Calpeek would like to thank the Sacramento Bee for calling a duck a duck. Calpeek readers have probably noticed that those standing around the water cooler enjoy sarcasm, bluntness, and honesty. Yesterday, the Sacramento Bee’s Editorial Board published an opinion piece that included all of the above and reminded us why journalism is essential in a free society.
The title of the opinion piece is “The city of Sacramento investigated itself and found no wrongdoing. Sounds about right.” The piece discusses the City of Sacramento’s investigation into whether Sacramento City Councilman Sean Loloee lives in his district. The attorney hired to investigate if Loloee actually lives in the residence in which he claims to live delivered a report that says Loloee’s primary residence is where he says it is.
Months long investigations by Sacramento Bee reporters indicate that Loloee lives with his wife and children in a $1.4 million home in Granite Bay, not in the community of Nogales. Granite Bay is outside of Loloee’s council district, and, if he doesn’t live in Nogales, he is ineligible to serve on the Council from that district.
Last week, Calpeek wrote about the questionable investigation. The Bee’s opinion piece reviews some details about the newsroom’s many stories and extensive reporting on the situation. It concludes with “The simple truth is that the city’s report looks like a whitewash.”