Herald story distorts what happened at Buchanan event | Letter to the editor

It was disappointing to see the Bradenton Herald’s distorted coverage of a recent event hosted by local small business groups.

We joined together recently to provide our members with the opportunity to hear a congressional update from U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan. The Bradenton Herald falsely portrayed it as a gathering of elitists and erroneously reported that “business people were in formal wear.” How out of touch is the newspaper to think that a jacket and tie or a dress constitutes formal wear?

Trying to portray local business people as elitists who “sipped drinks and made small talk” displays such a distorted perspective as to be embarrassing for a once-respected newspaper that historically has supported and appreciated what the business community brings to Manatee County. These are job creators – the people who form the backbone of our economy. To denigrate them and our pro-business congressman is offensive and shameful. Your article was a disservice to all those in attendance and to your readers.

For the paper to lionize a group of paid protesters whose only goal was to disrupt our meeting was shoddy and dishonest journalism.

For the record, the groups in attendance were the Gulf Coast Builders Exchange, Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, Manatee and Sarasota chambers of commerce, Manatee-Sarasota Building Industry Association, and Realtor Association of Sarasota-Manatee.

The Bradenton Herald editors and reporters need to come down from their anti-business perch and better reflect their community and readership. Otherwise, why should us job creators continue to “read local” via this publication?

Mary Dougherty, executive director

Gulf Coast Builders Exchange

Lakewood Ranch