Trial lawyers’ front group continues to get helping hand from media

Consumer Watchdog’s name should be Trial Lawyers’ Helper. The organization aggressively works on many fronts to increase the ease with which trial lawyers can take money from people. If it is indeed a “consumer watchdog,” than it would be transparent about its operations. It isn’t. As Steve Maviglio has long documented, Consumer Watchdog has a very clever scam going along.

Every single time Consumer Watchdog is in the news, this shadiness should be mentioned. Instead, the media often passively and pathetically accept the group’s claim to be first and foremost a “consumer watchdog.” The latest example is from the Sacramento Bee:

“A prominent California consumer advocacy group is actively tying a tonsillectomy gone horribly awry to a planned ballot initiative.

“Alameda County Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo ruled on Tuesday that 13-year-old Jahi McMath, who fell into a coma after complications in tonsillectomy surgery, was brain dead and could be taken off life support. The McMath family secured a restraining order to keep the child alive and reportedly spent Christmas in the hospital, by Jahi’s bedside.

“For Consumer Watchdog, engaged in the latest skirmish of a years-long battle over medical damages payments, McMcath’s case provided fodder for a fundraising pitch.”

Incredibly enough, Bee reporter Jeremy B. White never mentions “trial” or “lawyer” or “trial lawyer” in his 600-word story.

Hey, Jeremy: Context is a good thing!

Sheesh.