Salt Lake City — The Salt Lake Tribune issued a list of corrections today just hours after publishing its story on Utah’s lone gun lobbyist, Clark Aposhian.
Aposhian, who is chairman of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, was incorrectly portrayed in the article as more influential than he actually is. A list of specific corrections follows:
- The article originally stated that Aposhian only wears his bluetooth 14 hours a day. Sources close to Aposhian place the number closer to 20, even though he has been known to take it off while showering or conducting interviews.
- The article originally quoted Aposhian as saying he’d love to not talk about guns, but interviews with close friends and family suggest Aposhian manages to bring up guns even during perfunctory tasks like taking out the garbage.
- The article originally overstated the influence of Aposhian on the hill. But in an interview with Gayle Ruzicka of the Utah Eagle Forum, when asked about Aposhian’s influence, Ruzicka replied, “Who?”
- The article neglected to mention Aposhian’s past statements that could be seen as an incitement to violence. At a gun rally last month Aposhian claimed, while wearing his other favorite gun tie, “If I could tell one thing to these bedwetting, hand-wringing liberals out there, it’s that Thomas Jefferson anticipated you and called you a tyrant.” Aposhian continued, “And there’s already a method of taking care of it, if not by the First Amendment, then by the Second.”
- The article originally suggested that Sen. Margaret Dayton (R-Orem) “used the word ‘disappointed’ like seven times” in a meeting with Aposhian. An unnamed source close to Dayton said she “used the word ‘disappointed’ like eight times, coupled with “extremely” like four times, and “utterly” like three times.”
- The article originally stated that Aposhian went out for Chinese food directly following his interview with the Salt Lake Tribune. Sources close to Aposhian could not confirm his dinner plans.
- A photo accompanying the story incorrectly called Aposhian’s gun-themed tie his favorite. The photo caption neglected to mention that Aposhian also has a favorite gun-themed bolo tie and a Civil War era, cannon-themed cravat.
The Salt Lake Tribune does, however, maintain the most unbelievable element of the story. According to Rep. Curt Oda, Aposhian is generally the only source on gun legislation. Oda stated that “Clark has been instrumental because we don’t have the time to look at every little detail and compare. He’s actually the primary source to double-check everything.”
The Salt Lake Tribune neglected to mention that Aposhian is Oda’s primary source for fashion advice and automotive accessories, as well.
The full article can be found here: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/55798012-90/gun-aposhian-utah-bill.html.csp?page=1
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Alliance for a Better Utah | 801.557.1532 | www.betterutah.org
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The Alliance for a Better UTAH is a year-round, multi-issue education and advocacy organization providing resources, commentary, and action on important public policy matters.