Have your say, but only if it's the Times-News way

In his column last Sunday writing on the op-ed page as “public editor,” Kevin Cuneo outlined and defended the Erie Times-News’s rationale for publishing endorsements of electoral candidates for public office in response to widespread criticism of the self-serving practice.

Among the critics was Tim Haaf of Summit Township who serves on its Industrial and Economic Development Authority. He had written a letter to the editor criticizing the paper, not because the newspaper endorsed a candidate in the township’s election race, but because it didn’t.

As Cuneo put it:”The (editorial) board refrained from endorsing either incumbent Republican Marlin Coon or Democratic challenger Sandy Zawatowski in the race for Summit Township Supervisor.

“Dissatified with the reasons given,” Cuneo wrote, “Timothy Haaf fired off an angry letter, charging the newspaper with ‘forcing your opinion on readers who are only looking for the facts and truth’.”

Cuneo continued: “Haaf’s letter will be printed soon, and I don’t think it’s a good practice for me to comment on letters sent by readers (after having already commented on it). It’s your chance to have your say.”

But only if you say it the Times’News’s way. I talked to Haaf this evening. He told me the newspaper’s editors took considerable liberties with his letter, removing some words, adding others, and changing the meaning of the content. He said “It was unbelievable. They changed the content to make it seem as though I agreed with them.”