Newspapers follow tips all of the time. Some are truly outrageous and many never, ever produce stories. I always tell the folks
who are the subject of such reporting not to confuse the questions with the story. We ask really outrageous questions, but if the stories don’t pan out and the stories never hit print, then the damage is isolated to the reporter/source relationship. But when officials refuse to respond to reporters, use the system to obfuscate or delay, then our questions end up being asked in public. That happens when the only way we can determine the truth of a situation is to go to court. Of course there will be a story if the e-mails show nothing wrong. We’ve reported such stories before re: other subjects. What some public servants seem to have forgotten is that stonewalling ALWAYS makes a situation worse. Be up front and forthright and a lot of this stuff never becomes an issue/Editor
Steve Smith
, Spokesman-Review.