Gaffney deals with Fiore resume issue at Sable Minded

Courier Staff Writer Melissa Gaffney recently did a follow-up about a candidate story in Middletown, where it involved Middletown Republican Committee candidate Anthony Fiore. Mr. Fiore had some issues where it involved dates and job titles for employment. I am aware that Ms. Gaffney has requested every public record from Linden and Carteret to attempt to support the story Mr. Fiore gave, without success so far. Mr. Fiore has become upset about this, blaming Ms. Gaffney for bias, but it wasn't Ms. Gaffney that didn't have records supporting Mr. Fiore's service as recreation director in those towns -- that problem does not reside with Ms. Gaffney. There were no public records supporting his story, and every public record involving Mr. Fiore was duly requested from those municipalities.

Mr. Fiore has been quite unkind about this with Ms. Gaffney, but anyone who is running for office and basing their qualifications on particular service should not be shocked that anyone puts in a call to actually make sure that something is as stated. Fact-checking is a part of reporting, or at least it should be. Municipal goverment is a very expensive proposition these days and candidates should probably have some pertinent and verifiable business or public experience.

Ms. Gaffney has done a great job in being thorough and researching her work. There aren't enough young reporters doing the level of work she is, and actually there aren't enough reporters performing at the level of either Ms. Passeggio or Courier Senior Staff Writer Alyssa Paseggio.

Click on the headline to go to Ms. Gaffeny's blog for her latest post about the subject.