average joan said:
Who the hell does KFYI think they are?
They're a talk station that specializes in conservative politics. Scott Bumblegard is a conservative politician who holds a high position in Arizona government. By definition, anything he does is fair game, especially if a crime was committed and he was involved.
In this country a person first has to be charged with something, and then is entitled a fair trial.
Yes, in a court of law, by a jury of his peers. He will get the chance to defend himself if the Phoenix PD gets its way. But in the court of public opinion, you don't get that benefit. We, individually, are the judge, jury, and (virtual) executioner. What you, I, or Mike Broomhead say isn't legally binding and doesn't matter. What a court says, and what the voters in his district think, absolutely does matter.
After listening to Broomhead crown himself as the person who is going to spend 3 hours convicting Buungard on the air, I have to say KFYI may have crossed a legal line. Regardless of what the person has done, for him to go on a 3 hour rant on his guilt before the man has even been charged is borderline slander.
No it isn't. The police report is available. His now-ex girlfriend was arrested. He wasn't only because he pulled rank, based on a clause in the Arizona constitution that has been invalidated in other states going back to the 1930s. It's not slander if facts are available. And the Phoenix Police Dept. has already recommended that charges be filed against Bumblegard.
Trying a man on the air in the court of public opinion is a very dangerous thing to do. You either are so desperate because your ratings are terrible, or you are just an idiot. KFYI might want to consult with their legal department on this one. Ridiculous....
No it isn't. It happens all the time. As long as Broomhead states that he's giving his opinion, then he's OK. I didn't listen to the show, but it sounds like he did nothing improper or uncommon.
Broomhead's biggest problem might be that Bumblegard is (at least, was) held in very high regard by people that are allied with KFYI's core audience, as well as important people (read: conservative Republicans) in the state gummint. KFYI could face some flack over this, and not by folks on a message board. I don't know if it's already happened, but I wouldn't be surprised if KFYI's general manager or upper management at Clear Channel gets a not--too-friendly phone call or visit from Gov. Sen. Pearce, probably Bumblegard's biggest supporter outside his own family.