State coercion against Aidan Kearney is a threat to all journalists in Massachusetts

By Juan Perfetti.

Nearly a decade ago, I was first introduced to the Turtleboy saga. It happened in a bar in Worcester, where I resided for a year. A group of young dudes was chatting about some controversial stories of a city councilor, or something. I start by mentioning this as an anecdote of how this website was already, at that time, a word-of-mouth phenomenon around Worcester.

As local dynamics are at the top of my interests in life, this Turtleboy became a meaningful part of my learning process of the politics and vernacular narrative of the city of Worcester and Massachusetts in general. Something I didn’t like at that time, though, was that the website was anonymous.

I didn’t understand why -here in America- a person would hide to express one’s opinions. Maybe I was too naive.

Since then, hundreds, if not thousands of stories have been published, public denunciations of censorship and legal battles. Turtleboy is no longer anonymous. We now know its owner and editor is none other than Aidan Kearney, a citizen of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a former school teacher, and a father who has emerged as a prominent figure in the local scene. He has become a successful journalist and publishing entrepreneur, known for his wicked wild journalistic style, blending elements of gonzo, ambush, investigation, and sensationalism. One thing is sure, regardless of one’s assumptions or disagreements about his work, this man has evolved into a valuable source of information -and entertainment- for many citizens of Massachusetts and New England alike.

On Wednesday, October 11, 2023, just in case you didn’t know, Aidan was arrested, handcuffed, and displayed almost like a hunting trophy on vintage TV. His home was subjected to a search, during which police seized his computer and other electronics. This was part of a 70-page legal case in which he faces eight charges of felony witness intimidation, four counts of misdemeanor picketing, and one charge related to conspiracy to commit witness intimidation, potentially bringing an 80-year prison sentence… But wait, there’s more: these actions, including the raid on his home by State Police officers, were done by public officials associated with blogs that Aidan had originally reported on Turtleboy in his unapologetically hard-hitting style, exposing an apparent brutal corruption scheme.

Let that sink in.

I am no one to make a judgment about the story Aidan Kearney is covering and its connection to this case, which includes grave allegations and accusations of police corruption. My hope is for a just and impartial trial that someday delivers justice. I still believe in the fundamental principle that any person accused of a crime is considered innocent until proven guilty.

Anyway, my purpose with this editorial is to highlight how the charges against Aidan Kearney, who is essentially being prosecuted for his journalism, are coercive and a threat to journalism, free speech, the press, and society.

It doesn’t matter if you love or hate Aidan Kearney’s journalism style or if he ever offended you.

This matter is not just about Aidan anymore.

Just picture this with a journalist you respect: government officials accused of corruption are using law enforcement to silence a journalist who is exposing their actions.

If those in power can target a journalist using the state’s resources, how can we be sure other journalists won’t face the same in the future? Politics change, and so do the people and the culture in power. If you’re okay with a journalist being bullied this way, you’re letting your bias be stronger than your values.

I am originally from Venezuela, and it’s frightening to see this happening in Massachusetts. Initially, it begins with a pattern similar to what we’re seeing with Aidan Kearney and then escalates. Finally, it expands beyond journalists and starts affecting ordinary citizens who express “politically incorrect” views on social media, as it happened to Angel Vivas, a Venezuelan citizen I interviewed in his home, who was thrown in jail and tortured for some Tweets deemed terrorism by dictator Maduro.

It’s disturbing to see what’s happening with Aidan Kearney, but even more concerning is how some journalists and Massachusetts’ media organizations allow bias to silence them, almost like self-censorship.

This is an abuse of power, coercion, injustice, a violation of free speech, and the threat of censoring an independent journalist and Massachusetts citizen who has worked for years to grow his publication and provide us with information that in some cases we will not get anywhere else.

It is unacceptable, and we must stop it from setting a precedent.