Scheuch told investigators he made more money selling firearms online than he did while working. https://t.co/eb1cEoF6jI
— Idaho Statesman (@IdahoStatesman) October 29, 2019
U.S.A. – -(Ammoland.com)- “After warning from ATF bureau, Boise man pleads guilty to selling firearms illegally,” the Idaho Statesman reported Friday. “William Richard Scheuch was arraigned on the charge in Boise on Tuesday.”
The story was illustrated with a photo of a man posing with a rifle. Several other rifles were on display racks on the wall behind him.
“Scheuch told investigators he made more money selling firearms online than he did while working,” the Statesman tweet promoting the story and using that photo proclaimed. The caption reiterated the guilty plea, the warning and the allegation of continued sales.
The problem? That’s not Scheuch in the photo. And readers not knowing better would assume it is.
“Idaho Second Amendment Alliance posted a video today calling out the Idaho Statesman for reusing the same picture of a Boise-based firearms manufacturer Primary Weapons Systems National Sales Manager Stacey Nagy showing one of their firearms,” Ryan Horsley, General Manager at Red’s Trading Post in Twin Falls advises (and there’s a whole ‘nother long story behind how I know Ryan).
“The picture originally was from a video discussing the difference between Modern Sporting Rifles and machineguns,” Horsley continued. “They have since used the same picture in two additional articles that were negative, one of in regards to an AR-15 not being allowed as a donation in a school fundraiser.
“Obviously with the Mr.Nagy’s picture above the article, it appears that it was him that was arrested and this is a very damaging implication to a law-abiding, heavily-regulated firearms manufacturer and their employee,” Horsley explained. “ISAA President Greg Pruett is calling for Idaho Statesman Editor to remove the pictures and print a retraction.”
That’s appropriate, and since this story was first brought to my attention, the article photo has been changed on the Statesman web page. But doing it quietly and hoping no one notices doesn’t cut it. A full and prominent retraction and apology are still due.
How did it happen in the first place? We‘ve seen repeatedly that “journalists” aren’t particularly knowledgeable about the gun issues they presume to present themselves as subject matter experts on. Nor is a “profession” that is overwhelmingly Democrat particularly sensitive to gun owner concerns about fairness and accuracy. A good bet would be somebody in editorial heard “gun story” and the quick and easy solution was to grab the “gun picture” they’d used several times before without considering the context.
Maybe I’m giving them too much benefit of the doubt and somebody just wanted to stick it to gun people, but I’m going to go with laziness here. And that to me is just as inexcusable.
Such sloppiness can be damaging, particularly to anyone so misidentified, and especially since it’s well-documented how many readers scan headlines and form often-incorrect impressions without thoroughly reading articles. And a lot of people now have reason to believe a guy whose only “offense” was trying to explain the truth about guns is a <Gasp!> “gun criminal.”
“The paper’s circulation is 48,739 copies, making the Statesman the largest newspaper by circulation in the state of Idaho,” Ballotpedia notes. And while MondoTimes estimates the number closer to 38,952, that’s still a lot of eyeballs. Add to that over 78,000 Twitter followers and almost 73,000 Facebook followers, and all kinds of possibilities for unpleasant meatspace encounters could arise.
“Here is the video we did on Facebook regarding the Idaho Statesman issue,” Pruett replied to Horsley in our email conversation. “I spoke with the CEO of Primary Weapons Systems. He was also going to reach out to them…”
About David Codrea:
David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating/defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament. He blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” is a regularly featured contributor to Firearms News, and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.
Asking for a retraction and apology isn’t appropriate anymore. None of this is by accident. Every one of these false stories should be met with legal action of the type to put the offending publication out of business.
Right!! They slander you in boldface above the fold on Page 1; and IF they do a retraction, it’s in small print a week or two later below the fold on the 2nd-to-last page.
The publishers, editors and writers of these lies should be held to the same level of accountability for their actions (abuse of the 1st Amendment) that those who abuse the 2nd Amendment are held to. When these so-called journalists pull this crap, they should be arrested, charged with a crime, prosecuted and when convicted be jailed, fined and then never allowed to publish, broadcast or in any way be involved in the media.
So many multi-millionaire Californians moved to Boise, and Idaho in general, back in the 1990s. Boise has automobile emissions inspections and a host of gay courses in schools because the disease that is liberalism has infested Boise. There has NEVER been a smog problem in Boise. Ann Morrison Park was this really nice little park in downtown Boise. It is a doper hippy hang out craphole. The liberal morons insisted Boise kneel and be like California. The Californians moved to Boise to get away from California insanity so they infested Boise and Idaho with their crazyness. Californian democrat communists are… Read more »
The disease is spreading across many western states. I was hoping the state would break off into the ocean and wash them away like a flea bath.
Damn, TJ, you musta hit some leftists’ nerves to get several downvotes right away.
You’re right, though. Leftists turn their home-state Commiefornia into a sh!thole, then when the damage is done and the place is unlivable, like cancer they burst forth and infect the surrounding tissue (other states) and begin the process all over. The only acceptable remedy is to physically remove all leftists from the USA. There are lots of socialist utopias for them to choose from; Venezuela, North Korea, or the big one, China.
This is why I hate Cali transplants,they leave the pig pen, to get away from unbelievable taxes, and housing costs.Then bring the same ideas that got them to leave Cali into the new area and replant the crap they left to begin with.Look at Colorado.
Across the street from me is a “Cali transplant.” He left Cali (he and his wife and children, of course, are Hispanic) because he was fed up with the liberal bullshit. He works for our smallish city. He still has a son in Cali and the son won’t leave because the wife doesn’t want to leave her family, at least for now. Stand up guy who owns several guns one of which is a Glock 20. I am glad to have him as a neighbor.
Moved to Idaho in 1968, nice quiet little ski town called Sun Valley. If dear old dad woulda just bought a few building lots back then… damn, I might be rich. By the late ’70’s the hords from kali were on us, and Hollywood filth were swarming the place. Putting up 30,000 square foot mansions to spend two weeks a year in then leave vacant for the other fifty weeks. That dip shit Schwarzenegger built a place just down the road from our house, master bathroom big enough to play tennis in. They brought all the shit they should of… Read more »
They’re going to “contact” the paper? I’m confused, doesn’t knowingly and falsely using someone’s picture or identity in a way that could cause them harm constitute a libelous action? According to the story, this is not the first time this has occurred so a pattern has been set. I used to be loathe to use the courts to settle matters but I’ve since learned that mega $$$ settlements are the only thing Liberals understand.
Having worked as a professioinal photographer in my own business, I learned something about the law when it comes to the use of images. The newspaper did NOT create that image. Thus, unless they specifically entered into an agreement with whoever DID create it, they do NOT have the copyright on that image, someone else does. Further, that image contains the likeness of an identifiable PERSON, and unless that individual person signed a “model release” to the owner of the copyright, (again, NOT the paper) and/or to the paper that just used it, the paper do not have the legal… Read more »
Wake up people, legacy media are the enemy propaganda corps – and if there’s one thing I’ve learned about dishonest leftists masquerading as ‘journalists’, they will make up any lie, cleverly slander you six ways to Sunday just to advance the leftist narrative about non-leftists.
For some reason, it is entirely acceptable for people to be ignorant but still able to render an expert opinion, or make laws for that matter, regarding gun control.
We moved to Twin Falls 15 years ago from Kalif. and love this area. The Boise area is growing so fast it starting to remind us of L.A.
I also know Ryan Horsley and met David when Red’s Trading Post was having trouble with the ATF.
Another example of the MEDIA’s fake or phony news. These media outlets hates those of us that want to live in peace and protect our families, property, freedoms and our lives. They publish lies everyday. Cancel your subscriptions, write and complain, call and tell these liars you will not support or buy their lies. Forget “letters to the editors” because they won’t print those. Spread the word so they will lose circulations. DO NOT SUPPORT THE MEDIA.