SD24: Press, King campaign mislead on “health records” issue

Robert Pratt photo Copyright Pratt on Texas

Robert Pratt

Last week there was an outbreak of journalistic malpractice in the Texas Senate District 24 Republican Primary Runoff race between Abilene state Rep. Susan King and Dr. Dawn Buckingham.

The liberal Austin political gossip-site Quorum Report had this misleading headline: “Rep. Susan King wins TRO to keep mental health records private amid Texas Senate runoff.” And the Texas Tribune published a story under this also misleading headline: “Accusations Fly in Senate Runoff Over 911 Call, Health Records.”

The Tribune story by Edgar Walters began with this bit of fiction: “Sealed medical records related to the mental health of state Rep. Susan King, R-Abilene, became a flashpoint in the Republican primary runoff to replace outgoing state Sen. Troy Fraser… A judge this week granted an order temporarily shielding the records, including a 911 call, from being released to the public.”

King’s hometown paper, the Abilene Reporter News also slanted the story toward untruth with this opening paragraph: “A temporary restraining order has been issued by an Austin judge, keeping the city of Abilene from releasing what State Rep. Susan King says is “confidential health and personal information.”

The Temporary Restraining Order, and the entire case, is about nothing more than government records routinely released: 911 calls. That’s it. Government doesn’t have King’s medical records…

All of it is journalistic malpractice creating an atmosphere of victimhood for Rep. King who, as a matter of record, was the one who told the public of her treatment for depression.

Why is this so egregious? Because no health records were ever at issue in the case, such are private and protected by law.

The Temporary Restraining Order, and the entire case, is about nothing more than government records routinely released: 911 calls. That’s it.

The City of Abilene doesn’t have Susan King’s medical records and such are not at issue but, you’d sure think those records were at risk of release by reading King’s statement and the press stories!

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