The Thursday, March 20, 2014, Coeur d’Alene Press ran an online unattributed story headlined Matheson seeks county treasurer post.
The Press story included this statement, “He [Steven D. Matheson] is a graduate of Central Washington University with a double major in accounting and finance. He is also a certified public accountant.”
OpenCdA’s search of the Idaho State Board of Accountancy’s online database did not show Steven D. Matheson as being a certified public accountant in Idaho.
We sent an email inquiry to the Idaho State Board of Accountancy asking for confirmation that Steven D. Matheson is a certified public accountant. A representative of the State Board responded via email and referred us to Matheson’s website which states, “Steve is a CPA (inactive) with undergraduate degrees in Accounting and Finance from Central Washington University.” The Idaho State Board of Accountancy has no record of Steven D. Matheson ever being a licensed certified public accountant in Idaho.
As we pointed out in our October 18, 2013, OpenCdA post titled Steve Widmyer: Not Suitable for Mayor:
The Idaho Accountancy Act (Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 2) provides in §54-220:
54-220. Use of title — Valid license to practice. (1) No person shall assume or use the title or designation “certified public accountant” or “licensed public accountant” or any other title, designation, words, letters, abbreviations, sign, card or device tending to indicate that such person is a certified public accountant or licensed public accountant unless such person holds a license or is granted privileges as a certified public accountant or licensed public accountant pursuant to chapter 2, title 54, Idaho Code. [emphasis mine]
Idaho Code §54-222 provides:
54-222. Violation of chapter a misdemeanor. Any violation of any of the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a misdemeanor, and any person, corporation, partnership, proprietorship, member, firm or association of any kind or nature convicted thereof may be punished by a fine not to exceed seven hundred fifty dollars ($750), or six (6) months imprisonment, or both.
We believe that the Coeur d’Alene Press should verify the validity of a candidate’s professional credentials before including them in a story.
Details…details. What is your point?
Comment by up river — March 20, 2014 @ 8:32 am
up river,
My point was summed up by the last sentence in the post.
If a schlub like me can take the time to check a relevant professional credential attributed to a candidate for County Treasurer, shouldn’t we expect an alleged newspaper with real reporters and real editors to do that? The implication is that the skewspaper really doesn’t care about the accuracy of its stories.
Comment by Bill — March 20, 2014 @ 11:35 am
Yeah, I got your point, which I happen to agree with, the first time around. I was just being facetious–According to the on-line Free Merriam-Webster, my primary source to obtain word definitions on my budget, facetious means…”1: joking or jesting often inappropriately…”
Comment by up river — March 20, 2014 @ 1:10 pm
The “exaggerations” tied to election credentials are as much about candidates wanting voters to think they know “math” and fiscal “accountability” as it is the failure of the local print media to vet claims; it doesn’t matter if they don’t add up, looked good at the time.
Comment by Old Dog — March 20, 2014 @ 8:26 pm
Old Dog,
Unfortunately,resumé inflation seems to have become socially tolerated. It seems to me, though, that while it’s bad practice for anyone, it’s especially bad for public officials or wannabe public officials. In addition to being deceptive, it also shows disrespect for constituents who have diligently and sacrificially worked to earn and retain a credential and who have sought to practice lawfully and ethically. It shows disdain for the very standards required as a condition of receiving and retaining the license.
I expect someone holding or seeking a professional license to know the boundaries it imposes. For example, if a woman graduates from an accredited law school but has not been admitted to the state bar, I expect her to know that it is at best improper and even unlawful for her to tell a process server that she is an attorney.
I expect employers to verify the validity of licenses and certificates which an applicant says he holds. As a practical matter for example, it is very difficult for a passenger checking in for an airline flight to even know the names of the captain and first officer, let alone verify that they are properly licensed and certified in the type of aircraft they’re flying.
In the case of public officials, I expect the elected official to verify the validity of licenses or credentials of subordinates, particularly when those licenses or credentials are an essential requirement for the subordinate’s job or when the subordinate represents on official documents that he holds the license or credential. For example, follow this link to the Kootenai County Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for FY 2008. Scroll down to pages 3/169 and 4/169 and note that when the report was transmitted to the County Commissioners on March 30, 2009, by County Clerk (Auditor) Dan English, the County’s Finance Director was listed on page 4/169 as “David R. McDowell, CPA”. However the Idaho State Board of Accountancy records show that David R. McDowell had not been an Idaho CPA since July 1, 1989. That misrepresentation which appeared on the County’s CAFR for several years was finally corrected in the Kootenai County Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for FY 2009 submitted on March 18, 2010.
When our news media intend to run stories about candidates for public positions, I expect the media to verify the licenses and certificates which a candidate says he holds, particularly those relevant to the position sought. When the news media only selectively verify or when they preferentially withhold or embellish the credentials of candidates to benefit one or more over candidates over others, then they are no longer news media — they are skewsmedia.
When the local newspaper learns that an official has misrepresented during his campaign and even in office that he holds a valid license or certificate, particularly one that is relevant to the position sought or held, I believe the newspaper has an obligation to report the misrepresentation and to give the official a chance to explain for publication how it occurred. And when the misrepresentation in a news story occurs through ignorance, laziness, incompetence or bias by the local newspaper, the newspaper has an obligation to issue a print correction acknowledging the error was committed by the newspaper and not by the official or candidate. Failing that, the newspaper should be recognized for what it has become — a skewspaper.
Comment by Bill — March 21, 2014 @ 7:31 am
The Press has constant errors.
They did a special on Medal Of Honor recipient Tom Norris and they freakin did him a disservice by spelling his last name “Morris”
Comment by Eric — March 21, 2014 @ 1:01 pm