Lindsey Mastis

I was one of those journalists Gov. Rod Blagojevich didn’t like. I ran critical stories and questioned his decisions. I called him out on more than one occasion, and he had to eat his words over one of my reports.

Of course, the Governor was always nice as pie to my face. He left the dirty work to his staff. Even “journalist” Dick Kay and a lobbyist used strong arm tactics to try to influence coverage and my reports. Luckily, my station (including my News Director and the station’s owners) remained strong and backed me up each time. In the end, I believe our coverage (including my critical stories), made a positive difference for the people and organizations in Southern Illinois.

The Governor cut $400 Million from the state budget. He claimed the money was taken out of pork programs. But in Southern Illinois, those programs included Court Appointed Special Advocates, the United Way, and even money to replace a failing sewer system in a local city.

At the time, Governor Blagojevich and his family were staying at the Mansion in Du Quoin for the State Fair. He wouldn’t come out of the mansion. We decided to smoke him out by running reports on how the budget cuts affect our local organizations . I had leaders speak directly into the camera, since I knew the governor would be watching.

The next day, I planned to run into him while he jogged. I was all ready, but also aware that he may have been expecting me. About an hour later, he called a news conference. During the Q&A, I yelled out questions. He answered. Eventually, he retracted his statement and admitted not all the programs were pork.

Afterward, while I was getting in the car, a woman came up to me. She said she wanted to let me know that my questions were “tabloid” and that I should be ashamed as a journalist. I asked who she was and where she was from. She wouldn’t tell me her name or who she was with. All she said was that she did not work for Blagojevich. Later, I learned she was a lobbyist and obviously on the Governor’s side. She “encouraged” me to re-think my story. Basically, she wanted me to stop my reports and instead show the governor in a positive light.

At another time, the Lt. Governor (Pat Quinn) was quoted blaming many of Blagojevich’s bad decisions on his staff. I called a member of his press staff (who now works at a Public Relations firm) to get reaction. It was a phone interview, and she gave me permission to record. But as soon as I asked the first question, she immediately said she was off the record and began spouting off allegations about Quinn’s staff. She never had premission to go off record, plus, we didn’t have that kind of relationship. After speaking with my News Director and weighing our options, we decided to air her answer. Soon after, she called my station and wanted me to face consequences. Ha.

My favorite strong-arm experience with the Blagojevich Administration includes “journalist” Dick Kay. (I say “journalist” because he was suposed to be a famous and hard-nosed political journalist. He mediated a debate between Gov. Blagojevich and Judy Topinka during the last election, only to “retire” and go to work for Blagojevich.)

He came to the station to talk about Blagojevich’s Health Care plan. Kay arrived with an entourage. He even brought someone from a hospital (not in our viewing area) along for the more humanized part of the story. Kay made a point to tell me about all the awards he won. He told me this at least three times. I knew he would try to run circles around me. I made sure that didn’t happen. I was tough, and stayed focused. It became apparent that Kay was only repeating what the Governor wanted him to say– not really answering my questions. In my report, I called Kay a “flack who will say anything the governor wants him to say.” And my News Director actually thought I was still being too nice.

As soon as Blagojevich’s administration saw the story, they were furious. Kay even sent an e-mail to my station, directed at me. He called my story inaccurate, unfair, and tried to defend himself and his journalistic career: “To Lindsey Mastis There is an old adage in Chicago Journalism which says: ‘If your mother says she loves you check it out.’ You would be well served if you followed that advice,” Kay wrote. And that’s only the beginning. Again, a strong-arm tactic. I completely dismissed it. But I’m proud that I continued with my coverage and gave taxpayers valuable information about a program that would cost millions.

My first encounter with the Governor was in Anna, Illinois. I was a newspaper reporter for my college paper, The Daily Egyptian. I don’t recall the question I asked, but I’ll never forget what happened afterward. The Governor didn’t know the answer to my question and said he would have to research it and get back with me. No problem, I’d wait. About 30 seconds later, members of his press team warned me that I was to get permission from them before I could speak to the Governor. They said all my questions had to be pre-approved. That was at the beginning of his first term. Obviously, he only got worse.

We’ll have to see what happens now. Governor Blagojegich will have to face some serious accusations. When it comes to the allegations about the Governor trying to get some Chicago Tribune editorial staff members fired– well, I’m not surprised. All I can do is wait see what happens now.