Snowed

Remember the hysterical news stories generated by by Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post about the “union thugs” who deliberately sabotaged snow removal in New York City? And how I voiced skepticism at the time because the one and only source on this story was one city councilman from Queens?

Well, the claim is being investigated by the city, the state, and the feds, and so far no corroboration has been found.

The New York Daily News:

A local newspaper, whose name rhymes with toast, made front-page gospel out of Halloran’s account. He became a media sensation, retelling his story on CBS, CNN and Fox. Newspapers as far away as Sydney reported that sanitation workers had dogged their responsibilities.

It was noted that ambulances had been delayed and deaths had occurred. Halloran did not disagree when a TV interviewer finished a request for details with, “I mean, we lost a child.”

Quicker than you can say manslaughter, the Brooklyn U.S. attorney convened a grand jury.

And – wouldn’t you know it? – the transportation supervisors may not be corroborating Halloran’s account.

And – wouldn’t you know it? – he shifted to saying that maybe the workers had just subtly gotten the message that they shouldn’t try too hard.

And – wouldn’t you know it? – he is trying to evade having to tell the grand jury the names of his supposed sanit sources.

Halloran claims, preposterously, that they spoke to him under attorney-client privilege. Last we heard, the privilege doesn’t apply to the names of clients.

He may not be able to wiggle out of this gracefully. Heh. BTW, the only recent mention of this story I could find in the New York Post was buried deep in a wire service story about recent snowfall. I couldn’t find any mention of the story on the Fox News site since their January 4 story about the federal probe.