Jim Graham Takes City Paper to Task
This missive just went off to Ward 1 e-mail groups:
Dear Friends,
Far too many times we've seen news outlets pry into the personal lives of public servants. Rummaging through dirty laundry and printing "he said, she said" allegations is a sure-fire method for constructing a poor image of anyone's character.
At times, we all make mistakes and exercise poor judgment. When loved ones, friends or colleagues make mistakes I don't turn my back to them. I do my best to help with support, healing and learning. As to the abortion that Ted and his friend chose to have done, I loaned Ted the money (via authorized use of my credit card) which he promptly paid back. As anyone can imagine, this was an extraordinarily difficult time for them and the financial burden would have only compounded their challenges. I was in a position to help.
I have always supported a woman's right to choice.
Bests, CM Jim Graham
Dear CM Graham,
LL understands the compassion you showed toward your friend and closest employee in loaning him your credit card for his companion's abortion. LL has no problem with that, even if the other ex-employees he spoke with saw little "support, healing and learning" during their time in your employ.
But the issue here is, as you say, that "we all make mistakes and exercise poor judgment." The question is, when do mistakes and poor judgment make someone unfit for public service?
Did you inquire about the circumstances of this abortion? Did you meet the woman? Did the fact that $3,200 would present a "financial burden" give you any pause? When the sister of the woman e-mailed you a month prior to the abortion, alerting you to "VERY SERIOUS ACTIONS, CONDUCT AND ISSUES THAT ARE OCCURRING WITH ONE KEY MEMBER OF YOUR STAFF," did you take heed?
Oh, and by the way, the "dirty laundry" that this news outlet aired isn't so easily dismissed as a "he said, she said" situation. Certainly, the woman involved here alleged a pattern of abuse by Loza, and Loza has denied it. Except, last July, a Superior Court judge found "by a preponderance of the evidence" that Loza twice "assaulted and threatened" the woman. This January, the same judge found that Loza "has show little or no interest" in the child he sought custody of.
So it's more of a "he said, judge said" situation.
Bests, LL
11:19 am
WCP's cover story featured excellent reporting but was again marred by ridiculous editorializing throughout. In the end, I came away feeling that Loza is a complete scumbag who should be run out of town on a rail and Jim Graham was his boss who tried to help him through some awful times.
And no, I'm not Jim Graham.
11:41 am
"Bests" indeed! As if DC couldn't do any better.
All would be forgiven if he'd merely stop ending his email missives with "Bests" and start using "Worse than Hitler."
11:54 am
"he said, judge said." Ha! Love that turn of phrase. Lovin' this story.
12:45 pm
It's a known fact, D.C. Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham love Salvadoran/Central American young men. This is why he supports illegal immigration and he has visited El Salvador several times looking to get laid by a young Salvadoran man. Jim is a old Chicken Hawk!
12:55 pm
Rule 1: When they attack the media for reporting the scandal, they're guilty.
Rule 2: When they attack the City Paper for reporting the scandal, they're incredibly guilty.
1:05 pm
Isn't a third trimester abortion tantamount to murder? A cursory google search indicates the average cost for an abortion ranges between $400 to $1800 so $3200 has red flags all over it. Where was this procedure done? I wasn't aware that this was even possible except in cases where the health of the mother was in jeopardy.
It has been alleged that this woman was coerced into this by Loza and Graham paid for it. You would think even the most basic evaluation by the provider would have elicited some reticence on the part of the mother to which a credible counselor would have paid heed.
As I have said I am a tree huggin' pro-choice liberal but this is appalling.
It gives a real clear view into Jim Graham's soul that he thinks this is all about the money and whether he was paid back "promptly". In other words a baby is dead but its all about Jim. Of course, its always about Jim, just as it was when legions were dying from AIDS. It was about Jim elbowing others out of the way to take credit, about Jim accruing money, loot and power.
Keep it up City Paper. You are doing a great job on this story and it needs to be told. The Blade, Washington's gay, supposed newspaper has once again bent over and assumed the position when it comes to Graham. WaPo is coverig the story but not with your vigor. MetroWeekly, Washington's gay supposed news magazine seems totally unaware this is even going on. Unaware, unbelievable!
WHO was the provider!!!!!
Note to Graham's new press person - directly attacking the media, not such a good strategy, a pro would know that!
1:51 pm
Regarding recent articlets in WCP, Loza's court records seem to speak for themselves, whether or not someone "editorializes" them.
Truth is, there he's a man with several legal issues who was put in charge of the budget, staff and legislative responsibilities of an elected official. The national press would be all over this story if the chief of staff of a US Senator were arrested and turned out to be a non US resident with questionable legal and ethical issues.
As an elected official who has to be responsible to the voters, one would think that Jim Graham would have been smart enough to hire himself a new chief of staff once Loza's various legal and ethical problems began to surface. Truman said "the Buck stops here". Graham seems to think "the bucks may stop here but that has nothing to do with me".
And no, I'm not Jim Graham either
1:54 pm
Wow, this is pathetic. He needs to be called out on attempting to gain political points by reminding people that he's always supported a woman's right to choose. Graham's comment is absolutely appalling given the circumstances of this case.
Is this the right to choose you're talking about, JIM?:
"After she arrived, Loza pressured the woman to abort the baby, according to court records. Part of Loza’s coercion, the woman would later testify, was physical. 'On one occasion, after the parties had driven to get [the woman] a burrito, [she] reiterated that she did not want an abortion,' a judge wrote. '[Loza] became upset and pushed the defendant out of the car. She was not injured. The car door was open, she said.'"
(quote from earlier CityPaper article)
2:18 pm
What a perverse view Graham and Loza had of a "threat to the life of the mother". Graham is just angry that no matter how many times he tried he was unable to conceive.
He can take heart though in that as every day goes by he looks more and more like an old woman.
Graham and Loza are bullies and thugs!
8:29 pm
Why would LL presume to decide who is fit for office or who should be able to work for an elected official. That is ultimately the decision of the electorate and to presume otherwise is height of arrogance.
The real question is whether LL is a reporter or a commentator. I don't hold Chuck Todd to the same standard as Keith Olbermann. Is LL willing to publicly make the distinction because this blog article seems to indicate that you are the latter, and involved with a tit for tat with the subject of the news item and not reporting on the missive of an elected official to his constituents.
9:12 pm
Message to Graham: Shut up, go away to a quiet place to do some soul-searching, and don't return until you learn the meaning of dignity. I'm becoming more disgusted every day.
2:54 pm
This is one creepy, creepy story.....Graham supports a woman's right to choose?????Sounds like he supports her right to choose a late-term abortion or get hit in the face with Teddy's shoe again.....Teddy and Jim travel together for a month in Ethiopia?????Boy, that must have been great.....Teddy could fuck the poor starving mothers and Jim could fuck their sons....you are right Jim has always been known to be a "Chickenhawk" how old was that last "long-time companion"? He was about 15-16 when Jim found him....he's now married with a child....pretty tough to be the councilmember's boyfriend for years just to get a green card.....This stuff is sick
4:00 pm
Folks like Graham make a career out of "public service" and profit mightily from it. There was a reason why the DC electorate voted for term limits back in the late 1990's. And, of course, the Council overturned that provision the minute it could.
12:39 am
Revised Message to Graham: Shut up, go away, and don't come back. Your actions were disgusting and your explanations are sickening. (disregard comment 11, it was far too mild)
10:47 pm
Didn't the Council pay for Graham's trips to El Salvador? Ype, they did.