And The Straws They Are A-Grabbin'

Having failed to fell the savage beast that is Harry Reid, John Solomon puts another Democrat in his sights: John Edwards.

When former North Carolina senator and Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards finally succeeded last month in selling his imposing Georgetown mansion for $5.2 million after it had languished on the market, the names of the buyers were not publicly disclosed.

At the time, Edwards's spokeswoman told reporters that the house had been sold to an unidentified corporation. In reality, the buyers were Paul and Terry Klaassen, according to several sources and confirmed by Edwards's spokeswoman yesterday.

The wealthy founders of the nation's largest assisted-living housing chain for seniors, the Klaassens are currently cooperating with a government inquiry in connection with accounting practices and stock options exercised by them and other company insiders. They are also the focus of legal complaints by some of the same labor unions whose support Edwards has been assiduously courting for his presidential bid.

Edwards sold his house! Edwards participates in capitalism! How can a Democrat do such a thing?

Also, the content of the article couldn't be more bogus. Edwards got at- or below-market value, selling to a couple who used an LLC to buy it (so saying that Edwards sold the house to a corporation is exactly correct), and as there was no secret deal made (sell me your house at near the going rate and I'll - let you continue to bash unions?), the whole premise of the article is muddled and incorrect.

The saddest part of all of this is that the writer, John Solomon, got a promotion from the AP to the Washington Post, due to his factually-challenged reporting on Harry Reid, and now he's graduated to factually-challenged reporting on John Edwards. Once again, the media rewards those who are consistently, persistently wrong.

But Edwards should look on the bright side. One, they didn't run a front-page article about his wardrobe. Two, the last guy to get in Solomon's crosshairs was "punished" by being promptly named Senate Majority Leader. That bodes well for the Presidential campaign. Before long a Solomon hit piece will be seen as an in-kind contribution.