On April 1st, we reported that the FBI was investigating Kasich and his allies for using threats, intimidation and promises of influence during their take over of the State Central Committee. Yesterday – 48 days later – someone finally went on the record. In an email, Andrew Manning’s attorney confirmed the FBI investigation, and we broke the story.

[Joseph pats himself on the back]

But that’s nothing, really.

It took 56 days for anyone to confirm the story we posted on March 23th. That post included the full text of a complaint filed with the Ohio Ethics Commission claiming John Kasich and his allies threatened Republican State Central Committee member Maggie Cook, warning her to to withdraw from the race making way for Kasich ally Rebecca Heimlich, or risk losing her job with Associated Builders and Contractors. When Cook refused, ABC fired her.

No one else published her story, or the stories of the multiple other people included in the ethics complaint, until yesterday when the Plain Dealer’s Reggie Fields finally confirmed Cook’s story of intimidation and firing. Unfortunately the Cook story was thrown in at the end of his article. The editor-written headline didn’t mention her at all. And they effectively buried the whole thing on the last page before the obits. But at least they published it. Which is more than I can say for the Dispatch, who continues to sit on this story.

Listen, I completely understand that the Dispatch has their own interests to look after. They have great access to Kasich and his people, often getting exclusive first dibs on stories. And that access comes at a cost. But this information is out there, and it has been for months. And any serious news organization ignoring it is doing a disservice to their readers.

In case maybe they missed my original post, or lost the email I know they received containing the same information, I’ll republish it below as a reminder: