At What Point has a Politician Crossed the Line?

During the 1960s and 1970s, Walter Cronkite was often cited as “the most trusted man in America” after being so named in an opinion poll. He closed the nightly news with “And that’s the way it is,” believing to the best of his knowledge he had reported the truth as it was. I’m not aspiring to be Walter Cronkite, but I am aspiring to provide the truth in my reporting in a way that allows the community to make informed decisions.

As a community you will need to deem what is acceptable behavior in the political realm. As a reporter I have to determine what needs reporting and what should be “Dear Abby” material. Now that I’ve shown my age, and all the young people are Googling Cronkite and Abby let me get to the point of this story.

At what point has a politician crossed the line with vindictiveness and at what point is it newsworthy?

When the community is adversely effected and the political figure is no longer subjective enough to make decisions based on what’s best for the community.

Printed below are two email correspondences sent from Mayor Robert Petrovsky regarding the Freedom of information Act, to Crystal Mersh, CEO of The 1982 Foundation, and one response from Crystal Mersh.

The Mayor makes the request on behalf of the Town of Grantsville. Meaning, that he is representing, the Office of Mayor, the Town Council and the citizens of the City when requesting the financial records of a private business. Not the government agencies for which Mrs. Mersh requested financials from, which as does every citizen, she has the right to.

The 1982 Foundation became highly active in City Government because they own a business for which they’ve invested ten million dollars into and want their business and all others in the community to thrive. The Foundation currently operates multiple businesses, hiring numerous residents as well as outside companies that now work in the community, contributing to the economic benefit and opportunity of all of Calhoun County.

Their first introduction to County politics was having to fight the previous Calhoun County Commission for the field that is now filled with the squeals of delight from the County’s children at their new pool. This was followed by the Town of Grantsville who, rather than embrace an opportunity that any other county would have pursued, they launched an investigation into a private company, not out of any concern for wrongdoing, but because that company dared request the financial records of the Town. Which as a government agency, the citizens have the right to do.

The email correspondence that follows is evidence of what the Town requested. This is very dangerous ground for a government to be permitted to tread. They are by the Constitution a government of and for the people. If permitted to interfere with industrious people attempting to provide a poverty stricken community, jobs, entertainment and opportunities to grow personally and professionally, there will be no other such opportunities from future companies. But, if a community, as a whole, addresses the situation, by refusing to allow such behavior from their elected officials, this and future generations will understand how Government should work.