Times Whines About Paperwork

Interesting example of bias in today's Seattle Times.

What's most important? Those poor Washington State counties, buried in paperwork because of the GOP's gubernatorial election challenge. That's the main headline at Seattle Times.com:


Election Lawsuit Buries Counties in Paperwork


How sad, bureaucrats have extra work to do! The article's tone is clear: the GOP has clobbered local officials with an overwhelming workload. Are Republicans nothing but vindictive sore losers?


(Seattle Times) Counties across the state are having trouble keeping up with the massive amount of paperwork and research involved in the Republican Party's lawsuit against the state's 39 counties, their auditors and Secretary of State Sam Reed. The state party and Dino Rossi, who lost the governor's race to Christine Gregoire by 129 votes in a hand recount, argue the election was so flawed that the court should order a revote.


What is much less important to the Times (that's especially clear on the website) is this major revelation, underneath the whiney headline in small print:


Republicans say they've found 249 more felons who voted


(Seattle Times- David Postman)Republicans said yesterday they have found 249 more felons who voted in the November election.

That's nearly double the number state party officials had reported just two days earlier.

And Republicans expect the list to grow as they continue their investigation and build a case to have the gubernatorial election overturned and Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire removed from office.

Republicans backing their candidate, Dino Rossi, say they are confident ballots were cast by at least 489 felons whose rights to votes had not been restored by a court.

What's more important to the Times, 249 more felons voting or counties with extra paperwork to do? Their slant is clear.