards to which they have so famously held the rest of the neighborhood. I wouldn't wish anyone out of Columbia Heights, no matter how contentious they are, or seemingly hypocritical.
What's odd to me is that the house, which is in visible disrepair, has survived so long without DCRA citations. I would've thought it would be tagged long ago-- makes me wonder what's been BROKEN for so long in our city system. Good questions, LL; good work.
7:52 pm
The better question that should be asked is, were Dorothy and Gary targets of Fenty's goons more so than anybody else would have been?
I think the answer is yes.
So I think it ws not wrong of Imhoff to put 2+2= Fenty.
9:05 pm
In my opinion, Gary Imhoff has no standing in the world of gadlfy-dom until he figures out that a former political candidate is making mince meat of his bi-weekly enewsletter by virtual of his multi-alias submissions which, because of political opportunism, are being taken seriously.
Wake up Gary!
9:56 pm
I think Tania makes an excellent point.
12:13 pm
Jason, in all seriousness, you have no idea when not to get involved. That was not a "tough question" so don't be some kind of revisionist here. If you don't get it this deep into your career then I would say you're never, ever going to understand journalism. Mean questions make you wrong, not them. Get it? LL turned the tables on himself.
The question was out of line and LL himself provided a lame excuse as to why it wasn't out of line. Listen to your conscience people and you'll create better written work. The fact is that LL knew he was out of line and specifically asked the question if he was out of line and Jonathan Rees and Jason Cherkis are the only people defending him... uhhh... Fox News is calling.