SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash., October 29, 2023—In a call-to-action Facebook post, Emmy Award-winning journalist, political commentator, and host of the podcast unDivided, Brandi Kruse, is asking Snohomish County residents to join her in a sign waving event on Monday, October 30, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. for Sheriff Adam Fortney at the corner of 196th and 44th by the Fred Meyer in Lynnwood (4615 196th St SW Ste 175, Lynnwood).
“I had no intention of getting involved in the race for Snohomish County Sheriff, but the Everett Herald just made it personal,” Kruse said in her call-to-action post. “With days to go until the election, a reporter with the county’s largest newspaper did what has sadly become common in political reporting in this state. He published a piece looking to scare voters away from supporting Sheriff Adam Fortney by unfairly tying him to right-wing extremism. The reporter called Fortney a ‘controversial’ ‘far-right’ sheriff with (gasp) ‘Constitutional leanings.'”
At least we label our opinions as commentary. And WTH are “Constitutional leanings”? Is that supposed to be a bad thing? @EverettHerald come get your guy. https://t.co/Z6yHPjbIEl pic.twitter.com/FlqX8oVUFx
— Brandi Kruse (@BrandiKruse) October 28, 2023
Kruse, who rarely endorses political candidates, is speaking out because of the seemingly “divisive, one-sided rhetoric from a news organization so close to an election.”
“I simply refuse to stand back and watch a news outlet tip the scales by preying on the fears and emotions of voters,” Kruse wrote. “It goes against everything I stand for, and everything we’re trying to change with the show.”
She added, “Please join me TOMORROW, Monday October 30 from 3:30-5pm to do some good-old-fashioned sign waving for Sheriff Fortney in Lynnwood. We will meet on the corner of 196th and 44th by the Fred Meyer.”
Below is her post in its entirety:
!!!!!!!!!CALL TO ACTION!!!!!!!!!!
I had no intention of getting involved in the race for Snohomish County Sheriff, but the Everett Herald just made it personal. With days to go until the election, a reporter with the county’s largest newspaper did what has sadly become common in political reporting in this state. He published a piece looking to scare voters away from supporting Sheriff Adam Fortney by unfairly tying him to right-wing extremism. The reporter called Fortney a “controversial” “far-right” sheriff with (gasp) “Constitutional leanings.”
It’s no surprise when fearmongering is used in political campaigns, we see that from both the left and the right. But as a former journalist, it pains me to see this kind of divisive, one-sided rhetoric from a news organization so close to an election – and in a race where public safety should be at the heart of the conversation.
I very rarely endorse political candidates, in part because fans of our show are fiercely independent-minded and take great pride in researching candidates for themselves. I know they will do that in this race as well, and encourage everyone to research both Sheriff Fortney and his opponent, Susanna Johnson, before casting a vote.
But I simply refuse to stand back and watch a news outlet tip the scales by preying on the fears and emotions of voters. It goes against everything I stand for, and everything we’re trying to change with the show.
Please join me TOMORROW, Monday October 30 from 3:30-5pm to do some good-old-fashioned sign waving for Sheriff Fortney in Lynnwood. We will meet on the corner of 196th and 44th by the Fred Meyer.
🚨To all of our readers, when did public safety become a partisan issue?
This morning our inbox was inundated with emails and my cellphone with 14 voicemails and 23 texts from readers frustrated at what they consider partisan propaganda perpetuated by a competing local… pic.twitter.com/px9lhPXat6
— Lynnwood Times (@LynnwoodTimes) October 28, 2023
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Author: Mario Lotmore
