Did John Hammer scapegoat Joe Killian to cover for Mary Rakestraw and/or Bill Burkley among others, for the financial benefit of John Hammer, who may have violated The Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics?

— Clarify and explain news coverage

and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct.

"...Killian also completely mischaracterizes
how Councilmember Mary Rakestraw came to present the redistricting plan to the City Council
in his April 21 article.

...Killian wrote, "the news was another twist that came on a day
when Councilwoman Mary Rakestraw
– who submitted the map the council members approved Tuesday night
– announced she didn't create the map at all: It mysteriously showed up on her doorstep."...

Was Mary misquoted?

—Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.

— Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable.


— Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests

and resist their pressure to influence news coverage.

How much political advertising revenue
has John Hammer's Rhino Times recieved from Bill Burkley's clients
over the last X years?

Did Rakestraw draw the map? Not on your life.

Did she know exactly who did or who left the map on her doorstep? At the time she didn't.

So was Mary misquoted?

— Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity

or damage credibility.

Rakestraw said she had consulted with city staff and with Burckley about the new districts,
and that Gilbert also had to be consulted on election matters.

Why didn't Mary tell Joe Killian what she told John Hammer?

Why is John Hammer using "said"

instead of a direct quote from Mary?

Deliberate distortion is never permissible.

— Diligently seek out subjects of news stories

to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.

Did John call Joe Killian for a response?

It turned out the mystery map was done by Burckley,
but it also could have been done by the city staff or the Guilford County Board of Elections.

Was Bill Burckley paid to do the map?

How much have Bill Burckley's clients given the Rhino Times

for advertising during election seasons?

Rakestraw said she didn't know exactly who produced this particular map
and left it on her doorstep,
but that it had all the numbers that those involved had been talking about
and moved the precincts that everyone had agreed needed to be moved.

John

If Mary was familiar with the numbers on the map,

did Mary lie to Joe?

— Give voice to the voiceless;

official and unofficial sources of information can be equally valid.

— Distinguish between advocacy and news reporting.

— Distinguish news from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.

— Recognize a special obligation to ensure that the public's business

 conducted in the open...

Analysis and commentary should be labeled

and not misrepresent fact or context.

Lying by omission


One lies by omission by omitting an important fact,
deliberately leaving another person with a misconception.


Lying by omission includes failures to correct pre-existing misconceptions.


…Propaganda is an example of lying by omission.


Wikipedia

The Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics