That's one side of the story

This story on Mitchell Ransansky by Sam Merten of the Dallas Observer cries out for a point-by-point response from Da Mayor. It's a well-written, interesting read, but completely one-sided. Sam also might get another picture of Rasansky by speaking to other, even former, council members (Lois Finkleman and Voletta Lill immediately come to mind), especially if he would agree to quote them anonymously, if they so desired. I am a big fan of Sam's, beginning from the days when he wrote for Dallasblog -- he was one of the local writers who inspired me to start this journal -- but I have long suspected he has some journalistic man crush on Rasansky. I have never read anything by Merten on Rasansky that didn't border on idolatry even when the councilman would, for instance, launch a rant on something the city wanted to do at an airport, only to learn the airport in question was Dallas Executive and not Love Field. Writing the Observer, especially its blog, Merten has the right to express his opinion, but he owes it to his readers to at least make some pretense of getting responses to some of Ransansky's accusations, even if Merten doesn't agree with those responses.