Media Blackout!

From Eric Dondero:

Symbols of the National Socialist Party (NAZIs) such as the ones in the photo to the left, were recently spray-painted on signs of a Jewish Republican candidate for Maine State Senate.

Blogger Al Diamon DownEast.com "Tardy Reporting" explains:

Last week, somebody defaced some of Republican state Senate candidate Roger Katz’s campaign signs in Augusta with anti-Semitic slurs. The wording of the messages indicated the graffiti was probably not the work of kids, since it mirrored phrases favored by neo-Nazi hate groups (including the acronym “ZOG,” which stands for “Zionist Occupation Government”).

You’d think that such an incident might be news, particularly since Katz is the city’s mayor, and the vandalism was reported to police. But the Kennebec Journal didn’t seem to think the story merited coverage. Nor would it allow publication of at least two letters to the editor on the subject — one of them from a city councilor.

That embargo remained in place for nearly a week, ending on October 8, after the story showed up on WGME-TV out of Portland. Even then, the KJ gave it only a brief mention in the second section.

According to a person familiar with the editorial thinking at the KJ, the story was suppressed because the paper feared reporting on it would encourage more anti-Semitic incidents.

I assume that means no more coverage of murder, robbery, rape, and corruption, as well.

The Libby Mitchell state senate seat

Katz is a popular 4-term fiscal conservative Mayor. He's also a respected lawyer, prominent community patron, and ironically, a benefactor of the Maine Holocaust and Human Rights Center (pdf).

The Kennebec Journal describes the race "Political veterans compete":

Rep. Patsy Crockett, D-Augusta, is taking on Republican Roger Katz, mayor of Augusta, in the race for state Senate District 24.

The winner will replace Senate President Libby Mitchell of Vassalboro, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee...

Crockett, who has served two terms in the House, and Katz, who has served as mayor for four years, agree jump-starting Maine's economy is the top priority facing lawmakers in the next Legislature.

Reducing the cost of energy, health insurance and income taxes are all key to making Maine's business community thrive, Katz said.

"There are some areas where I think we can cut back on state spending and then when the better times do return to Maine and we have more revenue available, instead of funding new, expanded programs, that's the opportunity to really lower the income tax rate and to keep it lower," Katz said.

Crockett supports nationalized health care and opposes energy competition.

There has been no national media attention of the Nazi grafitti story outside of Maine. Only Maine right blogs have mentioned the specific message on the grafitti. Additionally, the ME Democrat Party has remained silent on the incident.

Reporting from Maine. (Photo on top, a depiction, not actual incident. No photos have been made available by the Sheriff's Dept.)