RUNNINGHEAD:CaseStudyAnalysisII

CaseStudyAnalysisPaperII
AndrewCremer
MediaandLawEthicsCOM361
March21,2016
ProfessorPernell
UniversityofNorthCarolinaWilmington

CaseStudyAnalysisII1

I.

Facts
MichaelSandiferisarespectedandrelativelysuccessfulpoliticalpublicrelations

consultant.AftergainingadegreeinjournalismandworkingwiththeWashingtonTimeshe
finallywasabletocrossintotherealmofpoliticalpublicrelations.Sandiferisnotlikeother
politicalconsultants,hestraysawayfromthetypicalmudslingingattackadcampaignsand
stickswiththefacts.Heestablishedhimselfwiththistacticduringhisfirstjobrunningasa
politicalconsultanttoagubernatorialcandidateinVirginia'sRepublicanprimary.Duringthis
campaignhefocusedonhisissueorientedapproachwhichwasasfollows:identifytwoorthree
issuesthatthevoterscareaboutandfocusthecampaignspeechesandappearancesaroundthose
issues.AlthoughthiswasnotthemostconventionalapproachSandiferwasabletomakegreat
strides,movinghiscandidatefromfourthinthepollstosecond.Duetothisaccomplishmenthe
gainedattentionfromotherpoliticiansandmedia.
Otherthantheindividualsthatworkedwithhim,hewasviewedasnaiveforrejecting
conventionalideas,suchaschanginghiscandidate'simageandtheusenegativeadvertising.He
wasalsoviewedasapoliticallightweightwhodisservedhisclientsbynotattackingtheir
opponents.However,hispositiveattributesareneededinordertosalvagethecampaignofhis
newestcustomer,MarcusFletcher,whoiscurrentlythirdintheCaliforniaGubernatorialprimary.
Havingexperienceworkingwithunderdogs,Sandiferisfacedwiththechallengeofboosting
Fletchersrankinginthepolls.
Fletchersprimaryopponent,WilliamSoros,isamillionairetycoonwhohaspolitical
experienceinLosAngelescitycouncilandnowaspirestomakethenextpoliticaljump.Six
weeksbeforetheelectionarumoremergesthatSoroshadsufferedamentalbreakdownand

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neededcounseling.Afterdenyingtheseallegationsandstatingthatitwasonlymarriage
counselingitseemsasifitallblewover.TheappearanceofaformerdissatisfiedSoroscampaign
worker,HeidiLarkin,shedsomelightonthetruthbehindSorosandhisrumour.Larkintold
SandiferthatwhileservingascitycouncilmaninLosAngeles,Sorosneededcounselingdueto
incidencesofphysicalspousalabuse.Thisperiod,lastingtwoyears,Sorosandhiswifelived
apartbutcamebacktogether.AlongwiththisinformationLarkingaveSandiferpersonalletters
thatSoroswrotetoafriendaswellaspsychiatricrecords.Larkindidnotstatewhereshegotthis
informationfrombutafterfurtherresearchSandiferwasabletopinpointasource,apoliticalally
ofsoros,whoverifiedtheinformation.
Afterconsultingwithhisa ssistantcommunicationsdirectorTammiFrazierandmedia
buyerLauraSanchezitwasclearthattherewereopposingviews.Sanchezbelievedthatthis
informationcouldbeusedeffectivelytoboostFletchersrankingsinthepollsbyattackingSoros
perceivedfamilyvalues.However,Frazierismorehesitanttoreleasetheinformationduetothe
potentialunknownmotivesofLarkin.Frazieralsobelievedthatifthesourcewaslocatedby
Sorospeoplethenitcouldpotentiallybeneutralized.Theonlyjustificationofrealisingthenew
foundinformationisthatitquestionsSorospersonaofhavingstrongfamilyvalues.

II.

LegalIssues
ThelegalissuesatplaceherearewhetherornotitislegalforSanifertogopublicwith

thisnewfoundinformationgiventohimbyLarkin.Eventhoughithasbeenconfirmedbya
sourceitcouldstillbeconsideredabreachofSoros,andhiswife's,privacyandultimately
defamationofcharacter.Thisinformationdespitebeinghalfpubliclyadmitted,canstillbe

CaseStudyAnalysisII3

invasiveorviewedasunreasonablepersonalinformationtodisplaytothepublicbecauseitis
extremelypersonal.Anotherthingtoconsideristheacquisitionofpsychiatricrecordsand
personallettersbyLarkin.Didsheacquirethisinformationlegally?

III.

LegalAnalysis
IfthisinformationisreleaseditcouldcauseemotionaldistressnotonlytoSorosbutto

hiswifewhichwouldbreachthefirst,second,andpotentiallythethirdprivacytortswhichare
Intrusionuponseclusionorsolitude,orintoprivateaffairsPublicdisclosureofembarrassing
privatefactsPublicitywhichplacesapersoninafalselightinthepubliceyeAppropriationof
nameorlikeness(ThePrivacyTorts,2000).However,becauseSorosisapublicfigurehis
privacyrightsaredifferentbutthatdoesnotmeanthathelosesallofhisprivacyrights.Inthe
courtcase,Sipplev.ChroniclePublishingCo,Sipplebelievedhisrightofprivacywasbreached
afteranewspaperdisclosedhissexualorientationaftersavingthelifeofpresidentFord.
However,duetohisactiveinvolvementingayparadesandthehomosexualcommunityitwas
consideredpublicknowledgebecausemanyindividualswerealreadyaware(Publicationof
PrivateFacts,2013).InSoroscase,thisinformationwouldbesafetoreleaseonlyifitwasa
matteroflegitimatepublicconcern.InthecaseofLovejoyvs.Linehan,informationabouta
candidate'spriorassaultcharge,eventhoughitwasexpunged,wasstillreleasedandthe
individualswhoreleaseditwereprotectedbecauseitwasamatteroflegitimatepublicconcern
(Hopkins,2016).AsfortheacquisitionoftherecordsandlettersbyLarkin,itissafetoassume
thatbecauseshedidnotidentifyhersourcethenitmayhavebeenacquiredillegally.For
SandifertoconfirmthesebeliefsandattackSorosthereleasingofmedicaldocumentsand

CaseStudyAnalysisII4

privateletterswouldbenecessarywhichwouldultimatelybreachtortlaw(CRSAnnotated
Constitution,2016).

IV.

LegalDecision
BasedonthecaseofSipplev.ChroniclePublishingCoandthetestimonythatSorosgave

abouthismarriagecounseling,itisalreadypublicknowledgethatSoroshasattendedcounseling
andthatisfinetotalkabout.However,thepublishingoftheprivateinformationsuchasthe
personalletters,psychiatricrecords,andthefactheabusedhiswifeareallillegalduetothefact
thatitbreachesthefirstthreeprivacytorts.Itbreaksthefirstprivacytortbecauseitisintruding
onaprivateaffairbetweenSorosandhiswife.Itbreachesthesecondprivacytortbecausethat
couldbepotentiallyembarrassingforSoros,especiallyconsideringhepromotesfamilyvalues
duringhiscampaign.Thethirdprivacytortisviolatedbecausebyreleasingthisinformationit
wouldbeslanderousinthesensethatitportraysSorosasawomenbeaterinthepresenteven
thoughthatwasapartofhisdistantpast.Despitehowmuchthisinformationwouldhelp
Fletcherinhisrankings,IdontthinkthatitwouldbelegalforSandifertousethisinformation
toattackSorosbecauseitwouldbeconsidereddefamatoryandlibelousifpublished.Onthe
otherhand,ifSandifermanagestomaketheincidentamatteroflegitimatepublicconcern,then
hewouldbelawfullyallowedtousetheinformationgained.

V.

EthicalIssues
Theethicalissuesthatareathandhereareasfollows.IsitethicalforSandiferto

completelytwisthisselfimageandbeliefsjusttohelpthisoneclient?Arethereanyethical

CaseStudyAnalysisII5

breachesintheactualacquiringandreleasingofthisinformation?Finally,isitethicaltotarget
thisoneindividualanddamagetheirreputationtohelpaclientwhoisalreadyconsistently
fallinginthepolls.

VI.

EthicalAnalysis
EthicallythisgoesagainsteverythingthatSandiferbelievesin.Heprideshimselfforhis

cleancutcampaignsthatfocusonthepeople'sinterestsandconcerns.ByattackingSoroswith
thisinformationhewouldbedoingwrongtohisownbeliefsandwouldmuddytheimagehehas
workedsohardtocreate.
Asfortheorganizationthatheisrepresentingandtheclientthatheisworkingforthis
newfoundinformationcouldbethemagictickettheyhavebeenlookingfor.Withthis
informationSoroswoulddropinthepollsanditwouldhelpFletcher,thusbenefitingthe
organizationthatSandiferisworkingforandboosttherankingofhisclient.
Sandiferscolleaguesandpeershaveopposingviews.Hisa ssistantcommunications
director,TammiFrazier,believesthatthisinformationshouldnotbeusedbecauseofthenatureit
wasacquiredandthefactthatitgoesagainstthepersonatheirorganizationhascreated.
Sandifersmediabuyer,LauraSanchez,believesthatthisinformationisexactlywhattheyneed
becauseSorospublicallydeniedarumourandthisinformationwouldsetthefactsstraight.
Inregardstosocietyitisatrickysituation.Sandifercouldbedoingthesocietyjusticeby
exposingSorosasawomenbeatingliarbuttowhatextent?Sorosisanindividualwhois
campaigningfamilyvalues,whichisanextremelypositivemessagetobeputtingforth.Itwould
beputtingSorosunderfalselightinthecurrenttense.

CaseStudyAnalysisII6

TheobjectsinthiscaseareSorosandSandifer.Soroswillcomeunderseriousmedia
attackiftheinformationthathephysicallyabusedhiswifewasreleased,especiallyconsidering
thepersonahepresentstothepublic.AsforSandifer,hewouldsufferfromseriousscrutinydue
totheradicalchangesheappliedtothestyleinwhichheoperateshiscampaignstrategies.When
applyingphilosophicalapproachestothedecisiontheoutcomesvary.
Therearemanyphilosophicalapproachesinwhichthissituationcanbeviewed.
AristotlesVirtueEthicsisaphilosophythatwouldbedifficulttoapplyhere.Thereisnot
necessarilyagoldenmeanbetweenlettingthepublicknowifamanbeathiswifethroughthe
releaseofpsychiatricrecordsandnot.Theextremesbetweenthetwomakeamiddleground
almostimpossibletofind.GeneOutkasapproach,theidealagape,isaphilosophythatishard
toapplyespeciallyintheworldofpolitics.Thereisnotmuchroomforrespectanddignitywhen
itcomestopoliticalcampaigns.Thisapproachisnotidealforaseriouspoliticalsituationsuchas
thisonebecauseindividualsarenottryingtotreateachotherequally,theyarealwayslookingfor
theupperhandtogainranksinthepolls.JohnRawlsegalitarianapproachwouldnotworkeither
becauseitrequirestheindividualtoassumetheroleoftheotherparty,whichinpoliticsisnot
ideal.Lookingfornegativeinformationabouttheothercandidateisaconstantjobduring
campaignssoegalitarianismdoesnotapply.TheapproachSandifershoulduseisacombination
ofImmanuelKantscategoricalimperativeandJohnStuartMillsutilitarianismapproach.
(Pernell,2016).
TheaspectsinwhichheshouldtakefromKantistheimportanceofconsideringtheintent
ofhisactions.IfheintendsonincreasingthepopularityofFletcheranddoesnotworryaboutthe
consequencesthenthisistheperfectinformationtouse.However,sinceSandiferrunsgenerally

CaseStudyAnalysisII7

cleancampaignsheshouldtrytouseMillsutilitarianismapproach.Theconsequencesofthese
actionscouldbeasseriousadefamationofcharacterlawsuitalongwiththebreachingof
multipleprivacytorts.Thisapproachwouldresultinfewestnegativeconsequences.Eventhough
thismaybeethicallythebestapproachtotake,itwonthelphisclientinanyway(Pernell,
2016).

VII.

EthicalDecision
ToanyoneelseatfirstglanceitsanobrainerforSandifertoreleasethisinformationto

helpFletchergainalead.However,consideringtheethicsSandiferhasfollowedthroughouthis
professionalcareerandthetacticsheprideshimselfoverheshouldnotreleasethisinformation.
AlthoughitmaybecatchingSorosinalie,itisrevealinganunattractiveandsurprisingpast,it
doesnotfollowthebeliefsSandiferhaswhenitcomestomanagingandrunningacampaignasa
mediaconsultant.

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WorksCited
CRSAnnotatedConstitution.(2016).RetrievedMarch11,2016,from

https://www.law.cornell.edu/anncon/search/display.html?terms=Privacy&url=/anncon/ht
ml/amdt1dfrag7_user.html
Hopkins,W.W.(2015).Communicationandthelaw.Northport,Ala.:VisionPress.
Pernell,D.(2016).EthicsOverviewGuide.Wilmington,NC:UniversityNorthCarolina
Wilmington.
ThePrivacyTorts.(2000,December19).RetrievedMarch11,2016,from
http://www.privacilla.org/business/privacytorts.html
PublicationofPrivateFacts.(2013).RetrievedMarch11,2016,from
http://www.dmlp.org/legalguide/publicationprivatefacts