Joshua Resnek, editor and publisher of the Everett Leader Herald, recently admitted under oath to fabricating stories against Carlo DeMaria, Everett's mayor. This revelation came to light during the course of a defamation lawsuit initiated by DeMaria in October 2021, which asserts that the Everett Leader herald, including Resnek and owner Matthew Philbin, issued defamatory pieces intended to tarnish the mayor's reputation prior to the 2021 mayoral election. The specifics of these claims involved accusing DeMaria falsely of involvement in assorted criminal activities, including a conjured up real estate scandal, as reported by the Boston Herald.
It appears these fabrications were the result of a personal grudge against Mayor DeMaria, dating back to the 1990s. At that time, DeMaria, serving as a city alderman, did not renew licenses for certain boarding houses failing to meet compliance standards, some of which were owned by Philbin. This was reported by Business Khabar.
In the deposition, Resnek admitted that some articles were fueled by personal feelings, accepted responsibility, expressed regret for his behavior, and issued an apology to DeMaria. Jeff Robbins, DeMaria's attorney and a regular columnist for the Boston Herald, has declined to comment specifically on this case.
When a news establishment knowingly publishes false stories targeting public figures, it threatens to undermine the journalistic integrity and the public's trust. This can contribute, unfortunately, to the spread of misinformation and societal discord.
As Joshua Resnek's deposition unfolds, junctions must be put in place to painstakingly scrutinize the stories presented before us. These precautionary actions will help ensure the preservation of the credibility of our news sources, which, ultimately, fortify the pillars of democracy.
