Kansas City Star Scribe Threatens Developers With Shame If They Don't Drop ICE Deal

For those who don't know . . . Or more likely, don't care about Kansas City media . . .

David Hudnall is the rising star of Kansas City newspaper journalism.  He's a sorta new columnist for the Star who has already earned a National Press Foundation award. He was formerly a writer for The Pitch and he has experience at a few other media outlets across the metro.

This week . . .

Hudnall pens a curious and widely celebrated piece that hopes to convince developers to drop a property deal with ICE that has garnered activist opposition and rebuke from Mayor & Council. 

For the most part we respect Mr. Hudnall's writing but the piece "feels" out of place in a major metropolitan (almost) daily newspaper . . . It's very persona, reads like a social media activists screed and brings up the curious topic of Catholicism & small town gossip.  

Even more telling . . . The local biz people didn't bother talking to the KC Star scribe . . . And that begins the piece with this controversial proposition that imagines a conversation . . . 

"I’d have asked what they think actually happens inside these facilities — the ones they would be responsible for bringing to Kansas City if this deal goes through. Because an agency willing to kill in public cannot be trusted to act lawfully or humanely in private."

And here's the money line that kinda seems like a threat to stop the deal or risk public shaming . . . 

"The alternative is a lifetime of being whispered about behind your backs everywhere from church fundraisers to the Crown seats at the Royals game. That was the fate of those payday loan guys — many of whom were also churchgoing members of Kansas City’s business elite. They made millions. Some avoided jail. Some are even still doing deals. But none avoided the stain. Their names are mud in this town. People remember."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

The brothers behind Platform Ventures could choose not to sell out Kansas City to ICE | Opinion

It's not too late for Terry and Ryan Anderson to do the right thing. One way or the other, KC will remember. | Opinion

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