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Val Stilwell’s guest column in Lookout Eugene-Springfield arguing that press coverage of Lane County Commissioner David Loveall amounts to “smears” misses the core purpose of journalism: to provide citizens with the information they need to make informed decisions about their lives, communities and governments. It is the media’s job to report what is happening, even when those stories make public officials or the general public uncomfortable. Feelings of discomfort don’t outweigh the validity of a situation or the need to address it.
The writer suggests a recent Lookout column was flawed because it did not emphasize Commissioner Pat Farr’s inclusion in the harassment complaint filed by the former county attorney. But the focus of the specific piece she criticized was on the upcoming election, an election in which Loveall, not Farr, is on the ballot. That context matters. Acknowledging Farr’s involvement doesn’t erase the fact that Loveall was also named in the claims and was part of the board that voted to approve the very settlement she expressed distaste for.
To say that the settlement represented “avoidance” rather than “accountability,” while dismissing Loveall’s own participation in its approval and the circumstances behind it is, at best, selective reasoning. It is also noticeable that Stilwell fixates primarily on the settlement while disregarding the many other controversies, complaints and documented workplace concerns that have emerged during Loveall’s term. These issues are part of the public record and part of why many constituents, myself included, are alarmed by his conduct in office.
Stilwell claims Loveall’s critics are attacking “voters like (her) who believe in accountability and expect transparency and honesty from our government.” But those shared beliefs are precisely why Lane County residents are speaking up! That is why we’re expressing our frustration with Loveall’s lack of integrity. That is why we’re holding him accountable for his indiscretions. Highlighting Loveall’s behavior is not an attack on voters. It is an effort to ensure that Springfield is represented by someone who models the basic professional standards that are expected of the rest of us in our workplaces.
As a Navy veteran myself, I still strive to uphold the values of the Sailor’s Creed long after leaving service. It might be time for Loveall to brush up on the creed because at this point, his behavior in office makes him look less like a leader and more like a shipwreck.
Ultimately, no one is trying to silence anyone. We are participating in the democratic process by demanding better of our elected leaders. That is accountability. That is transparency. And that is the foundation of our republic.
