(2002-09-16) — Jim Kirk and Monica Davey, reporters for the Chicago Tribune, are trying to play down talk of a Pulitzer Prize for their investigative piece on the dismissal of Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene.
The popular writer resigned under pressure this week after revelations that 10 years ago he had sex with a young woman who was a source for one of his stories.
Reporters Kirk and Davey earned the admiration of investigative journalists across the country by clipping and pasting a company memo, and polishing it into a major 1,500-word expose.
The story included the following:
- The refusal of Tribune editors and executives to comment.
- The failure of Bob Greene to return the reporters’ phone calls and emails requesting comment.
- The revelation from Greene’s own news release that he had committed “indiscretions in my life that I am not proud of.” (Indiscretions that Greene is proud of are not mentioned.)
- A reference to editors and publishers having “high-level” meetings, and running an internal investigation…both of which were so “high-level”, nothing more could be said about them.
- Unnamed sources on the Tribune staff who saw an email from the woman with whom Greene had sex. These witnesses were referred to as “sources familiar with the message” and “people who saw the email.”
- Unsuccessful attempts to reach both the Chicago office of the FBI and the woman who made the allegations about Greene.
- Acknowledgement that Tribune “officials” would not name Greene’s accuser due to Tribune policy on investigations of misconduct.
- The following quote from Greene’s colleague Paul Galloway, “It’s a terrible shock. It’s like a kick in the stomach to me,” he said. “I’m looking forward to talking to him to find out the real story. The statement in the Tribune [seemed to be] carefully crafted by lawyers.”
Related Link: Carefully Crafted, Fully Vetted
