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Crisis Communications for Law Firms Article in New Jersey Law Journal

Law firms today face more scrutiny than ever from the traditional media, influential websites/blogs, and other key audiences when faced with issues like layoffs, malpractice suits and allegations of discrimination. Thanks to 24/7 news outlets and technology, law firm management can no longer expect bad news to stay inside the firm. 

My article on crisis communications for law firms that was published this week in the New Jersey Law Journal identifies the three key timelines in a crisis and discusses some actions that law firms can take to protect their reputations.

The article can be downloaded in PDF format on the Articles and Tips page at the www.LawFirmsPR.com website here.

"Following Orders" Not Sufficient Defense for Authors of 'Torture' Memos

The United States this week correctly extradited John Demjanjuk to Germany for his alleged involvement in the mass murder of Jews during the Holocaust. Many war criminals over the years have said they were only "following orders" of Hitler and other Nazi leaders and should not be prosecuted. 

Today, there's talk of not prosecuting the two Department of Justice attorneys who reportedly also claim they were "just following orders" from the Bush Administration.  It doesn't matter that the Demjanjuk case involved mass murder and that the DOJ case involved waterboarding and possibly other forms of torture. In short, people need to be held accountable for their actions. The two DOJ attorneys had the freedom of choice so cherished in our democracy: to follow orders that were morally and legally wrong or refuse those orders and resign their positions. 

Sadly, like their Attorney General and others in the former Administration, they chose to follow an angry mob instead of standing up for the rule of law and for international human rights.

(If I shoot someone to death and later claim that I was "following orders" of another person, does that mean I should not be prosecuted to the full extent of the law?)

America simply can't hold the moral high ground in the world on human rights if the authors of the "torture" memos go unpunished. And our voices of reason and compassion will no longer carry weight when we protest genocide and other obvious human rights violations around the world if we do not seek justice on the "torture" memos case.

Obama Administration Doing Better Job of Communicating on Economy

It occurred to me last night while watching Ben Bernanke's interview on 60 Minutes that the Chairman of the Federal Reserve is a much better communicator than I thought. He spoke honestly about decisions that were made --and it was particularly refreshing to hear a government official be candid about how our economy got into a recession and how the Administration, working with Congress, can get us out. (And it was very cool to see those robots move millions of dollars inside the Treasury Department). 

That was followed by today's announcement by President Obama to boost small business lending, which was an excellent example of how to stage a public relations event to connect with mutliple audiences. 

Treasury Timothy Geithner opened the event and was followed by the owner of a regional bank and a small business owner trying to expand his restaurants.  In the audience, were small business owners while, at the podium, the President then  railed at AIG for giving out bonuses with taxpayer dollars to employees who are partially responsible for creating the economic mess. He then outlined his plans to unlock SBA loans. 

In a little more than 24 hours, starting with yesterday's Sunday morning news programs, the Administration has managed to communicate quite effectively across multiple critical audiences about the economic crisis: from Wall Street to small businesses to the consumers on Main Street. 

In doing so, it has for now taken back control of the news cycle and should quiet Republican naysayers who doubt the President's ability to move so rapidly on many fronts to stop the credit freeze, mass layoffs and foreclosures. 

McCain Shows Weakness By Cancelling Debate

I'm tired of all the war hero, tough guy, and maverick talk. If John McCain is so tough, so ready to be President, then he should be able to work on the bailout bill AND simultaneously prepare for the debate. Heck, I could see if the debate was on the economy but the subject Friday night is foreign policy, something McCain brags about at every chance he gets.

Barack Obama's campaign should not be taken in by this gimmick and should demand that the debate go on. With Iran and North Korea both becoming increasingly hostile to the U.S. -- and the free world --in the past 48 hours alone, it's not a time to postpone a debate on international affairs. 

McCain needs to get in the ring and duke it out, particularly since Sarah the Pitbull has apparently been muzzled by Rick Davis & Co. Americans can not and should not have to wait another day for this debate. 

Eye of the tiger? Not here. 

 

Palin the Pitbull Placed on Short Leash by GOP

It's typical for the Republicans to try to control Sarah Palin. Straight Talk Express? She's not booked for any of the Sunday morning news shows and won't be having any news conferences or other media appearances that are not tightly controlled by Karl Rove's gang. Of course, she'll likely end up on Fox News but that will be a pep rally, not an interview.

Here are some possible reasons the Republicans want to keep her away from the rest of the "elitist" media:

--She might not know the names of world leaders -- or know which Georgia was invaded by Russia.
--She might be asked about the foolish "community organizer" remark from her acceptance speech
--She might be asked why she wanted to remove certain books from Alaska libraries
--She might be asked why she has welcomed a hate-monger like Pat Buchanan or why the Holocaust revisionist and defender of Nazi war criminals, is so in love with her
--She might be asked why she listened politely in August 2008 to a sermon in her church, in which the speaker attacked Jews and Israel.
--She might be asked about the millions of dollars in earmarks that went to Alaska that were opposed by McCain
--She might be asked why, with a middle class background, her party insulted working people and unions at the convention
--She might be asked why she thinks a woman who is the victim or rape or incest should still have that baby
--She might be asked how a party can cling to a "Country First" theme, then try to divide that country with disgusting (and downright dumb) remarks by Mitt Romney.

This is no Straight Talk Express. Pitbulls only bark and bite and attack when commanded...but they don't speak.  Much like Sarah Palin. 

Americans should demand more from the democratic process and should call McCain and his handlers on this hypocrisy.

Dems Go Forward with Joe Biden, But Back with Jimmy Carter at DNC

Just why Barack Obama felt the need to put former President Jimmy Carter in the spotlight at the Democratic National Convention is beyond me. If it's the usual obligation in these conventions to have former presidents acknowledged, that's fine.

Carter's vicious anti-Israel rantings in recent years (see his book and beyond) that bordered on anti-Semitism, not only hurts Obama with Jews but with many Americans who know the difference between terrorism and democratic values, who know the difference between democracy and dictatorships.

Carter has gone out of his way to meet with Middle East terrorist groups who still want to destroy Israel, America's strongest ally in the Middle East. And if Obama wants to be seen as strong on foreign policy, it doesn't help to have Carter present, even if it was for a few minutes. It was under Carter's watch that we remember the failed mission to free the Iranian hostages in April 1980, the same time our military helicopters literally broke down while our soldiers tried a valiant rescue attempt. The tragedy left eight courageous U.S. military members dead and our hostages were not freed until January 20, 1981 -- the day that President Reagan took office. 

I was at West Point when the hostages returned home, covering the event for the College at New Paltz newspaper. I remember thinking that these great American citizens should not have had to endure the pain of captivity -- and I remember thinking that it was largely the Carter Administration's fault.It was one of the worst moments for American might and American pride.

Most importantly, the hostages were forced to endure nearly nine more months of captivity.

As America and its allies face an even more serious threat today from the Iranian government than in 1979-1980,  a tribute to Jimmy Carter tonight sends the subconscious message that Obama-Biden  won't be tough when necessary in their dealings with terrorists and dictators.

Of course, we know that not to be true, but these conventions are all about symbolism and sending messages.

This is not a message the Democrats should be sending out to millions of Americans in what should be the party's golden opportunity to define themselves against John McCain and the Republicans.

Tim Russert: Great Journalist and American -- and Skilled Spokesperson, Too

When fellow journalists and others pay tribute to Tim Russert, they might also remember him as a skilled spokesperson and counselor to former New York Governor Mario M. Cuomo.

You see, the Tim Russert who America came to know and love since he joined Meet the Press in 1991,  learned some of his journalistic skills and instincts as a young press secretary and adviser in the Cuomo Administration in 1983 and 1984. Back then, he was "Timothy J. Russert" and was the contact person for the media whenever Governor Cuomo issued yet another eloquent statement to the press.

Russert had to face off regularly against smart, tough reporters down the hall like Fred Dicker of The Albany Times Union and later with the New York Post; Alison Mitchell of Newsday; Michael Oreskes and E.J. Dionne of The New York Times, Marc Humbert of the Associated Press, and Marcia Kramer of The Daily News.

I remember observing these journalists -- and learning from them -- as a student reporter for The Legislative Gazette in 1983 while roaming the State Capitol and the Legislative Correspondents Association press room in Albany. But at the same time, I also learned about communicating with the media by reading press releases issued by "Timothy J. Russert" and watching him navigate the media and politics with great skill and comfort.

Tim Russert raised America's awareness of politics and government in our society at a time when we needed him most. I believe that his passion for this country's democratic principles and process lit a fire under many people who are now active in some way, particularly those who registered to vote for the first time in 2008. (That's certainly evident from the large voter turnout in the Presidential primaries.)

Surely, Tim Russert will forever be known as one of the greatest political journalists -- on air or off.

As a public relations practitioner, I'm proud that "Timothy J. Russert" was also one of "ours" for a short but critical time in the 1980s -- and equally proud that he was a fellow New Yorker.

Note: For PRWeek subscribers, an opinion piece on this subject can be found here.

Scott McClellan Can't Cry Foul Now

Those of us who have acted as spokespeople sometimes do a gut check when deciding if that person or that client reflects our views so that we can comfortably and effectively promote their agenda.

Scott McClellan, a former White House press secretary, is suddenly crying foul in his new book that he was misled by the Bush Administration, which he now says played loose with the truth. Huh?

I don't buy McClellan's statements that he was totally in the dark. If millions of Americans watching those news conferences on TV detected that the Administration was deceiving the public about WMD, about Valerie Plame, Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq War, then why couldn't the Administration's top spokesperson?

McClellan grew up in Texas politics and even worked on his mother's state campaigns there when she ran for office. He knew Karl Rove and he had to know President Bush at some level to be his chief spokesperson. It simply doesn't wash that he didn't know about the propaganda since he was a part of it for three years.

If McClellan felt uncomfortable at the podium, then he should have stepped down the moment he felt he was being used by the Administration to not be truthful. Instead, he hung around long enough to become part of the distortions and half truths that have masqueraded as facts in the minds of this Administration.

Congestion Pricing, Bloomberg Hit Roadblock in Albany

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg should have learned from former New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer that you can't legislate if you can't cooperate.

The Mayor's "my way or the highway" attitude and his child-like name calling after he lost the votes in Albany for his controversial congestion pricing plan was shameful and turned out to be a public relations disaster.

The New York State Legislature, which I had the honor of covering as a cub reporter in the early 1980's, is certainly dysfunctional and has been for decades. But I can't blame legislators outside the borough of Manhattan for just saying no to Mayor Mike's big idea to tax the hard working commuters and small businesses who can least afford it.

Over the past 25 years, I've lived and worked at various times in Manhattan and know there are better ways to alleviate the congestion. Here's a few suggestions:

1) Tow all the double and triple parked cars and double the fines during rush hour
2) Stop road construction during rush hour, period, except for emergencies.
3) Do not allow building contractors to block off entire lanes of traffic during rush hour.
4) Eliminate "official" vehicles for the majority of New York City employees except for those who absolutely need them for their jobs --and offer incentives for NYC employees to use mass transit, such as riding for free on certain days.
5) Stop closing off major streets for corporate events during rush hour (Example: The City stupidly closed off more than 10 blocks on Fifth Avenue in late 2007 without adequate warning to accommodate a handful of NASCAR enthusiasts).
6) Give incentives to legitimate parking garage owners who want to open or expand into larger garages in the sections of Manhattan that need them the most. (So much congestion, pollution and wasted gasoline stems from thousands of cars circling city blocks and avenues often for more than an hour searching for parking).
7) Overhaul the parking rules on the street and take away some of the ridiculous parking privileges given only to diplomats and others supposedly acting on "official" business.
8) Devote more state/city funding to high speed waterway transportation and add more pickup and drop-off points along the Hudson River (Jersey shoreline/Westchester/Rockland counties) and the East River (Brooklyn and Queens).
9) Give incentives like free or reduced tolls for those trucks entering Manhattan for deliveries from 9 p.m. through 6 a.m.
10) Set new rules and work schedules for the Taxi and Limousine Commission drivers that limits the number of cabs that can enter Manhattan during peak times. (How many people really need to take a cab into Manhattan for work unless they are handicapped or are running late?)

Business Executives Can Learn from Spitzer's Mishandling of Crisis

Business executives can learn from the crisis communications mistakes made by former New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer and his handlers. Listen to our short analysis below.

Download CrisisCommunicationsTips.m4a