Roboscam, not robocalls. And, although I’ve taken to using “roboscam” as shorthand, let us remember that live callers have also been implicated in this national vote suppression initiative.

The issue isn’t robocalls. I don’t like ‘em, but they aren’t illegal per se. I’ve already voted online for the next NDP leader, so maybe the daily blandishments from various hopefuls will now cease. At one point I was ready to offer my vote to the hopeful who would just stop it.

But that’s a side-issue. What’s upsetting is the blurring going on in the media at this point.

This story, for example, is pure misleading journalistic incompetence—or worse.

The implication that “the Libs did it too” permeates the piece. But in fact Frank Valeriote didn’t do anything wrong—he sent out a political message about his opponent that one could take or leave. There was no attempt to defraud, and he was upfront with Elections Canada about that particular expense.

No harm, no foul. But the Con shills dutifully began to howl. Good grief, the National Post’s John Ivison couldn’t bring himself to apologize when Valeriote gave him the facts, nor has he even mastered the spelling of the candidate’s name. Journamalism 101.

In the meantime, the deficiencies of the Elections Canada investigation are already becoming apparent. Without the powers of a quasi-judicial tribunal to compel testimony, EC is hamstrung. Those implicated have begun to refuse to talk to the investigators.

That could have been foreseen, of course. But it’s odd behaviour from a party that claims to have nothing to hide.

That’s the story, or part of it. Will the media stay on track, or be diverted by the Conservatives’ veritable barrel of red herrings?