Home Local News RAGBRAI’S DIRECTOR & STAFF RESIGN OVER ISSUE WITH DES MOINES REGISTER

RAGBRAI’S DIRECTOR & STAFF RESIGN OVER ISSUE WITH DES MOINES REGISTER

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THE DIRECTOR OF RAGBRAI AND THE ENTIRE STAFF OF THE REGISTER’S GREAT BIKE RIDE ACROSS IOWA HAVE RESIGNED.

T.J. JUSKIEWICZ, THE DIRECTOR OF THE BIKE RIDE THE PAST 16 YEARS, POSTED A LETTER ON THE RAGBRAI WEBSITE SAYING RAGBRAI’S PARENT COMPANIES HAD REFUSED TO LET HIM ANSWER HUNDREDS OF QUESTIONS REGARDING THE FUTURE OF THE RIDE FOLLOWING THE DES MOINES REGISTER’S HANDLING OF THE CARSON KING STORY.

THE REGISTER AND ITS PARENT COMPANY GANNETT\USA TODAY ARE RAGBRAI’S PARENT COMPANIES.

JUSKIEWICZ’S LETTER STATES THE NEWSPAPERS CLAIM TO UPHOLD 1ST AMENDMENT PRINCIPLES, BUT HAVE DENIED HIM

THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPENLY SPEAK TO RAGBRAI NATION.

HE SAYS THE REGISTER BLOCKED HIS EFFORTS TO COMMUNICATE WITH RIDERS BECAUSE IT DID NOT MESH WITH THE COMPANY’S PR EFFORTS TO SPIN THE CARSON KING EMBARRASSMENT.

THAT REFERS TO A REGISTER REPORTER WHO WAS LATER FIRED THAT WROTE ABOUT YEARS OLD SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS BY KING THAT WERE DEEMED INAPPROPRIATE TODAY.

JUSKIEWICZ SAYS HE WAS OFFERED TALKING POINTS BY THE REGISTER REGARDING RAGBRAI ABOUT THE KING SITUATION IF THE MATTER CAME UP, WHICH JUSKIEWICZ SAYS DEALS WITH A MESS THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RIDE.

JUSKIEWICZ SAYS HE AND THE STAFF WILL MAINTAIN THE BIKE RIDE ACROSS IOWA, WHICH WILL NOW BE CALLED IOWA’S RIDE.

THE RIDE IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 19TH THROUGH THE 25TH THROUGH LOCATIONS YET TO BE DETERMINED.