Did NCPR misquote Essex farmer Sandy Lewis?

Essex farmer and former Wall Street executive Sandy Lewis appeared again this morning on Fred Dicker’s Albany radio show.

For the second time, he complained to Dicker that NCPR has covered his court case with the Adirondack Park Agency inaccurately.

This time, Lewis cited a specific factual concern, arguing that I quoted him out of context in talking about acts of incest among his neighbors in Essex County.

Here, for the record, is his full quote, recorded in 2008. You can hear it here.

“I’m not crazy about the number one health issue in this community. Sit tight folks. Incest. Number one problem brought to that place for that help. Incest. I was flabbergasted.”

Mr. Lewis argues that he was referring to information he had received from one treatment center in Essex County.

I can’t comment on where Lewis’s information came from, or how he formulated his views. But I think the quote speaks for itself.

The broader context is also important.

Lewis included the allegation of incest as part of a list of criminal activities he ascribed to his neighbors, including the cover-up of murder and rampant illegal pollution on neighboring farms.

In short, I stand by the accuracy of the quote.