Banzai!

Today's Commercial Appeal has a front page investigative story that deserves some praise. I rag on the paper pretty hard for letting so many things go unexamined. This time they deserve kudos for doing their job.

They take a look at the finanacial ties between local developer Rusty Hyneman and elected Memphis officials. It's not a pretty picture.

The story does have weaknesses. For one, it mentions Joe Cooper, former County Commissioner and now car dealer. Thaddeus Matthews' blog has mentioned his automotive largesse with other area politicians. That likely deserves some further scrutiny.

The article mentions the ties between Hyneman and Councillor Rickey Peete, involving a home. Peete is right now (scroll down to October 6th and then to July 27th) having a house built for his mother with Housing and Community Development Department of Memphis funds. It's not said who is the construction contractor, although there is a mention of "New Beginnings." Is Hyneman involved?

By the way, you should read the Memphis Watchdog site regularly, as they do the kind of ground-level digging and reporting that should be a regular feature of the CA. What they document should shock you.

Another nit to pick with the CA story is how the writers will say something like this:

Council minutes show that in the months after Ford's March 2004 acquisition of the Cadillac, he voted for two major developments involving Hyneman.

Obviously, it's nearly impossible to prove causal connection, but they also don't give the reader sufficient numbers to aid their case.

For example, how many total projects has Hyneman brought before the Council for approval? Let's just pick a number: 20. Now, if the Council has approved only 2 of 20 projects, then influence wouldn't appear to be a factor. But if they've approved all twenty projects, and the average approval rate is more like 50%, then we can see a problem. More context is needed in this story for such simple statements like the above to carry proper impact.

Now, if only the CA would turn the same skeptical eye towards the Turleys, Belzs, etc. of the Downtown Gang. Maybe examine the connections between whatever largesse they offer and their own project approval rates. Maybe take a look at the tax freezes and abatements they enjoy.... Hyneman is a regular whipping boy and Turley/Belz are regular saints. Try a reverse angle.

But for now, good job y'all.