Booman Tribune ~ Ben Domenech Resigns from WashPost

Ben Domenech Resigns from WashPost

by BooMan
Fri Mar 24th, 2006 at 02:51:11 PM EST

Ben Domenech had resigned from the Washington Post. Executive Editor, Jim Brady made the announcement, but takes no blame for hiring a right-wing hack to blog for his paper. He doesn't apologize to his readers for hiring a serial plagiarist. This is as close as he comes:

When we hired Domenech, we were not aware of any allegations that he had plagiarized any of his past writings

This all started as an effort to balance out the reporting of Dan Froomkin, who does a blog column called the White House Briefing. You can read how Froomkin was attacked from within here. The Washington Post decided the best way to balance a serious and credentialed reporter like Froomkin was to go out and find a right-wing blogger to fill their pages with lies and apologistics. But they never counted on a counterfeiter. Karma is a pain in the ass.

Once the blogosphere started looking into Domenech's writing it didn't take too long to find outrages, like his opinion that aborting black babies has the happy effect of reducing crime, or that he considers Coretta Scott King a communist.

As for the reaction from Red State, the blog he co-founded, their server is a little slow, but their reaction to these accusations can be seen below the fold.

Ben Domenech Washington Post

When blogospheric swarms gain critical mass, they can be extremely fast-moving and overwhelming. It looks like we're in one right now, but it's not about Darfur or the War Against Militant Islamism, but about a conservative blogger newly hired by a mainstream media outlet. The charges of plagiarism are serious business, especially the one in NRO. It may be happening at this very writing, but a complete and timely response is needed by the co-founder of this site, answering fully every charge made. I count myself a supporter of Ben Domenech, but the credibility of this site and the Redstate project is at risk. I await Ben's response, but if the answers are insufficient, we must all strive to do what's right.

What's to respond to? Your boy has been exposed as a fraud and a hack. And Jim Brady needs to put a little more culpa in his mea.

Ben Domenech Resigns from WashPost | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Ben Domenech Resigns from WashPost (4.00 / 3)

ha.ha.ha.

At Agitprop, we suggested Ben plagiarize this ... and of course this proves how much more moral and god-fearing those home-schooled kids are! I suppose he was absent the day his mom taught journalistic ethics.

ha.ha.ha.

by blogenfreude on Fri Mar 24th, 2006 at 02:56:43 PM EST

Re: Ben Domenech Resigns from WashPost (4.00 / 4)

It's downright scary how fast the blogosphere can raise someone up to the heights or cast them to the depths. Of course, Ben made it too easy by being such an overt thief. His Mom must not have been widely read enough to recognize his plagerism in the essays he surely must have written for her. I guess this proves that there are advantages to having teachers who aren't related to you...

by sjct on Fri Mar 24th, 2006 at 03:11:22 PM EST

Here's my suggestion (4.00 / 3)

Rather than a pale hack imitation, when they replace Purloined Pen Ben, as they surely will, they should just go to the source and hire P. J. O'Rourke to replace him (O'Rourke was one of the people he plagiarized). O'Rourke has the advantage of being able to write, and funny besides. (He occasionally shows up on NPR's news quiz Wait Wait Don't Tell Me!, lending a conservative voice to what's normally a pretty liberal group of writers and wits with guests like Mo Rocca, Paula Poundstone and Roy Blount Jr.)

I have no idea whether O'Rourke is interested in blogging, but hey, it's worth a shot.

I for one welcome our new Twitter overlords. @Omir55

by Omir the Storyteller (omir.the.storyteller -CAT- gmail -DOG- com) on Fri Mar 24th, 2006 at 04:04:32 PM EST

What's to respond to? (4.00 / 2)

Domenech has to admit that he really did it before they will accept that he plagiarized. Until then, defenders will go to their grave believing that the Washington Post framed him to malign the great conservative cause. The Republican rank and file seem remarkably incapable of independent thought, like comparing writing examples for themselves to see if they are similar. In this case, there doesn't seem to be any room for doubt for anyone who goes to the trouble of looking into it.

by Shalimar (srbaxley@yahoo.com) on Fri Mar 24th, 2006 at 04:05:43 PM EST

By the way (none / 1)

I'm not defending her in general, but for all of her faults, at least Michelle Malkin seems to really believe in all of the b.s. she spits out and takes a consistent position when circumstances call for criticism of one of her own. No she doesn't do it for anywhere close to everything we would find offensive about her party, but she does it often enough to suggest that she is being true to her own warped perception and values. Which is much more than I would say for most Republicans or politicians in general, who don't seem to have any values other than self-interest.

by Shalimar (srbaxley@yahoo.com) on Fri Mar 24th, 2006 at 04:14:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: By the way (4.00 / 3)

Michelle Malkin is a liar and a fiction writer, but I guess she writes all her own fiction rather than stealing it from someone else.

Such are conservative ethics in the 21st century that she get commended for this.

A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward. Franklin D. Roosevelt

by Steven D on Fri Mar 24th, 2006 at 04:23:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: By the way (4.00 / 3)

but I guess she writes all her own fiction rather than stealing it from someone else.

some have suggested that her husband writes some of her fiction.

by snappy on Fri Mar 24th, 2006 at 06:06:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ben Domenech Resigns from WashPost (4.00 / 2)

Well, I guess Ben is licking his wounds after his short term in the Washington Post. Here is a link to his "rebuttal" to the charges:

Red America Ends

It is so interesting how other side feel so rejected and mad when they get caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Just wonder why they never seem to think about other people's feelings when they blast their form of "right is might" around the world!

We must not continue to cure the symptoms and ignore the disease!
Spiritual Awakening

by vieravisionary (tdelaine (at) cfl (dot) rr (dot) com) on Fri Mar 24th, 2006 at 04:21:44 PM EST

Re: Ben Domenech Resigns from WashPost (4.00 / 3)

I can't believe the vile things he is accusing the left of trying. What an evil smokescreen.

by Tehanu on Fri Mar 24th, 2006 at 04:47:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Ben Domenech Resigns from WashPost (none / 0)

Hundreds and hundreds of comments posted to the WaPo site and no doubt thousands of messages sent to the WaPo also. I know I sent emails and followup written snail mail to both Mr. Brady and Ms. Howell (the WaPos 'ombudsman') over this ridiculous issue.
Simply put, Domenech is a proven thief and liar (aside from the fact that he's also a really poor writer, looking at the other non-plagiarized things he's written).
There's no excuse for any organization hiring such a lowlife, other than the organization's incompetence -- or perhaps, another agenda?

by bkrog (bill.krog-at-gmail.com) on Fri Mar 24th, 2006 at 05:10:06 PM EST

Ben Domenech Resigns from WashPost | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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