The Armstrong Payola Incubater

staff — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 19:34:11 -0700

Caught this over that OH02 - The Bloga Nostra Draws Heat.

leading some people to compare the blog boomlet they helped create for Dean to the work of online bulletin-board posters who touted dodgy Internet stocks during the boom market without disclosing that they were being paid for their words.

Which, interestingly, is precisely what the Securities and Exchange Commission, in court documents filed last August, alleges that Jerome Armstrong did in 2000. (The original S.E.C. complaint is here.) In a subsequent filing, the S.E.C. alleges that ��there is sufficient evidence to infer that the defendants secretly agreed to pay Armstrong for his touting efforts�� on the financial Web site Raging Bull.

Without admitting or denying anything, Armstrong has agreed to a permanent injunction that forbids him from touting stocks in the future. The S.E.C. remains in litigation with him over the subject of potential monetary penalties.

It's a translation of skills from one use to another, only in this case Armstrong has been fished out

The problem is that Warner is giving Jerome money to get favorable coverage from Markos on his blog and in his role as a talking head. The problem is that Warner is giving Jerome money to get a special platform at Markos��s convention.

I don��t think there is much doubt that the arrangement is clear to all three men.

I��m not a lawyer, but I assume no laws are being broken. Markos has been clear that he doesn��t want to be considered a journalist, so no journalistic ethics are being violated.

But it��s still corrupt as all hell.

I caught a lot of heat at the time for writing this, and this. As someone who used to post and participate regularly at dkos I must say I do feel a sense of disappointment. It became obvious to me some time ago, as my writing shows that it was a scam, perpetrated on people desperate for change and leadership. Instead the stewards, kos and Armstrong sold them out - and continue to do so.

While the front page work of MyDD sans Armstrong remains for the most part quality work, dkos has morphed into some disconnected alternative reality - just a quick scan of the recommended diaries and one would think it was a place to get therapy.

What really happened at Countdown. - who cares ?

Stunning Encounter over Fruit Pies; a Cautionary Tale - fruit pies ?!

I Love You All - A Thank You - uh, oktayyy.

But i suppose we can be thankful for small mercies.

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The Armstrong Payola Incubater