Far be it for me to defend the Tallahassee Press Corps from Nancy Smith, but she wrote a column TODAY criticizing the Tallahassee Press Corps for “frolicking” too often with the state legislators they cover:
In Florida — in the 21st century, anyway — reporters and legislators don’t spar, they frolic. They share jokes in the rotunda,leak secrets to each other in the food line in the Capitol’s lower lobby, succumb to each other’s relentless Tallahassee schmooze. They’re all pals at the palace.
I wonder if Smith regrets calling out Gary Fineout, Mary Ellen Klas, etc., now that it has been announced that Sunshine State News editor/reporter Lane Wright is going to be Governor Rick Scott’s Press Secretary?
I don’t know if Wright’s hire can be described as “frolicking” but this kind of revolving-door move will only drudge up questions about who really owns Sunshine State News?