The Story of THE RAG! (St. Mary's Today Newspaper) [Kindle Edition]

Ken Rossignol (Author), Rosemary Fifield (Editor)

Book Description

In the short course of less than one year, a small-town newspaper which was run on a shoe-string was featured on the front page of two major newspapers and on network news, all due to covering the news with loud flashy headlines that 'shouted' the news rather than boring its readers to tears. In short, the news made news.
That was just the beginning, before long the newspaper would be the target of an organized effort by a county sheriff and his deputies and a candidate for states attorney to clean the paper off newsstands the night before an election and result in a landmark First Amendment case which is now the law of the land.

"The incident in this case may have taken place in America, but it belongs to a society much different and more oppressive than our own. If we were to sanction this conduct, we would point the way for other state officials to stifle public criticism of their policies and their performance. And we would leave particularly vulnerable this kind of paper in this kind of community.
Alternative weeklies such as St. Mary's Today may stir deep ire in the objects of their irreverence, but we can hardly say on that account that they play no useful part in the political dialogue. No doubt the public has formed over time its opinion of the paper's responsibility and reputation. If defendants believed its attacks to be scurrilous, their remedy was either to undertake their own response or to initiate a defamation action. It was not for law enforcement to summon the organized force of the sheriff's office to the cause of censorship
and dispatch deputies on the errands of suppression in the dead of night."
---Fourth Circuit, United States Court of Appeals - Rossignol v. Voorhaar

Editorial Reviews

Review

Should police officers be allowed to round up newspapers that are critical of their actions to prevent the public from reading them?
The Fourth Circuit, United States Court of Appeals had this to say:
The whole purpose of the Ku Klux Klan Act was to prevent public authorities from violating constitutional rights through the use of nominally private means. Whether the rights be those of small papers and their readers or those of freedmen is not dispositive. The unlawfulness of private infringement of those rights under color of state law remains the same.
We would thus lose sight of the entire purpose of § 1983 if we held that defendants were not acting under color of state law. Here, a local sheriff, joined by a candidate for State's Attorney, actively encouraged and sanctioned the organized censorship of his political opponents by his subordinates, contributed money to support that censorship, and placed the blanket of his protection over the perpetrators. Sheriffs who removed their uniforms and acted as members of the Klan were not immune from § 1983; the conduct here, while different, also cannot be absolved by the simple expedient of removing the badge.

From the Author

This description of the historic court case was written by Jane Kirtley in the American Journalism Review:
Censorship at 75 Cents a Copy
Some sheriff's deputies in St. Mary's County, Maryland, were as steamed as the region's famous blue crabs.
The November 1998 election was approaching. Their favored candidates, incumbent Sheriff Richard Voorhaar and lawyer Richard Fritz, running for state's attorney, were on the ballot.
But the problem was that the local weekly newspaper, St. Mary's Today, had a long history of criticizing county officials in general and law enforcement personnel in particular. The newspaper's brand of journalism was robust, to say the least. It had called one of the deputies a "drunk," another a "child abuser" and a third a "shoeshine boy."
The deputies didn't take kindly to this sort of abuse. According to court documents, they claimed that the paper was "unsavory" and published "outright lies." What really worried them, though, was that St. Mary's Today was due to publish on Election Day, and the deputies anticipated the paper would take potshots at Voorhaar and Fritz without giving them an opportunity to defend themselves.
So, as told in court records, the deputies cooked up a scheme to "protest [their] disagreement" with St. Mary's Today Publisher Kenneth Rossignol's "irresponsible journalism." They agreed to buy as many copies of the newspaper as they could from stores and vending machines before citizens could purchase them. They even planned to stage a "bonfire party" afterward. That ought to "piss off" Rossignol, they figured.
The deputies checked with Voorhaar and Fritz, both of whom approved the plan and kicked in some money to support the enterprise. Fritz advised them that it might be a good idea to get receipts to prove that they had bought the papers, not stolen them.
On election eve, six deputies set out on their mission. They were off duty, driving personal cars, and out of uniform. But two of them carried service revolvers. One wore a Fraternal Order of Police sweatshirt. And they were well known to the clerks in the convenience stores who routinely gave them free coffee and soft drinks.
When the deputies asked to buy all of one store's newspapers, a clerk later testified that they made it "real apparent [that] they could make my life here a living hell" if he declined to sell them.
In a few hours, the deputies visited 40 stores and 40 newsboxes, cadging at least 1,300 copies of St. Mary's Today, which has a circulation of 5,300. One witness later claimed he could not find "any papers anywhere in the county."
And sure enough, as the deputies had expected, the paper carried a front-page headline declaring "Fritz Guilty of Rape," referring to the candidate's guilty plea to a charge of carnal knowledge of a 15-year-old more than 30 years earlier, along with a story about a complaint filed against Voorhaar over his handling of a sexual harassment claim.
Rossignol filed a federal civil rights suit a year later, claiming that the officials had violated the First, Fourth and 14th Amendments, as well as state law. A federal district judge threw out the suit, finding that the deputies had not acted "under color of state law" when they bought the papers, but as private citizens. And because no "police action" occurred, Fritz and Voorhaar got off, too.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals saw it differently. In a unanimous opinion by Chief Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson, a three-judge panel ruled in January that the deputies' conduct amounted to a "systematic, carefully organized plan to suppress the distribution of St. Mary's Today" because they disagreed with its viewpoint, and to "retaliate against those who questioned their fitness for public office." That's exactly the "kind of suppression of political criticism that the First Amendment was intended to prohibit," Wilkinson observed.
Just because the deputies were acting outside their normal working hours didn't mean they weren't using the power of their office to carry out their plan, the court found. Like law enforcement officials who conspired with Ku Klux Klan members to intimidate former slaves, "the conduct here...cannot be absolved by the simple expedient of removing the badge," Wilkinson wrote.
If the deputies disagree with what St. Mary's Today had to say, they are free to denounce the paper, Wilkinson suggested. They can even sue for libel. But as he concluded, "to summon the organized force of the sheriff's office to the cause of censorship" "belongs to a society much different and more oppressive than our own." One where the government, not the citizen, decides what is the truth and what are "outright lies."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 8513 KB
• Print Length: 310 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 146633116X
• Publisher: St. Mary's Today Newspaper LLC (December 18, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006NSFV9S
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #660,964 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Meet the tiger! January 20, 2012

By Gus Philpott

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Ken Rossignol is the tiger. Maybe that should be Tiger! I thoroughly enjoyed his book, and I highly recommend it. Be warned, though; you'll lose some sleep because you won't want to stop reading, when it's time to turn out the light and get some sleep.
Seems like nobody was safe from Ken's keyboard, and that's just how it should be. When he saw a "wrong", he got after it. And he stayed after it.
Sometimes I think Ken and I might be two peas out of the same pod. We are just unwilling to let somebody in government or the law try to get away with something that's wrong.
Ken writes about it in an interesting way, and he'll hold your attention from the first page to the last.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A WONDERFUL AND INCISIVE LOOK AT A LOST ART December 20, 2011

By Richard S. Friedman

Format:Kindle Edition

There was a time when journalists were true newsmen and newswomen. When names like Royko, Mencken, Wicker, Reston and Frank Reynolds symbolized the true mission and art of journalism. They were not pretty but true journalism is not pretty and each felt the punlic had "a right to know".
Today, Journalists have become another type of performer or entertainer, complete with agents and make up artists. The sad state of the "media" makes Ken Rossignol's new book THE RAG so very enjoyable and compelling. It is a salve to those of us who value true newspeople and journalism,and proof that it still exists, albeit, not nearly as common as it used to be.

The Story of THE RAG is a brilliant and cutting story of the newspaper ST. MARY'S TODAY...as the blurb sums up "In the short course of less than one year, a small-town newspaper which was run on a shoe-string was featured on the front page of two major newspapers and on network news, all due to covering the news with loud flashy headlines that `shouted' the news rather than boring its readers to tears. In short, the news made news.
That was just the beginning, before long the newspaper would be the target of an organized effort by a county sheriff and his deputies and a candidate for states attorney to clean the paper off newsstands the night before an election and result in a landmark First Amendment case which is now the law of the land."

To call The Story of THE RAG just an other "underdog" tale is to do this superb book a great injustice. In addition to being utterly engrossing, Ken Rossignal has perfected the art of producing a cautionary tale on freedom of the press as well as dedication to the reported word....

A JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB MUST READ

RICK FRIEDMAN
FOUNDER
THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB Read more ›

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars First Amendment Warrior! December 19, 2011

By Kevin Brubeck

Format:Kindle Edition

This is the story of a dying breed of newspaperman. The term "Journalist" does not do them justice. It is too polite a term. These were newspaper men. This was a paper cut from the sturdy cloth of old. When a paper took sides and the editorial staff didn't worry about the fallout from the cowardly ad folks. It was an outfit who called it exactly as they saw it, with little concern if the old boy network was exposed to the bright light of public scrutiny. They sunk their teeth into a story and did not let go until the corrupt politicians, drug dealers or unsavory businessmen were brought to justice. I come from a family of newspaper men and women. I really appreciate what Mr. Rossignol did to create this wonderful public service to the community he continues to serve in Southern Maryland. Keep up the good work and keep writing exceptional books!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Been There, Done That, Loved It! April 9, 2012

By Nick Russell

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a former small town newspaper publisher myself, who was known for stepping on toes and exposing what public official's hand was caught in the cookie jar or under the wrong skirt, I related very well to Ken Rossignol's great book, The Rag. I've dealt with many of the same type of corrupt elected and appointed officials, including a county sheriff who stood in my office and swore to stop my car and shoot me dead some dark night.

If you've ever wondered what it was like to peel the thin veneer of civility off a small town and look underneath, this book will do the trick. Ken Rossignol is the kind of courageous newspaperman I admire, and that I'd love to sit down and swap war stories with.

Be warned, don't start this book unless you have time to finish it, because it is a fascinating read that I didn't want to put down. The only problem I had with the book was that on my Kindle, the editorial cartoons were hard to see, and they were very much a part of the newspaper's character. This is a problem with the basic Kindle, and they showed up much better on my iPad. But don't let that stop you, as I said, the story is fascinating.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding reading January 15, 2012

By Chuck

Format:Kindle Edition

"St. Mary's Today - The Story of the Rag!" was a book that I started to read and could not put down until I finished reading the entire book. Just as he did when he was operating the newspaper known as "St. Mary's Today", the author, Ken Rossignol does an outstanding in this book on reporting the crime and politics that occurred in Southern Maryland during the past 20+ years. I am looking foward for Volume II and III to be published.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars THE STORY OF THE RAG January 14, 2012

By DBW86

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

"THE RAG" by Kenneth Rossingol is a great read for anyone who has ever lived in small towns, or ever wondered what it was like to live in one. It is the story of a small start up from scratch newspaper and it's editor (Mr. Rossingol, also the author of the book) who brought honesty and enlightenment to the long established news of sleepy Souther Maryland. Southern Maryland is comprised of St. Mary's County, Calvert County and Charles County. St. Mary's County is the "Mother County" of the State where the first settlers landed on 25 March 1634, which also makes it one of the oldest counties in the entire United States. Calvert was founded in 1658 as was Charles County. The old families of these 3 counties trace their linage back to the first landing in St. Mary's by the good ships The Ark and The Dove and it was from these 3 counties that the State of Maryland grew. Up until the end of the 20th century Southern Maryland was still slumbering between the good ole days and becoming a thriving participant in the Greater Washington, D.C. area. News within these counties was pretty much kept within the counties themselves through their small home town local newspapers and a couple of local radio stations. Sheriff's Duty Officers in all 3 counties were called every day by the Washington Post, Washington Evening Star and the Baltimore Sun and asked if anything was happening. The standard reply in all 3 Sheriff's Offices was, "Nope! Nothing going on down here." Only major disasters or sensational crimes were ever reported outside the counties. Then arrived Ken Rossingol and his new newspaper "ST. MARY'S TODAY"! Southern Maryland was never the same again....

I moved into Charles County while still in the Marines in 1969 and joined the Charles County Sheriff's Office in 1974, retiring in 1999. So I had a very unique ring side seat from which to watch Ken and his newspaper quickly become the paper to read if you wanted to know who did what in Southern Maryland. With absolute impartiality the newspaper exposed for everybody to see all the drunk drivers who had been arrested that week, often when their unflattering actual pictures as the officers were arresting them appearing. On the day of every publication of "ST. MARY'S TODAY" some officer would storm into the squad room, throwing the newspaper on the squad table and angrily commenting about some story that was couched in words that were inflammatory or derisive about some police action. I'm sure that this also happened in the other two counties. Of course all the officers showed total surprise about the story, though some who had not yet either purchased the paper or read it would quickly try to grab "THE RAG" to read it. The newspaper was printer in the same format as tabloids are and it's front page rivaled them for screaming "READ ME!" Often we learned things about people we thought we knew that they certainly didn't want us to know. It was not uncommon for the paper to be sold out which then meant we had to search around to find a copy to purchase.
Local government officials quickly learned to hate "THE RAG" as did many members of the local Sheriff's Offices as well as the Maryland State Police. To the best of my knowledge I was never one of Ken's sources though I never once lied to him when asked a question and came to regard him as a friend. We both understood our place in the scheme of news and acted accordingly. After I retired I was a source for Ken on a few occasions but above that our friendship exists to this day.

Even after all these years since I retired and moved out of the State in reading Ken's book, "THE RAG" I learned a great deal that I had never known at the time about people that I did know, or remembered. When I was an instructor at our Southern Maryland Criminal Justice Academy (and later its Director) I always saw several copies of it circulating amongst the student officers as well as the staff. No one ever confessed to having purchased the St. Mary's Today newspaper and most denied ever having read it yet stores were quoted almost verbatim from it by nearly any student officer, staff instructor or any regular officer when asked about a particular story. Yet in spite of all these non-readers "THE RAG" prospered and grew. Every newly elected official made an effort to gain the support of "THE RAG" and it's editor, but the first time they strayed "THE RAG" told everybody the whole story and the budding friendship became hatred of "THE RAG" and it's editor. There were a few elected officials who never feared the paper or it's editor because they did their best for the people and when they did do something that was written up in "THE RAG" they met with the editor and gave him the whole story which appeared in a favorable light in the next edition of "THE RAG."

So if you are looking for a very entertaining book and would like to learn a little about small town America then this is the book for you. It is very entertaining and informative as to how newspapers used to really work, shoe leather, a note pad and pencil with a camera hanging around your neck. It is rare to find in our country today in the age of electronics and it is even sadder that "THE RAG" no longer exists even in Southern Maryland. And that is very sad! Read more ›

More About the Author

After covering hard news for 22 years while publishing a weekly newspaper, ST. MARY'S TODAY, Rossignol sold the newspaper in 2010 and has begun devoting full time to writing and is now the author of eighteen books and four Kindle shorts. The newest books include two volumes of Pirate Trials. Pirate Trials: Dastardly Deeds & Last Words and Pirate Trials: Hung by the Neck Until Dead reveal the details of the actual trials of pirates in England, Scotland, Canada and the United States; Klan: Killing America and Bank of Crooks & Criminals and all of them deal with true crime.
As a maritime history speaker, Rossignol enjoys meeting audiences around the world and discussing the original news stories of the sinking of the RMS Titanic and other maritime history topics.
In 2012 and 2013 Rossignol has appeared on ten ships in the Pacific, Atlantic, Mediterranean and Caribbean discussing the stories of the heroes of the Titanic, the explorations of the new world voyagers, the Bermuda Triangle and the history of piracy.
Rossignol appears at the Titanic Museum Attractions in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and Branson, Missouri for book signings and to talk with visitors about the RMS Titanic.
He has appeared on Good Morning America, ABC 20/20; ABC World News Tonight and in a 2012 production of Discovery Channel Investigation Motives & Murders Series, A Body in the Bay.
News coverage of Rossignol's landmark civil rights case, represented by Levine Sullivan Koch & Schulz re: United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Rossignol v Voorhaar, 2003, included articles in most major news outlets, as well as a column by syndicated columnist James J. Kilpatrick.
The story of the St. Mary's Today newspaper is now available in ebook and paperback: The Story of THE RAG! The book includes nearly 200 editorial cartoons that appeared over the years.
A strong highway safety advocate, Rossignol also publishes the DWIHitParade.com which focuses on impaired driving and the monthly publication, The Chesapeake.
News coverage of Rossignol's DWIHitParade won an Emmy in 2012 for WJLA reporter Jay Korff and coverage of the St. Mary's Today newspaper by WUSA reporter Bruce Leshan was awarded an Emmy in 2000.