I'm sorry, but when, exactly, has Sam Brooks said anything even remotely close to "mean" about Rees?

I guess I'm confused too- I've seen rivers of blogspam from Rees and his various nome de plumes, but haven't seen anything from Brooks side that rises to the level of mean. Is this an issue where Rees has simply outshone his competition (take that how you will) or is it more phony "he-said, he-said" stuff from the traditional media?

Go read the posts and comment sections on DCist.com. According to the DCist people there have been quite a few comments from "different people" who support Rees but they have all been from the same IP address.

Is this another example of Post false balance? I've yet to see any evidence of Brooks throwing any pies in this alleged "contest", which seems to be just a spam and smear campaign by Rees and his supporters/cultists/multiple personalities.

I agree with all the posters above. So far Mr. Rees has thrown all the pies and its "balanced" reporting like this that brings down all politics.

Of all candidates running in DC this year, Sam Brooks impresses me the most with his thoughtful, realistic and intelligent ideas for the city. Check out his blog sometime where he lays out exactly what his proposals are in detail no other candidate comes close to.

Sam will make an excellent Ward 3 Councilman. The real shame of the whole thing is how much in this other guy has recieved. He doesn't deserve to have his name in the same article as Sam. Sam proved in his last race that he is committed to moving the District forward - his policy positions are well thought out and researched; he offers real solutions to District issues and problems; and he brings a perspective much needed on today's DC Council. Sam will be a great voice for Ward 3 and the entire District of Columbia.

As others have mentioned, it would be more appropriate to call this as it is rather than trying to strike a false balance. I don't know anything about Sam Brooks or his campaign, but anyone who pays attention to the comment threads on DCist.com can't help but get the impression that Jonathan Rees has a serious mental problem. I'm not saying that to be funny. It's kind of sad.

Not to beat a dead horse, but I have yet to see Mr. Brooks make any posts to any blogs or Listserves, other than his own. I am sure it has taken much restraint to hold his tongue (or fingers in this case) while Mr. Rees and his various aliases dragged his name, and the names of other public and private citizens through the mud.

Just a cursory review of the various Ward 3 based Yahoo Groups, the DC Poltics section of the DCPages.com (http://www.dcmessageboards.com/index.php?showforum=193) or DCist archives will show at best a malicious attacker and at worse, a mentally unstable individual who has no business being on the ballot.

Since this blog doesn't have trackbacks:
http://dcdl.org/2006/02/06/false-balance-ward-3

Eric,

Your accusations of Sam Brooks being involved in the pie tossing are completely unfounded. It is very clear from multiple Yahoo Groups (ward 3, tenleytown, etc) and dcmessageboards, that Rees' actions are abundant. Missing is ANY involvement from Brooks. This good government approach is clearly a civilized way to approach the blantant disrespect Rees has for not only the Ward 3 race, but candidates, voters, and anyone else who happens to be involved, without engaging in what you call pie-tossing. You should be ashamed of yourself.

As someone who has somewhat followed this, I concur that Brooks hasn't been engaged in this pie-throwing at all.

I've said this on DCist before, and now that the Post is joining to to the blogging party I'll say it again:

No more ink (or "bytes") should ever be given to Rees in any online forum. It's like picking a scab and will just fuels a flame war.

There I said it.

Eric, there's no shame in this posting--blogging can be a "shoot first, ask questions later" exercise, but I hope that once you take measure of the truth on the ground, you'll engage in the traditional blogger "strikeout and correct" update.

Jonathan Rees quixotic attempt to get the attention of Sam Brooks and the DC electorate is more a story about a mentally unhinged man attempting to play chess with a handful of checkers. The "pie-throwing" contest is indeed entirely one-sided--all of the delectables seem to be coming from Crazy Johnny's Alienation Bakery.

Of course, the reality of this may hit home soon enough when Rees discovers this entry and subsequently spams the living daylights out of you.

By the way, dude has got more freaky-ass personas than Clinton Portis.

In so much as the Post should be concerned, Rees isn't worthy of the "also ran" status of perennial mayoral candidate,
Faith.

Someone get this clown a bugle.

People, it may come as a shock to many but Mr. Weiss may be correct.

What many do not know is, Sam Brooks did throw the first pie.

Brooks forgetting to conceal his cell phone number made calls to local authorities asking for email addresses so he could lodge compliants against Rees and then he did so but using phony email addresses.

Rees was made aware of the calls Brooks made and copies of the emails Brooks sent in an effort to injure Rees.

Most of your guys just are too dumb to see who threw the first pie but the local authorities know that it was Sam Brroks and Rees slammed back.

I am not voting for either but let us stopping bashing unless we know all the facts.

"Gordon Foer" is obviously rees. Typical Rees syntax and sentiment. Prove that "Brooks threw the first Pie." You can't because it never happened. What he's written above is a complete lie, and he's using an alias, characteristically, to avoid being held accountable for it.

INTERVIEW THIS GUY. LOOK INTO HIS BACKGROUND. I beg you.

This is laughable that Mr. Rees would come to the Washington Post website and start posting messages. I beg you, compare the IP addresses and syntax/allegations in this thread, and other political threads with posts and IP addreses at DCist and DCPages (DC Politcs Board).

Jeez. It's pretty clear that Rees is so focused on Sam Brooks -- it's the most bizarre thing I've ever seen in DC politics. It's like Rees is obsessed to the point of not being able to control himself.

For the record, Jonathan Rees has been banned from virtually every Ward 3 listserv, DCist, Craig's List (though he manages to sneak in some posts anonymously). All of these list owners and moderators must know something.

I hope the Washington Post has, by virtue of the Fenty thread, the Mendelson thread and the Guacamole thread, a better understanding as to who is doing the impersonations, who is slinging the mud, and who is acting as sand in the gears of political discourse for the Ward 3 race.