Roberts slams Ingle for irresponsible journalism

by: Jason Springer

Thu Sep 24, 2009 at 12:00:00 PM EDT

For the past two weeks, Gannett New Jersey's Trenton bureau chief, Bob Ingle, has devoted his Sunday column to the kind of rumor-mill nonsense one generally associates with celebrity gossip rags - not some of New Jersey's largest newspapers. His latest doses of nonsense (Sept. 13 and Sept. 20) would have been laughable if there wasn't a chance someone would take them seriously.

Like most people, I generally ignore Ingle's inconsequential diatribes. But his latest assertions are so over-the-top inaccurate that a response is warranted.

Ingle professed to have "word on the street" knowledge of my motivations for stepping down as Assembly speaker. I'm not a journalism scholar, but I'm certain "word on the street" isn't solid sourcing. I'm surprised the editors of the Gannett newspapers would allow such irresponsibility.

On Sept. 2, I held a public press conference explaining how after a long, deliberative process, I felt this was the right time in my life to take a break from public office. Rather than relying on high school hallway "word on the street" sources, assuming they ever existed, Ingle could have asked me questions at that news conference like a responsible journalist. Ingle also, of course, could have called or e-mailed my offices like a responsible journalist to discuss my plans.

But since Ingle rarely picks himself off his chair in his Statehouse office - except for the occasional promotional book-signing or radio appearance - nor does original work when writing his cliche-ridden, self-promoting columns, I'm not surprised he failed to do either.

Had Ingle bothered to take the time to do his job, I would have repeated for his benefit how after four years as majority leader and four years as speaker that it was time to step aside. But since he didn't ask or call, I guess "word on the street" was his only option. Still, even that concept strains believability, since apparently Ingle would actually have had to do work to gather word on the street.

Ingle also made some sort of reference to me having 2013 gubernatorial ambitions. I would have told Ingle that I have no plans to run for elected office, let alone for governor. But, again, he never asked. Ingle also concocted his own dark conspiracy theory in which I will be appointed to a Cabinet position so I can continue to drive in a state car. He has another theory in which I will be appointed the chief operating officer in Camden.

Again, had Ingle asked, I would have discussed with him my complete lack of interest in such jobs and how taxpayer paid benefits like cars and pensions carry neither weight nor influence over my decisions pertaining to my public service.

I find it curious that Ingle's columns appeared shortly after the Assembly clerk, based on long-established precedent dealing with for-profit and commercial ventures, denied a film crew permission to access certain areas in the Assembly to film a movie called "The Soprano State."

Maybe Ingle was unaware of that decision or has nothing to do with a movie that bears the name of his book, or maybe the decision hurt his pocket a little too hard.

It's common for Ingle to take liberties with fairness and truth, a problem that becomes even more glaring considering his dual office role as a columnist and as chief of the Gannett State House bureau. But Ingle outdid himself this time, breaking new ground for ignoring journalistic responsibility and the obligation to report truth.