Athens News CEO Bruce Mitchell lives in a glass house of cards! In his inane diatribe April 12 against Post columnist Anna Moore’s “Graffiti makes its mark, leaving a legacy behind,” he advised Anna to take “the journalism ethics course” at Ohio University.
HAH! Mitchell wouldn’t know ethics if it bit him.
In 1985, I rented page six of his paper to publish my “Art Piece.” On publication day Oct. 24, I found four sections missing from my some 1,700-word + image “media-art piece.” I requested a reprint. Privately, Bruce told me, “If I give you a reprint, I’ll lose $150.” He violated his own printed reprint promise and journalistic ethics for profit.
In early March 1993, Mitchell and Mark Smedley were seen by at least six local men in their conspiracy to invade my privacy and cause me extreme emotional distress. Smedley: Manager of the former Wackenhut Securities firm that was located on the top floor of the Athens News building. According to then-Wackenhut computer operator John Giordano, Smedley ordered him to “get some dirt on Spofforth to use against” a city council member he and Mitchell virulently opposed.
In his Wackenhut searches, Giordano found my name and 19-year-old (1974) misdemeanor court case. Smedley made photocopies of it, as workers Mike Walinsky and Keith McPencow witnessed, according to Giordano’s report to me in 1995 — one year too late under Ohio’s Statute of Limitations for me to sue Smedley and Mitchell for serious damages.
Apparently, Smedley gave his photocopies to Mitchell who, in his rounds scurrying Uptown getting advertising contracts, allegedly secretly pinned one copy each in the center of the bulletin boards at Casa Nueva and the former Another Fool’s Case (Passion Works building) and taped a copy on the hallway walls outside Channel 19 at Suite 412 in 8 North Congress Street — owned by Mitchell and Athens News’ partner Guy Phillips.
Mitchell then allegedly walked into the former Pipe Dreams shop on West Union Street that was owned by his friend, Paul “Jake” Jacobson. He was seen by Jonathan Prince (reporter), Sean Pogue and Jacobson. “Bruce walked in and handed Jake a copy of it (my record). Jake said ‘Spofforth’s in jail!’ We showed the date (1974) to him.”
Shortly thereafter, Nancy at Casa Nueva retrieved that court paper for me. I thanked her and got the papers at Another Fool’s Café and Channel 19. Jacobson denied that anyone handed him a copy: “I just found it lying on the counter.” Johnathan Prince sticks to his story. Pogue said, “No comment.” In late 1986, Mitchell stopped my frequent “letters,” commentary and mention of my name from being published in his rag.
So, one final suggestion for Bruce: Get psychological help and training in real-world ethics. Refund my $299 + 27 years’ interest and compensate me rightfully for your malicious criminal act against me in March 1993.
Those are ethical acts due to me, Mitchell. By criticizing Anna, you brought karma upon yourself.
John Spofforth resides in Athens.
