GULAG NPR

Trouble is, Rutten's column about the D'Arcy/NPR/MoMA controversy is lodged behind the LAT's Subscription Curtain. So here's some of what he wrote:

According to D'Arcy, he was questioned in a telephone conference with Barbara Rehm and William K. Marimow, both of whom are managing editors of NPR News. As D'Arcy recalls it, Rehm told him, "'there are real problems with your piece.' I was asked why I didn't confront Lauder directly over the Schiele case. 'You made Ronald Lauder look like a hypocrite,' I was told. [Lauder is chairman of MoMA's Board of Trustees.] Bill Marimow said, 'You made these guys look like bad Jews,' while Rehm hissed 'shabby, shabby' in the background. Then they told me I had violated every rule of journalism.... I don't think they accused me of bombing the World Trade Center, but it may have been slipped in. They asked me for all sorts of off-the-record material. Then, they said, we'll get back to you."

When they did, it was to terminate his contract. With their lawyer listening in on the phone, they also told D'Arcy his editor, Tom Cole, a staffer at "All Things Considered," was "suspended without pay for one day and, Rehm, according to D'Arcy, told him that "Cole agreed with all the criticisms and had showed the appropriate remorse."

Maybe NPR should change its letters to GULAG? How about GITMO? In any case, what did Rehm have to say when Rutten called her for comment on D'Arcy's firing? Zilch. She didn't return his calls. What did Marimow have to say? "We looked into this matter and we issued a correction and that's all I have to say." In other words, more zilch.