TPM Muckraker

Posts on “Harry Reid: October 2006” in October 2006

Responding to AP, Reid Cleans up His Act

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) is amending his disclosure reports in response to the recent AP report on a 2004 land deal -- and straightening up a few other "minor" details.

In a statement, Reid said that his disclosure forms will now reflect that he transferred the title of the land to an LLC in 2001. Reid had disclosed his ownership of the land in reports, but not the transfer of the land to an LLC. He eventually sold the land in 2004 for a $700,000 profit.

I criticized the AP's original piece on the deal, written by John Solomon, for mischaracterizing the LLC transfer as a sale (for more on that, read my earlier post). In its follow-up piece today on Reid's statement, the service continues to describe the transfer as a sale.

In addition to clarifying the land deal reported by AP, Reid disclosed two other "minor" real estate assets. The top-ranking Senate Democrat also reimbursed his political campaign for $3,300, "to fully reimburse the campaign for donations it made over several years to the employee holiday fund in my apartment building."

Reid's full statement is below...

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AP's Reid Story Doesn't Add Up

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) "collected a $1.1 million windfall on a Las Vegas land sale even though he hadn't personally owned the property for three years," the AP reports.

Except that's wrong. Reid made a $700,000 profit on the sale, not $1.1 million. Also, the story, by the AP’s John Solomon, makes it sound as if Reid got money for land he didn't own. But that's not the case.

It’s not the first time that Solomon has published a misleading story about Reid. This is the third such story by Solomon over the past six months. Each time, Solomon has hit Reid for taking actions which might create the appearance of ethical impropriety. But because Solomon writes for the most powerful news organization in the land, these very gray-shaded stories pack a wallop. It doesn’t help that on numerous occasions, he has missed or distorted key details – missteps that help blow up his stories.

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