Welcome (back) to the Debaser: Where's the lie?
Why subscribe?
I know things. Actually, I just know people who know things. That’s what being a journalist is about. Sort of. I mean, this is a ridiculous industry. It was dying even before the pandemic. With so many layoffs and editors being held hostage by viral national stories governed by Twitter’s insane algorithm, supporting local, independent reporting is more important than ever. I got my start on the East Coast at an alternative weekly, then worked as a beat reporter covering towns and crime for daily newspapers. Recently, I covered legal happenings throughout California, including one that got the attention of the FBI and won some awards (sick). My stories have also appeared in Vice, Daily Beast, the Ringer, and the Outline. After doing this for over 10 years, I felt like I was finally getting somewhere, but then ***gestures broadly at current dumpster fire***. I’ve always been deeply interested in what journalists do. But I left my job in order to have more freedom and to cover local government. Here, you can get information that isn’t being influenced by editors, advertising, or helicoptering public relations flacks. Just my terrified brain on a constant deadline.
My elevator pitch:
The Debaser will mostly be a clearinghouse for reporting on public and private power in Los Angeles. It might also just become a deep dive of City Attorney Mike Feuer, the serious professional who plans to run for mayor, while also wrapped up in the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power debacle. I might also write about the culture. A vibe will be maintained. The Debaser is somewhat of a throwback to a satirical blogging collective I had that served as criticism of local media and politics. Our major claim to fame was winning third-place for best Twitter account...in Connecticut. Third. Place. Ya I deleted everything.
If you’re a legal head or just skeptical of politicians and/or want to support a freelance journalist during a pandemic, I will definitely take your money. I have been covering the LADWP water corruption story regularly as a legal reporter at the Los Angeles Daily Journal, a story I broke and will continue to cover here. I have never gotten as much feedback from a story as I have from that one. One time I walked up to an attorney involved with the case just to introduce myself, and he straight up ran away from me. It was one of the funniest moments in my life.
The Debaser will be free at first, then will have an optional paid subscription ($5/mo, $50/yr). Either way, I promise to keep you informed, depressed (without ads!) and occasionally lol-ing as we do a tour through late capitalism’s final stage.