Open Letter to AOL CEO Tim Armstrong Re: Olga Enger

I sent this letter to Tim Armstrong (CEO AOL), Bud Rosenthal (CEO Patch), and Patch Media Relations on November 18, 2013—they have not responded yet.

to: Tim.Armstrong@corp.aol.com,
Bud.Rosenthal@corp.aol.com,
media@patch.com
cc: olga.enger@patch.com,
samantha.turner@patch.com

I’m reaching out to you and the Patch media department for a comment re: rumors of collusion between one of your editors (Olga Enger) of Newport Patch and Newport mayor Henry Winthrop, as well as the mayor’s son who runs a competing publication in Newport and was recently arrested for domestic assault for a third time.

Here is what we’re publishing Wednesday morning. We know that Olga Enger recently scrubbed two articles (a1 a2, b1 b2) published on Newport Patch mentioning public records of the domestic assault arrest of Christian Winthrop (Editor and Owner of competing publication, The Newport Buzz). Enger has an undisclosed conflict of interest with Christian Winthrop and his lawyer, Kevin O. Hagan. Olga Enger advertises her personal business, Newport Studio on The Newport Buzz (c1 c2). Likewise, Kevin O. Hagan is a major advertiser on Newport Patch with a frontpage ad buy (d1).

Olga Enger scrubbed a third article (e1 e2) critical of an official Newport City Facebook page run by Christian Winthrop and company. Olga Enger has a separate possible conflict of interest with the mayor’s office whereby she attended a campaign fundraiser for then-councilman Henry Winthrop in May of 2012 (f1 f2 f3). We are still trying to determine if she attended in the capacity of a private citizen or on behalf of Newport Patch with intent to cover the event.

Please feel free to reach me at this email address.

Regards,

Brandon Partridge
brandon.a.partridge+medium@gmail.com