Where's Jim Muir?

Anybody else notice that Jim Muir hasn't had an article or opinion piece in the Southern Illinoisan for over a month? He hasn't been in there since the big flap erupted over whether Gary Forby high fived Emil Jones after the Ameren vote. Does anybody know if he quit or got fired or is just on vacation or something like that?

Jim did not quit, nor has he been fired. He is on hiatus for the time being.

I miss his articles in the Southern !!

Friend of Jim wrote:

Jim did not quit, nor has he been fired. He is on hiatus for the time being.

Why did he take a hiatus?

I will just say that a lot of people at The Southern are looking for jobs.

Friend of Jim wrote:

I will just say that a lot of people at The Southern are looking for jobs.

Why is Muir looking for another job? I heard he got into it with his editors over the Forby story. Is that the reason?

I didn't say that Jim was necessarily looking for another job.
I can't speak for Jim and it is not my place to disclose what he is or isn't up to.
The Southern handled the Forby situation very badly. Jim has worked very hard for them for some time and did not deserve to be treated as he was.
You might watch the bylines as I expect a lot of the regulars to disappear.

I don't think HE is the one causing the problems in this state. The blame should be put on the politicians who let this governor get away with what he has and to heck with the people who pay their salaries. I wish Jim would come back, I enjoyed his articles, at least he wasn't afraid to say what needed to be said, even if some didn't want to hear it.

I've noticed that Tara Fasol is now writing articles for the Southern Illinoisan in Franklin County. I sure hope that they fired Jim Muir and hired her to replace him. I used to read her articles in the Daily American and it's pretty obvious that she is a much better reporter than Muir.

Friend of Jim wrote:

Jim did not quit, nor has he been fired. He is on hiatus for the time being.

So what's he doing? Sweeping the floors? He hasn't had an article in the paper in almost 3 months. I don't care whether he ever has an article in the paper again. I think he's a slimeball. But why all the secrets? It looks like the Southern is willing to publish the dirty laundry of anyone in the public eye, unless it's one of their own.

Jim has taken a leave of absence. As far as Tara Fasol being a better reporter.... yeah well, I'm not going there.
If you ever paid close attention to her stories at the DA, you would have realized she clearly re-wrote the Southern's stories. I don't think she ever wrote an accurate article.

Friend of Jim wrote:

Jim has taken a leave of absence. As far as Tara Fasol being a better reporter.... yeah well, I'm not going there.
If you ever paid close attention to her stories at the DA, you would have realized she clearly re-wrote the Southern's stories. I don't think she ever wrote an accurate article.

Why did he take a leave of absence? I heard he got canned for lying about the Forby/Jones hi-five story. Is this true?

Public Officials Must be Role Models
Jane Radostits was the top Assistant State's Attorney in DuPage County. Elected by her colleagues #1 prosecutor in Illinois in 2006. She was fatally injured in an auto collision last week. Car which she was driving caused serious injuries to others. Her blood alcohol test was .25, three times the legal limit.
State's Attorney Birkett and numerous law enforcement officers in DuPage County professed surprise and shock that the lead prosecutor would drive while thus impaired. Human nature is such that it is incredible that the departed got totally drunk once only. The conclusion is inescapable that her weakness for alcohol was long standing, tolerated and concealed by those with whom she worked.
Diligent cops who stop Joe Blow for a missing tail light, order a breathalyzer test instanter at the slightest smell of booze. Had this same rule been applied to the hierarchy, the deceased might well be alive, receiving treatment for her illness, albeit without driver's license.
Jane Radostits is not an isolated tragedy. Similar cover-up occurs with sickening frequency. One need not travel 260 miles to DuPage County to witness cozy relationship within law enforcement and the tolerance not extended to the rest of the world. The State's Attorney of Edwards County has been accused in sworn testimony of repeatedly driving and drinking. Yet, none dares subject him to a breathalyzer test. His reaction to possible correction by his associates, "I have them under my thumb."

He didn't get canned and he didn't lie about the Forby-Jones story.
The Southern added that part to Jim's story according to an editorial THE SOUTHERN put in after getting pressure from Forby and Jim.
The high-five part came from some reporter in Springfield and was THAT reporters observation only.
As far as why he left, don't know for sure and I surely won't speculate.

I wish he would start writing again....enjoyed his controversial articles, at least, he wasn't afraid to write what everyone else was thinking.........even if it did step on some toes.

There are a lot of toes out there that need stepping on and maybe this state and this country wouldn't be in the mess they are in today.

I don not know if any of the rumors that i have heard or true or not. But the huba huba is that his absence has something to do with Gary Forby and an article that Mr. Muir wrote about him. I dunno that just what some peole are sayin. Maybe he stepped on the wrong toes this time. Forby has clearly been initiated into the Chicago clique.

The secrecy behind Muir's dismissal is kind of funny. The Southen looks ridiculous when they just won't come out and say why they fired him months ago. Here's what I've heard. Muir didn't get canned because he said Forby hi-fived Emil Jones. He got fired because he lied (on his radio show) when he said that didn't happen. Muir has been in the pocket of several politically connected old time Franklin County politicians for a long time and the Southern finally came to realize they couldn't tolerate him doing favors for these people any more for his own gain. So here's the poop. . .Forby really did hi-five Jones. Everybody who was from Southern Illinois in the State House that day saw it. Forby and Jones thought they'd secretly derail the rate freeze and then get us to accept a $1 billion rebate as a comprise. Looks like that's what hapened. Instead of truthfully reporting that Forby was in Jones back pocket, Muir lied and said that Forby was opposed to Jones and went out and denied that the hi-five really happened. Muir reported it that way because his wife was planning on running for Franklin County clerk and the two of them wanted Forby's support. Once Jim got fired, his wife got fired from the city clerk's office because she really liked to throw Jim's weight around and, well, Jim has no weight now. That's just what I've heard.

Interesting??????????

What I Have Heard wrote:

The secrecy behind Muir's dismissal is kind of funny. The Southen looks ridiculous when they just won't come out and say why they fired him months ago. Here's what I've heard. Muir didn't get canned because he said Forby hi-fived Emil Jones. He got fired because he lied (on his radio show) when he said that didn't happen. Muir has been in the pocket of several politically connected old time Franklin County politicians for a long time and the Southern finally came to realize they couldn't tolerate him doing favors for these people any more for his own gain. So here's the poop...Forby really did hi-five Jones. Everybody who was from Southern Illinois in the State House that day saw it. Forby and Jones thought they'd secretly derail the rate freeze and then get us to accept a $1 billion rebate as a comprise. Looks like that's what hapened. Instead of truthfully reporting that Forby was in Jones back pocket, Muir lied and said that Forby was opposed to Jones and went out and denied that the hi-five really happened. Muir reported it that way because his wife was planning on running for Franklin County clerk and the two of them wanted Forby's support. Once Jim got fired, his wife got fired from the city clerk's office because she really liked to throw Jim's weight around and, well, Jim has no weight now. That's just what I've heard.

Well what you have heard is WAYYY OFF.
Jim didn't get fired. He quit.
His wife was not planning to run for clerk.
According to several news reports (and the correction the Southern ran) Forby NEVER high fived Jones. That was one reporter's statement.
Just shows the ignorance of a lot of the people that live in Southern IL. Run their mouths off, just to have something to do.

Friend of Jim wrote:

<quoted text>
Well what you have heard is WAYYY OFF.
Jim didn't get fired. He quit.
His wife was not planning to run for clerk.
According to several news reports (and the correction the Southern ran) Forby NEVER high fived Jones. That was one reporter's statement.
Just shows the ignorance of a lot of the people that live in Southern IL. Run their mouths off, just to have something to do.

The Southern never backed off of its position that Forby high fived Jones. You are just wrong about that. They did allow Forby to write a rebuttal but one of the things he was most upset about was the Southern's refusal to retract the story. I followed this story closely when it came out and I am not aware of any news report that said the high five never happened. They ran reports of Forby disputing that it happened. But there was no story that I am aware of that said it just flat didn't happen. Interestingly, there was no story that ever gave Jones's account of whether there was a high five. I found that odd. Also, I've heard the same thing as the others on here about why Muir got fired.