Post writer borrows a page from Blair
By BEN WIDDICOMBE and LEO STANDORA DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Enquiring minds noted familiarity of Post story. Holy kangaroo - the New York Post has its own plagiarizing scandal!
After writing gleefully about The New York Times' Jayson Blair scandal, the Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid admitted yesterday that it published a plagiarized piece last week.
The Post identified its bad boy as Robin Gregg, a freelancer who the paper's brass said 'fessed up to stealing a story from that paragon of journalism the National Enquirer. Some would call that a perfect fit for the fact-challenged Post.
The purloined piece dealt with the relationship between Kathie Lee Gifford and Wal-Mart, which sells her sportswear, and appeared in the daily's May 15 edition.
Gregg admitted he stole the story - almost word for word - and never told his editor where it came from, the Post said in a statement that it issued in response to questions.
"He took full responsibility," the statement said, and "apologized to the Post editors and its readers."
"We were deceived by Mr. Gregg, and he will never contribute to the Post again," said Aussie-in-Chief Col Allan. "Now that we are aware the National Enquirer reported the story, we will appropriately credit the publication in tomorrow's paper."
"The campers aren't very happy here today," said one Post staffer. "This is very embarrassing - especially with the timing."
The tables were turned on the Post after it was relentless in attacking The Times over the Blair scandal. In a May 13 editorial, the Post mocked The Times' four-page examination as an "act of self-flagellation."
The Post did not say whether it would examine Gregg's other stories for possible plagiarism. The paper has published about a dozen stories under his byline in the past year.