Playing off Thursday’s Philadelphia Inquirer headline, New Jersey’s newspapers can’t exactly wash their hands of the “business as usual” culture that allowed the so-called ‘MAC account’ to flourish for two years.

If you look at past news stories about the MAC accounts, a.k.a. Property Tax Assistance and Community Development Fund, the coverage did not exactly live up to Woodward and Bernstein standards.

Case in point.  Daily reporting coming out of Wayne Bryant’s federal corruption trial would now leave readers to believe that nobody in state government had final responsibility for overseeing the distribution of more than $120 million in ad hoc budget funds. That’s contrary to how it was once reported.

At times over the last two weeks, the testimony offered by one witness even contradicted what he had previously told reporters.

So it raises the question, how was the slush fund characterized by the press in past reporting?

Dale Glading Endorsed By
Courier-Post and Philadelphia Inquirer

BARRINGTON – Dale Glading, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey’s 1st District, has received the endorsements of The Courier-Post and The Philadelphia Inquirer, the two largest and most influential newspapers in the region.

“I am truly humbled by the Inquirer and Courier-Post’s endorsements,” Glading said. “Both newspapers are well-respected, and their endorsements are both welcomed and appreciated.”

“I have met over 22,000 voters face to face since August 1st, and what they have told me is that they want someone who shares their concerns and will always tell them the truth,” Glading continued. “I have promised to put my constituents’ interests above my own and to continue campaigning hard for their votes on November 4th.”

Excerpt from the Courier-Post endorsement:

The Republican congressional nominee can be trusted to put the interests of constituents first.
[…]
Voters in the 1st District should carefully consider their options in this election. We urge voters to elect Republican congressional nominee Dale Glading of Barrington. In this race, it is easier to believe Glading when he says he will keep his word to work hard in Washington for his constituents. Andrews, on the other hand, has shown voters they are second to his political ambitions. If voters want a representative who won't say one thing and then do the other, Glading should get their vote.

Executive director of the Saints Prison Ministry, Glading has taken some principled stands that have led people to question whether he would attempt to blend the roles of church and state. These are fair questions to consider. Glading is pro-life and opposes abortion except in the case of rape and incest, or to save the life of a mother. He also believes marriage should only be between a man and a woman.

Yet, it would be unfair to cast Glading as a fringe candidate. He clearly is in the mainstream on many issues that New Jersey voters seem to care about.

He does not support the Bush administration's policy in Iraq. Rather, Glading argues the United States should withdraw U.S. troops from the country as soon as possible. And like Andrews and a majority of Congress, he supported the bailout for financial institutions. He insists, however, he would work to do three things Congress has not addressed: hold firm managers responsible for poor fiscal practices, impose tighter regulations on firms and do more to ensure taxpayers get a decent return on their investment in institutions they save from financial ruin. These are reforms backed by many Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

Going with Glading won't be a risk for 1st District voters. Glading appears capable of putting the nation's interests ahead of his own.

(“Vote for Dale Glading in 1st District race”, The Courier-Post, October 19, 2008)

Excerpt from the Philadelphia Inquirer endorsement:

DALE GLADING is an unusually strong Republican candidate for this heavily Democratic district, and he has The Inquirer's endorsement.

Glading, 49, of Barrington, runs a national prison ministry. We disagree with him on some of the issues, but he has articulated reasonable, moderate positions on immigration reform, the war in Iraq, and Social Security. Most important, he has given us no reason to doubt his integrity.

(“Honestly? Glading”, The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 20, 2008)

The Star-Ledger and the Philadelphia Inquirer have endorsed Rob Andrews for U.S. SenateThe Star-Ledger and the Philadelphia Inquirer have endorsed Rob Andrews for U.S. Senate against incumbent Frank Lautenberg in the Democratic primary.  Both papers also endorsed Dick Zimmer for the GOP nomination, although the Star-Ledger said they would back Andrews or Lautenberg over Zimmer in the general election.