Oct 7, 2005 4 min read

In today’s paper you will finally see a story regarding the status of a computer in state Rep. Larry Roberts’ Uniontown office. State agents reportedly seized it Sept. 27 – that was the tip, anyway – before reportedly bringing it back the same day. But in the absence of any official confirmation of the deed, we never ran a story. “Why not?” you may ask. The answer is simple: Until we hear it from a credible source, in this case Roberts or the appropriate state agency, such tips get classified under the heading of “rumor and innuendo.” So that’s where this one got parked for more than a week, until the House Democratic Communications Office put out a press release on the matter.

Still, it’s amazing to me that some people thought that we ran a story shortly after it happened, which was not the case. I heard that recitation from a caller last Friday during my regular appearance on WMBS radio’s “Let’s Talk” with host Bob Foltz, who also seemed to think he’d seen something on “Computergate” in the Herald-Standard. People were even speculating that they’d seen it on the front page, right below the fold, even though a story never appeared in print.

Another caller seemed to insinuate that we had missed the story, or were perhaps covering it up. Neither was, nor is, true. It would be laughable to think that such a story, involving any elected official, would be intentionally ignored. But if there is any sacred precept to the practice of good journalism, it is that you must verify, verify, verify. If we ran with every news “tip” spoken with passion and conviction, without checking it out first, we’d quickly find out that someone had misled us, either through their own misunderstanding of the facts or their own use of rumor and innuendo.

Certainly, everybody in this business likes a scoop, so tips are always appreciated and never turned down. But a problem jumps quickly into the equation when you can’t get confirmation. That’s when you put the story on hold, as you keep trying to call credible sources to find out if any of it was true.

It can be frustrating for a reporter or news organization, but that’s essentially the way it has to go down. If the state Attorney General’s Office won’t confirm or deny anything, or return your phone calls, you’re stuck. If the State Ethics Commission takes the same route, you’re still stuck. And if Roberts won’t say anything, all you can really do is bide your time, unless you were there to witness the computer being taken from his office.

But given Roberts’ high profile as a state legislator and the lack of any definitive statements on the status of a state grand jury investigation into alleged improprieties in last year’s 51st District primary election, this latest development . simply adds another subplot to a pretty thick drama. It’s baffling that no one will finally come forward to officially put the matter to rest, one way or the other.

Why would the State Ethics Commission want a computer from Roberts’ Uniontown office? Why would they bring it back the same day, as reported by Roberts’ office manager Doris “Toots” Perno? Why would Roberts file a petition for review with Commonwealth Court following the seizure? And why would a judge on that court issue a temporary injunction blocking the Ethics Commission from examining, copying or using the computer in any way? Why would the state House press apparatus be issuing a press release on the judge’s decision?

Finally, why would a representative of the state Attorney General’s Office say that it would defend the Ethics Commission in this matter once the suit is forwarded through the proper channels?

At this point there are many more questions than answers. But one thing appears certain: Something is still going on in Harrisburg regarding those alleged improprieties in last year’s 51st District race – an investigation, by the way, which has never been officially confirmed as pointing to any specific individual.

Let’s hope the messy matter is cleared up before next year’s primary election.

Paul Sunyak is editorial page editor of the Herald-Standard. He can be reached at (724) 439-7577 or at psunyak@heraldstandard.com