FAIR AND BALANCED?

[Below are excerpts from Donna McGaffic's examination of The Northern Light 11/8/25 article by Grace McCarthy, published four days after Whatcom District Court Judge Anderson issued civil protection orders for Donna and three other Blaine open government activists threatened by convicted violent felon and friend of Mayor Steward, David Brudvik, whom Blaine Chief of Police Rodger Funk testified in support of.]

At 12:47 p.m. on Friday, November 7, Grace McCarthy emailed Blaine City Manager Mike Harmon and attached the Ferndale Police Department report: 

“I received a copy of the Ferndale Police Department’s investigation into the City of Blaine (attached) and am working on deadline on an article about the investigation. I believe it’s important to include the city’s perspective in the article and have the following questions.”  

At precisely 5:00 p.m. to the minute, right as the Ferndale Public Records Office closed for the weekend, Grace McCarthy emailed Donna: 

“Hi Donna,  

I received a Ferndale police report of an investigation into the city of Blaine that names you as initiating the complaint. I'm working on deadline on an article on the report and I plan on including information about your involvement.  

Would you like to provide a comment about your thoughts on the report?  

Please let me know as soon as you're able.”  

The report was not attached. 

At that moment, there was no practical way for Donna to obtain the report before publication. 

At 8:09 p.m., Donna responded to Grace: 

“I have not seen the report. Can you please provide it?” 

The report was not provided. 

At 9:21 a.m. on Saturday, the article was published.  

At **9:24 a.m.—after the article was already live—** Grace McCarthy responded: 

“Hi Donna, 

The Ferndale Police Department would have a copy of the report… The article should be live online, if it's not already…” 

She did not provide the report. Instead, she directed Donna to the Ferndale Police Department for a copy, on a weekend - after the article was already published.

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