Parker Space supported by Democrat who was there

Of all the information being purposefully suppressed by the media about the manufactured "controversy" involving GOP Assemblyman Parker Space, none is more important than this statement by Jacqueline Stapel, the Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Sussex County: 

"As an individual and a Sussex County resident, I am deeply offended that a private conversation amongst myself, Jennifer Hamilton, and Parker Space was secretly recorded and leaked to the media for cheap political gain.  As an American, I denounce its secret leakage and use by the media and political campaigns because it is undermining everyone’s privacy rights.

With underhanded tactics like this, it is no wonder why Democrats and Republicans have a more difficult time working together for the common good.

Parker Space is my friend.  I may not agree with him on issues, but that does not lead me to hate him.  Unfortunately some people can’t see the difference between disagreement and hate and it is denigrating our political discourse."

Unlike the Democrat State Senator who called Governor Christie a "prick" or the female Democrat State Senator who said she wanted to see President Trump assassinated, or the female United States Senator who dropped both the f-bomb and the word "bitch," what happened here was not public.  It was a private conversation between three people after a non-political event. 

A Democrat Party operative snuck up and taped that private conversation without the knowledge or consent of those present.  That operative handed the tape over to the political campaign of Democrats Kate Matteson & Gina Trish, who reached out to a Trenton media figure to circulate it.  So members of the media acted as both public relations team to hype the story and journalists to report on it.  And they complain because people don't take them seriously?

This was a clear violation of the ethical obligations defined by their own profession and enshrined in the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).  We have written to the SPJ and to academic leaders of their profession about their behavior in this matter and will be publishing that correspondence.  And we will be reporting on the state of journalism in New Jersey in the months ahead.