by emptywheel
I asked yesterday,
Hey Judy? What's the going rate to buy off a martyr for the First Amendment?
But it looks like the price is--at least thus far--too rich for Sulzberger's blood.
It seems the NYT and Judy are having some difficulty finding a mutually acceptable way for her to leave.
New York Times reporter Judith Miller is in talks to sever her ties with the paper, an ignoble end to a 28-year run that has brought the paper significant prize and peril.
According to a lawyer familiar with the matter, the talks were at a standstill late yesterday because of a wide gap between Miller's demands and The Times' offer for her to leave.
Ignoble. Kind of like that word.
And the issues preventing Pinch and Judy from seeing eye to pocketbook?
According to a source familiar with the discussions, there are three issues on the table. The first is how much severance Miller would receive, the second concerns whether she will be given space on the Op-Ed page to answer critics and the third is whether the Times and Miller will issue a joint statement defining the terms of her departure.
Judy's demands: A shitload of money. One last shot at a national soapbox to try to salvage her credibility. And some window-dressing to make this appear to be anything but a disgraceful sacking. Or to put it another way,
A source with knowledge of the proceedings said Miller has not ruled out legal action if her proposed conditions are not met.
"She will not leave under these circumstances, not in a defamatory atmosphere," the source said.
(Note the Observer article makes it clear that Judy is covered by the union contract, so NYT will have to show cause to get rid of her.)
And meanwhile, the Daily News tells us the natives are getting restless.
Yet many Times staffers said they were amazed that Miller, the eye of a storm that's rocked the the paper like nothing since the Jayson Blair scandal in 2003, was still on the payroll.
I actually think the most amusing way to convince Judy she'd be better off courting Fox is to assign her to something like, say, local borough news. Something that would give her no excuse to go to DC. Something that would deprive her of any national audience. And something that would prevent her from peddling her adminsitration disinformation leaks anywhere else.
But I'm guessing Pinch--whose family is breathing down his neck at this point, I bet--has been directed to find some way to give the NYT a very clean and public break from Saint Judy.
Pinch--you'd better act quickly. You never know what kind of surprises Fitzgerald has in store for Judy. You're going to want to make that clean break before Ms. Run Amok embarrasses the family again.
Judy is covered by the union contract
there's a Bush-toadie union! and I thought this administration was anti-labor
Posted by: emptypockets | October 27, 2005 at 12:29
I actually think this could get fun. The Daily News article says the NYT doesn't plan to investigate their Judy problem any further. But as I have shown, that's because the NYT has some details they'd prefer no one see.
If they have to take Judy to court--or Judy takes them to court--to sever this relationship, those details may come out.
Perhaps the borough news is a better idea for Pinch after all. I'd bet a fair sum that Judy'd get bored and cranky and slither away within 2 months.
Posted by: emptywheel | October 27, 2005 at 12:30
He probably hasn't put much thought into the reasons why he'd prefer Judy remain relatively placated right now.
Too many other issues to worry about.
Posted by: emptywheel | October 27, 2005 at 12:34
actually, i think the relatively undiscussed part of this whole affair is what a complete boob pinch looks like: he provided her protection; he oversees the editorial page; he appointed keller.
or, to put it another way, we have here yet another example of why inherited wealth and power is bad for america.
Posted by: howard | October 27, 2005 at 13:06
Y'know, I remember Safire was still flacking the Iraq - AlQaeda Prague connection long after it had been discredited. But no one complained about Safire being a stenographer for right. In part, that's because we always knew he was a right-winger, but also because he was on the op-ed page -- where there is no editorial supervision.
So why not give Judy an op-ed column? She could replace John Tierney, who's one of the most dim-witted fucks it's ever been my disappointment to read.
After all, everyone knows Judy's agenda: grilling for gossip on the alpha-male cocktail circuit. Plus, she and Mo can snipe at each other across the column inches.
It'd be a hell of a lot more entertaining than Tierney, wouldn't it?
Posted by: JohnGabriel | October 27, 2005 at 13:46
It is amazing: the degree of personal perfection which is the apparent paradigm of journalists' job performance, as if the entire profession is a purveyor of truth.
As an outsider, other than having read her byline in desultory random acts of reading, I was intrigued by Rainey's thoughtful depiction of Libby last week, as if to characterize the coterie as measurably more than reactionaries.
Nah, I see Judy collaborating on a book with Libby later. According to Rainey, the guys at the top liked her because of her smarts, even her ability to help them solve world problems, make that worldview perceptions.
The NYT did legion work to encompass her career since that agitated era in which she hired on.
Among professional journalists perhaps there is reason for pique at the pandering on her beat and her problem-solving methodology in that respect. Yet, out here in the hustings, we have long had the rube acumen to meander through a few quattrains of one of her articles should that be what the daily media proffered, and assess for all the influences which comprised the reportage, the confabulation, the staged events and whatnot which make being a reporter quite a fanciful occupation.
If the NYT ever needs one of the most balanced and proficient text analysts in the business, EW is there. Thing is EW is independent, fortunately for us. TNH is a very substantial site.
I appreciate your following the developments on our behalf, and with us.
Posted by: John Lopresti | October 27, 2005 at 15:32
John Gabriel
I might agree to that--if you could promise it would be in exchange for Tierny.
The thing is, shill that he is, Safire at least is intelligent. Which makes him occastionally interesting to read in spite of his shilliness.
But one thing I've learned reading too many Judy columns--she's a shitty writer. And not so bright. So the only reason she'd be more interesting than Tierny is for the sex angle.
Posted by: emptywheel | October 27, 2005 at 15:47
i like your idea of borrough news beat. how quickly would she quit? or put her on the sports beat, maybe highschool sports. or travel but start a new "exotic adventure travel" series - climbing mountains, living with amazon natives, etc.
and it's the simplest solution - when she quits, no severance, no oped, no need for a statement and not even a right to collect unemployment insurance.
then sue her for repayment of legal bills.
Posted by: corndog | October 27, 2005 at 15:55
If this goes to litigation, that will be a lot of fun to read about.
Fitzmas, Frog-walking Scooter and Rove style, the right in a civil war over Miers, the Senate sticking it to Bush on pay in Louisiana and no to torture, MoDo deep-sixing Judy with style. . . Dear God, you have been so good to us this month . . .
I am so glad now that I only had $20 bills instead of $5 when offering came around last Sunday . . . All I'm asking now is, please don't let these idiots reach a reasonable settlement; please let Pinch v. Run-Amok be a leakfest orgy with all the dirt coming out so that we may truly know all the news that's fit to print.
Posted by: saugatak | October 27, 2005 at 18:27
Assuming she's not indicted tomorrow, Agent Miller is going to get a million dollar severence package from the New York Times, followed by a million dollar per year deal with the New York Post to be a correspondent/columnist at large.
There'll be stipulations in her contract that will allow for a salaried television commentary, as well.
Let's hope that Fitzgerald gets her for perjury, obstruction of justice, and falsely impersonating a journalist.
In an ideal world emptywheel would be the person getting the big media bucks for her reporting and commentary.
Posted by: The Old School | October 27, 2005 at 20:33
Old School
Judy won't get indicted in a first round. I honestly believe Fitz would like to avoid that because it WOULD do terrible things for the First Amendment. Novak maybe (on obstruction--unless he's flipped). Judy, no.
But the second round? All bets are off. That's why I said Pinch better deal now, well he can separate Judy from the Grey Lady before she does permanent damage.
Posted by: emptywheel | October 27, 2005 at 23:20