Running Hot and Cold
AP reporter Meg Kinnard has revealed that Defendant McMaster has not prosecuted so much as a single prostitution case in his 7 years as SC Attorney General, and has not objected to local newspapers running adult service ads, choosing instead to attack SF-based craigslist:
Ann Bartow, a professor of Internet law at the University of South Carolina School of Law, said McMaster’s decision to take on Craigslist and not local newspapers that advertise escort services suggests political motivations.
“Why Craigslist? Newspapers run the same ads, but they have people locally who would stand up for them, and he didn’t want to alienate the newspapers that would be reporting on his campaign,” Bartow said.
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:24 pm
C.L. has my support in this. Just for fun, let’s look at the SC Attorney General’s side. His big backers’ wives probably demanded that he show his good faith. It actually helps his reelection if he loses the fight and walks away with only a black eye. Ladies love a loser with a black eye.
Now, I’ve got to place an ad for a 2,400 watt electric generator. $75 takes it. While I wait for a call about that, I’m gonna check out these new “Adult Services” ads (just for fun).
May 24th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Is everyone missing the biggest point here? (I haven’t read ALL the posts) Why does Ms. Bartow limit Mcmaster’s motivation to not wanting “to alienate the newspapers that would be reporting on his campaign,”. It’s glaringly obvious to me that he’s defending the newspaper’s interests in retaining ALL classified advertising, print and online, under its control to enhance what little dwindling pricing power it may still have in the old print paradigm. McMaster would not only get preferential coverage, but endorsement and contributions too, for protecting their revenue streams.
It looks like getting rid of the competition is his aim. Getting Craiglist to shutdown its entire SC list, all categories, would leave advertisers nowhere to go but the old-guard press. And what better political football to play this game with than pornographic prostituting internet pimps?