Citizen Journalists Back Off Track Palin Bus Vandalism Story

The Really: The stories about rumors coming from anonymous sources in Alaska regarding Track Palin's possible involvement in a large scale bus vandalism incident in 2005 have largely been abandoned because there was no there there.

Blogreally.com has been following this story (leaving sex and drug use rumors to those more interested) since the number of anonymous sources from Alaska seemed so sincere and certain that Track Palin was one of the unamed juveniles in a school bus vandalism incident in 2005.

Several Alaska blogs addressed this issue (Mudflats, Progressive Alaska, and What Do I Know) and indeed even we received anonymous comments certain (in that Urban Legend sort of certainty) that the rumor was true. In fact KUDO radio ran with the story and sparked some of the interest. But apparently this is also a rumor that has been around for several years.

Before and after the Daily News story which quoted a participant in the vandalism as saying Track Palin was NOT THERE there was considerable interest in the rumor. But one citizen jouranlist who did the most real reporting (you know like actually talking to people and checking facts) has pulled his article from newswire.com as he could not substantiate the rumor and felt he did not want to leave it online if it was ultimately speculation.

And yet the newswire.com piece (Robert Blevins - AB of Seattle) was interesting: showing the process that many investigative journalists go through especially on a story with large political ramifications on a national level. The main source for the KUDO report (someone who has worked with the judicial in Anchorage) will not go on the record for their own and perhaps obvious reasons.

Woodward and Bernstein got paid for their work and the citizen journalist has a job and bills to pay. If no one else goes on the record, there is nothing left except endless hours checking facts: like schedules that would prove where certain people were at certain times three years ago; or budgets to see if restitution was paid to the school district. Of course being properly barred from the juvenile court records unless make investigative reporting on this story a major undertaking. According to Blevins, The Washington Post investigated and apparently did not proceed with a story at this time. Progressive Alaska pulled its post on the reporting of the National Enquirer story --which was to include this rumor-- when it became clear the Enquirer was not fully sourced in its reporting. Or as they like to say in the paper biz "have not nailed it down yet."

Though earlier today Ryan Tate at Gawker thought it might be too soon to tell on the story, it has likely hit a dead end for now.

However, according to Deryck Harris's MySpace page (one of two admitted and verified vandals in the incident, and the one who was quoted in the Daily News saying Track was not there) he will be taking calls after September 16.

Update: KUDO has since done an interview with the father of Deryck Harris where he states he knows the others involved and Track Palin is not one of them. AB Seattle who wrote the newswire story has concluded that TRACK PALIN WAS NOT INVOLVED in the bus vandalism incident.