Governor Jim Pillen is being asked to apologize for comments he made towards a Nebraska journalist, dismissing an investigative report into Pillen Family Farms based on the reporters nationality.
The independent Nebraska non-profit newsroom Flatwater Free Press published “Pillen’s Water: High nitrate detected on hog farms owned by Nebraska’s governor,” in early September. The report written by Yanqi Xu found that numerous Pillen owned hog farms had water-nitrate levels 5x higher than what is considered safe to drink, and one farm featured a crude PVC pipe pig waste drain that lead to a freshwater channel.
Just days after being published, Gov. Pillen called into KFAB radio whilst in Japan on a trade mission, he was asked about the report. “Number one, I didn’t read it. And I won’t,” Pillen said. “Number two, all you got to do is look at the author. The author is from communist China. What more do you need to know?” Listen here.
Yanqi Xu, investigative reporter. (Photo Courtesy: Flatwater Free Press)
Yesterday, Executive Director of the Nebraska Journalism Trust, which launched and funds the Flatwater Free Press, Matt Wynn penned a passionate response to the Governor’s comments in a Flatwater editorial.
“What more do you need to know? More. Much, much more,” Wynn wrote, “She’s whip smart. She’s pit bull stubborn. She’s a courageous reporter, a remarkable reporter.”
Wynn speaks on Yanqi’s background and defends her diligent work ethic, as well as detailing fruitless efforts to reach out to Pillen for an apology. “As an employer, that infuriates me. As a believer in democracy and a free press, it saddens me. As a Nebraskan, it embarrasses me,” Wynn concludes.
Coming under fire for singling out a reporter’s nationality as the sole reason to dismiss her investigation, Pillen is being asked to apologize by Flatwater and several local lawmakers.