Media

Plagiarizing Newspaper Editor Writes Check for ‘Bull S***’ After Video Confrontation With Persistent Local Blogger

Some people simply have no capacity to be graceful in defeat. This story might involve the poster child for that problem.

Bob Ripley, Publisher and Managing Editor of the Oregon Times Observer, a small local paper located in Oregon, Missouri, had a bit of a problem. On the one hand, there was a fairly serious local story his paper should cover involving an audit that found “serious shortcomings” in the local Sheriff’s Department due to its poor accounting. On the other hand, Ripley’s paper had already been scooped by conservative blogger Duane Lester, who had already done a comprehensive and devastating write-up of the audit’s findings.

Of course, Ripley could have assigned a reporter to write their own version of what happened, possibly with a nod to Lester’s blog post. Or he could have asked Lester for permission to reprint the blog post. He could have possibly even used some of Lester’s sources after verifying them himself.

Oregon Times Observer Editor Bob Ripley Tries to Rip Off Conservative Blogger Duane Lester, Gets Forced to Pay For Copyright Infringement On Camera

Lester's original blog post

Ripley did none of these things. Instead, he simply took Lester’s entire blog post, reformatted it so it would work as a newspaper article, added a paragraph of editorializing at the end, made a minor cosmetic change to the headline, and then ran it as a front page story without even copy editing it. In other words, Ripley stole Lester’s work, typos and all, and passed it off as his own. Oh, and did we mention he didn‘t even use Lester’s byline?

Oregon Times Observer Editor Bob Ripley Tries to Rip Off Conservative Blogger Duane Lester, Gets Forced to Pay For Copyright Infringement On Camera

Ripley's 'article' on the same topic

Fortunately, justice was not long in coming. You see, someone tipped Lester off about this blatant theft of his work, which led him to seek unofficial legal advice on the topic and then pen a full-scale “assertion of copyright” letter in which he graciously offers to let Lester off the hook for his infringement (a crime which carries a minimum fee of $750) if he’ll pay $500 to Lester for usage of the article.

This is where the story gets good. As it turns out, Lester didn’t simply mail this letter to Ripley and wait for the latter to write back meekly with a check. Like any good blogger, he took his camera and drove to Oregon, Missouri itself to confront Ripley face-to-face. The resulting confrontation was captured in the video below, and gets tense extremely quickly:

For those without a functional Flash player, I’ll explain the gist of what happens. Ripley begins by responding dismissively, sarcastically saying “We’re terribly sorry if we stepped on your feet” when Lester tells him what he’s done. Lester responds, “You didn’t step on my feet. You violated my rights.”

A woman who apparently works for Ripley responds incredulously at this statement, but Lester holds his ground. Ripley rapidly becomes confrontational, saying, “This doesn‘t even say where you’re from.” Lester responds that it doesn’t matter because copyright applies everywhere.

Ripley tries to distract from the issue by going on a rant about headline writing practices among older journalists. Lester dismisses this, pointing out that it has nothing to do with the issue at hand. After a bit more hemming and hawing (”It’s not reprinted 100 percent the way you had it!”), Ripley says he’ll talk to his lawyer. Lester forcefully points out that the copyright violating is crystal clear, with the implication that no lawyer would contest the case in court. Ripley – clearly angry – takes out his checkbook and writes a check, which he hands to Lester, saying “Now get your ass–” before the live video cuts out.

In a visual postscript to the video, Lester notes that Ripley told him to “Get your ass out of my building.” He then shows a screenshot of the check that Ripley wrote him. Look below to see the rather obviously childish reason Ripley gave for writing it:

Oregon Times Observer Editor Bob Ripley Tries to Rip Off Conservative Blogger Duane Lester, Gets Forced to Pay For Copyright Infringement On CameraThat’s right – Ripley wrote out a $500 check for “Bull S**t.” Lester apparently didn’t care, and cashed it anyway.

H/T: David Frum

Comments (50)

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  • dianak
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 9:06am

    First of all, for all you NON industry people who think EVERY paper in the country is liberal, it’s NOT. Working in the industry, I know that for a fact.

    Second, if this paper was owned by a holding company, the blogger should have contacted them right after he called out the editor on his theft, and demanded the editor be fired. There is no excuse for someone to be so lazy as to not even asking for permission to use someone‘s content outside of it’s intended purpose. When a person writes into a newspaper, it can be published as a “letter to the editor”, but not added in as content to an article. The editor should be fired, and the publisher reprimanded.

    Report Post »  
    • Nathaniel Horn
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 9:57am

      This was very entertaining. You’re right DIANAK, this old boy can’t be a liberal because underneath all of the hemming, hawing, squirming and bluster he actually has a conscience! Real Liberals don’t have one of those pesky things and would be able to blame their error on Global Warming or Bush or waterboarding or something much more creative than actually admitting responsibility for their own actions by writing a check. LoL…

      As an accomplished astrologer however, I can safely say that he has a Liberal rising; That’s the ******** part! LMAO…

      Report Post » Nathaniel Horn  
    • Nathaniel Horn
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 10:02am

      The Blaze edited a word out of my post which actually is printed in the article. That’s Bull$***! LOL…

      Report Post » Nathaniel Horn  
  • Docrow
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 8:56am

    ha ha ha busted!!

    and the wife is clueless…..

    Report Post » Docrow  
  • poster
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 8:52am

    Attaboy, Duane!!! Well done. Good for you!

    Report Post »  
  • Tigress1
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 8:51am

    The newspaper should have offered Lester a job working at the newspaper. Obviously, Lester is a much better, and less lazy writer than what they currently have! Oh well, Lester probably wouldn’t have accepted the position anyway. Most newspapers are on the brink of going bankrupt.

    Report Post » Tigress1  
  • Pro-Palin
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 8:21am

    Typical Liberal , We use the work of others so we can take that profit for free

    Report Post » Pro-Palin  
  • toomuchgovt
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 8:14am

    Mixed feelings. The owner of the paper should have thanked him for his hard work and asked to put him on consignment. As soon as he realized he wrote the article, he could have shook his hand and thanked him for getting the truth out there. Isn’t that what we are suppose to be doing? The writer of the article, could have started off by thanking the owner printing his hard work in the town it matters. The older generation doesn’t use the net and likes print. This could have been handled differently.

    Report Post » toomuchgovt  
    • Choctaw25
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 9:03am

      Mixed Feeling……… REALLY. You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s the problem with the world today. People with mixed feeling when the clear and present truth is before them. The buttho** was in the wrong and should be dealt with accordingly.
      If everybody refuses to stand up to people when they have been wronged, we wind up with liberalism running the country, just like we presently have.
      Wake up America, stop being wussies, fight back.

      Report Post » Choctaw25  
  • Meyvn
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 8:02am

    Pretty damned funny. It’s so much easier and less stressful to be simply… Honest.

    Report Post » Meyvn  
  • Bookster
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 7:59am

    Looks like this newspaper office just got “occupied”. Awesome video!

    Liberalism is a mental disorder.

    Report Post »  
  • Recceman90
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 7:25am

    The old lady trying to intimidate the camera man is priceless! The problem with small towns is they always want to cover up wrong doings and what ends up happening they all get run by thugs!

    Report Post » Recceman90  
  • wboehmer
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 7:09am

    C’mon, give the old guy a break.

    This is the very first time in all his years of publishing that he ever plagiarized something.

    Report Post »  
    • L0WRYDER
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 7:40am

      So one time makes it right. sound like Bull S**t to me

      Report Post »  
    • Docrow
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 8:59am

      First time to get called on it. He knew he had messed up or he wouldn’t have written the check so quickly.

      Report Post » Docrow  
    • Chris2
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 9:15am

      Guys guys remember? He’s 40 years older then him. It means we MUST give him a pass!

      Theft is theft.

      Report Post »  
  • grannyrecipe
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 6:30am

    pwned.

    Report Post » grannyrecipe  
  • turbo
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 4:11am

    The older you are, the more pathetic you look when telling a bald face lie!

    Report Post »  
    • MBA
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 9:19am

      That must be why obamy looks so whipped.

      Report Post »  
    • mdeputy7
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 11:49am

      lol. the term is bold-faced lie when you’re talking about somebody with the audacity to tell it. :). It’s bald-faced when it’s a very good lie, and you can’t tell that it is.

      Report Post »  
  • FromSeaToSea
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 1:06am

    The newspaper can not afford reporters so they just steal work and if caught argue or pay their way out. They probably do this all the time. It’s just business as usual for the thieves.

    Report Post »  
    • scherzophrenic
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 1:46am

      The good thing about this, is that the old plagiarist is now going to be fabulously famous for his petty crime. This is the gift that keeps on gifting.

      Report Post » scherzophrenic  
    • scherzophrenic
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 1:47am

      But will the paper acknowledge this?

      Report Post » scherzophrenic  
  • Carl1 Supports Israel
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 12:26am

    ******** want money from people cause they are too lazy (or too stupid) to do the work for themselves. Now they even think they have the right to take credit for the work other people have done. Unreal………

    Report Post » Carl1 Supports Israel  
  • COFemale
    Posted on May 15, 2012 at 12:17am

    Wow, it is refreshing to know that all Liberals regardless of age steal work and plagarize. Nothing has changed in 65 years. Who would of thunk it?

    Report Post » COFemale  
  • blackyb
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:17pm

    If so, the democrats could pay off the national debot.

    Report Post » blackyb  
  • TJexcite
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:10pm

    Just think if the blog was wrong on facts and everything and the paper re-printed it all wrong as well. The paper would be the ones in trouble and liable.

    Report Post » TJexcite  
  • jespasinthru
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:05pm

    Here’s a heads-up to all the articulate people who post here, and at all the other open forums: your statements get plagiarized all the time. You will see clever statements that came off the top of your head being used over and over, all over the place, days and weeks after you came up with them. But as long as the right message gets out there, it doesn’t really matter who gets the credit.

    Report Post » jespasinthru  
    • blackyb
      Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:18pm

      We are rather clever, aren’t we? Lol.

      Report Post » blackyb  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 1:30am

      Well, there are only so many words in the language, and even Hillary recycled a book title….”It Takes A Village.” Let them take my words, they will only PO the libs.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • rovinrobin
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 6:25am

      It’s one thing to pass around ideas you come across that you agree with in a forum like this one. It’s a different matter when you are a money making operation, like a local newspaper, profiting off of someone else’s work, like this plagiarizing old dude did…

      Report Post »  
    • Romans828
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 2:19pm

      This blogger didn’t just come up with some clever point to make on an existing news story. He did all the background research, he make the phone calls and broke the story. “As long as the right message gets out there, it doesn’t matter who gets the credit…” ???? That’s akin to the logic that the Occupiers try to make that we should just be a cashless society and everything should just be made or every service provided for free for the good of society! This blogger has every right to get paid for his work, and this newspaper publisher has every responsibility to pay him for the fact that he or someone on his payroll didn’t have to create the story. The point made elsewhere that every newspaper is not liberal is very accurate as well. Most of the smalltown local newspapers like this one seems to be are as conservative as their readers are, and since the vast majority of rural counties are conservative, that would be most of them.

      Report Post » Romans828  
  • Abraham Young
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:59pm

    Excellent!!! An honest man collects the fruits of his labors. Good job!!!

    Report Post »  
  • SingerGuy
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:33pm

    It used to be the practice among “older journalists” to attribute their sources, give bylines where due, and not plagiarize other authors. If this guy is going to argue the finer points of headlines, he’s sure missing the broad picture of stealing the work of someone else. I guess he considers what he “done” to be B.S. and thus wrote out the memo to remind himself to never do it again? ;-)

    Report Post » SingerGuy  
    • Romans828
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 2:23pm

      Excellent! I got the impression he was grasping at straws in trying to argue the generational gap, because he knew he was in the wrong and was just arguing to be argumentative. He was actually arguing against himself in trying to imply he had another reason to change the headline other than to not be guilty of word-for-word 100% plagiarism.

      Report Post » Romans828  
  • weknewbetter
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:31pm

    wrong is wrong. the hometown paper tried to claim ownership of the work, and said they would talk to their lawyer about it. But once the paper was informed of the word for word copying—-even the typos—-, he then changed his tune and wrote a check.

    He knew better, and being 40yrs oldr he should have manned up and made it right from the start!

    Report Post »  
  • purplehippo
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:21pm

    Pawned for sure. LOL

    Report Post » purplehippo  
  • Lisa
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:17pm

    Congrats Duane and in fairness, the old editor knew he “done wrong” and wrote out the check despite his curmudgeonly attitude. Plagiarism is never pretty.

    Report Post »  
  • R4M0N
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:15pm

    Instant Classic… Lester’s demeanor throughout the whole thing is amazing. Ripley tries to get on his face almost immediately and Lester doesn’t even raise his voice…

    I’m bookmarking his blog. Dude is cold as ice.

    Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:08pm

    BS has gone up in Value!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • right
      Posted on May 15, 2012 at 7:24am

      Poor guy, thought it was OK since obama does it all the time. And look how much he makes off of it.

      Report Post »  
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