Asheville News

Thoughts on the Medford trial: Why isn’t this national news?

Jason Sandford May 8, 2008

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Good ol’ boy Southern sheriffs. Gambling. Bribery. Cash wrapped in tin foil and stuffed in ceilings. ABSCAM-like video of an FBI sting operation.

The Bobby Medford trial has it all. So why isn’t this national news?

As we’ve heard this week, the alleged public corruption wasn’t just limited to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department. It allegedly reached into the Haywood County Sheriff’s Department, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department and possibly the Cleveland County court system.

So why isn’t this story being covered by state and national media? It is, by far, one of the most significant and wide-ranging public corruption cases ever in Buncombe County, and probably all of Western North Carolina.

I suppose the Medford trial doesn’t have a couple of key elements necessary in a juicy national story. There’s no sex. And no murder. And while the government is building a case of cozy relations between video poker machine operators and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, there’s no clear victim here. The victim – the damaged entity – is the public trust.

But that’s hard to capture in a tidy two-minute television story or a 2,000 word print story.

I guess I’ve just answered myself. But I still think this story deserves greater coverage. The breadth and depth of this case is still sinking in. Maybe it will sink in with others, too.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

Hats off to Bo

The evils of emo and other news

3 Comments

Sir Osis May 13, 2008

wow, a corrupt sheriff. Yeah the national media will flock to Asheville for that.

Reply
Thunder Pig May 8, 2008

It’s not National News because it is not out-of-the-ordinary.

Most Sheriff’s (regardless of party affiliation) are, and have been, on the take as long as I can remember.

When I was a kid, it was not unusual to see Judges, Sheriff’s, SBI Agents and other law enforcement types at poker games (in several counties) my father supplied with shine back in the 70’s…and I understand that kind of thing still happens…just updated for the times.

Reply
Gordon Smith May 8, 2008

If County Commissioners, State Representatives, or other elected folks get named, then I expect it’ll blow up fast.

Reply