AOL Editor Deletes Article Mentioning Domestic Assault Arrest of Undisclosed Conflict of Interest
Newport Mayor’s Son, Christian Winthrop, Allegedly Punches Woman In His Bellevue Ave. Estate—His Third Arrest For Domestic Assault.
Olga Enger, the current editor of Newport Patch—a hyperlocal site that was spared the chopping block by Tim Armstrong has a disclosure problem.
It all started Saturday, November 9, 2013. At 1:25am a woman whose name has not been released went to the Newport Police station and reported that Christian Winthrop had punched her in the face at his Bellevue Ave. estate. Police were quoted in an article from the Newport Daily News stating that the woman “had a large lump on her forehead and a swollen and bruised eye.” A search of Rhode Island’s arrest records confirm Christian Winthrop, son of Newport Mayor Henry Winthrop—the same mayor hellbent on making ‘safety’ Newport’s “number one priority”—was in fact arrested that morning for domestic assault—mind you, for a third time. Yes, the Newport Mayor’s son has been arrested three times for domestic assault in the city of Newport. Unbelievable.
Newport’s most active news organisation, Newport Patch, has a habit of posting arrest records almost every day of the week with boilerplate disclaimer of course that “an arrest does not equal a conviction.” On Saturday and on the days after the arrest of Christian Winthrop the Newport Patch was mum on articles filled with recent police arrests. How could this be? The Newport Mayor’s son was arrested for a third domestic assault. How is that not local news? Members of the community began posting on Newport Patch’s website in the shout-out section and on the publication’s Facebook page questioning why the arrest didn’t produce even a passing mention.
Those articles and posts were quickly deleted by Newport Patch editor Olga Enger.
On one of those articles, Enger left a comment which was preserved by Google’s cache for a short time. Addressing members of the community, Enger said, “we try to pick up the police logs M-F, but we have never gone on the weekend. I also will not tolerate a ‘public crusade’ on domestic violence arrests on Patch, as the consequences for victims can be devastating. This witch hunt is irresponsible and dangerous…”
Irresponsible and dangerous… but that didn't stop Enger the eight separate times in 2013 she published articles of domestic violence arrests. As recent as July 10, 2013 Enger writes on Newport Patch, “Anthony Lyon, 19, Newport, was arrested on a domestic assault charge. He allegedly struck his girlfriend.” Another article on July 2, 2013 mentions a first degree sexual assault arrest by Donel Pemberton and the article continues to give the victim’s gender, age, and place of residence.
Interesting how suddenly reporting of domestic assault arrests on Newport Patch are dangerous to the victims when it’s the mayor’s son who is arrested.
The reversal on assault arrest articles are no coincidence. Olga Enger knows Christian Winthrop and his father, Henry Winthrop. But she doesn’t just know them. You see, you’ve been reading the Newport Patch all this time believing that it was an independent news organization operating unfettered. The reality is Olga Enger has undisclosed financial conflicts of interest with Christian Winthrop.
Olga Enger, in addition to being the editor of Newport Patch, runs a photography business in the city called Newport Studio. Christian Winthrop, in addition to providing steady jobs for our local police department, runs a competing publication called, Newport Buzz—a fledgling website that relies on advertising revenue from local businesses such as Drupal Connect run by entrepreneur and friend of the Winthrop’s John Florez, Kevin O. Hagan—Christian Winthrop’s private lawyer assigned to his current domestic assault case, and lastly his mother’s lingerie boutique.
Olga Enger also advertises her business, Newport Studio on Newport Buzz—it’s not your typical banner ad, though, it’s in advertorial form which is traditionally more expensive. Likewise, Olga Enger advertises Newport Buzz on Newport Patch in advertorial form.
Kevin O. Hagan, Christian Winthrop’s private lawyer residing over his current domestic assault case is also in the mix—he is a major advertiser on Newport Patch with a frontpage ad-buy. For those not aware with Patch publications: the editor’s role is all-encompassing. Enger is in charge of editorial, hiring contractors, and direct ad sales; she is also given a monthly budget/stipend from AOL to cover operating expenses in addition to her salary. If Olga Enger doesn’t meet direct ad sales goals she loses her job or worse, the publication is shuttered.
Enger has taken the unethical route of abruptly silencing community inquiry—now you know why.
I reached out to Olga Enger and Patch corporate for comment but have not yet received a response.
You may reach the author of this article at: brandon.a.partridge+medium@gmail.com
