Petrelis Files

[From nievese@washpost.com]


Hello:

I appreciate your concern, but Ross and I live together. We have been partners for five years. I have not written about his campaign nor about the District 5 race. My bosses let me come to San Francisco Tuesday to be with him.Thanks.

Evelyn Nieves

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Dear Ms. Nieves:

Thanks for replying so quickly. While I understand you're not writing about Mirkarimi or his campaign in the Haight Ashbury district, I do wonder if your $500 donation to his campaign violated any Wash Post ethical guidelines. I am under the impression that the paper prohibits reporters from political donations, even if the reporter is not writing about a given candidate. Has the post adapted its rules about this since Kurtz wrote about them back in January?

Best,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA

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Dear Mr. Petrelis:

The standard for reporters is not to donate to any campaign because it compromises objectivity.

In my case, I was already compromised because Ross Mirkarimi is my domestic partner and of course I was rooting for him. So donating to his campaign does not further compromise me.

The rule is; I stay out of writing about the particular race and/or any of the candidates in that race.

I hope this answers your questions once and for all.

Evelyn Nieves