Loudoun and Tulloch: is this news?

Today's WAPO front page, above the fold, leads with the story "Official Tried to Exploit Contacts" - concerning Bruce Tulloch's (BOS, Republican, Potomac district) alleged ties and influence to developers and other financial stakeholders in the "22nd Century Loudoun County land grab". Is this really news, so much so that it deserves the front page (next to articles on Bush, Global Warming, Darfur, Spam King arrests and Dow Jones & Co. sale)? Why wasn't this covered in the previous day's Loudoun insert?

Here's the rundown on alleged illicit activities, that deserves front-page attention by WAPO readers the world over;

- conversations with developers, establishment of private "ties"
- unsuccessful spending lobbying
- voting for friends (not "improper" under VA COI laws)
- name-dropping
- a "home in common"
- major recent purchases after filing for bankruptcy (over 15 years ago!)

This attention and report is absurd, more relevant and interesting to the blogosphere (than the national news), and, frankly, simply another day in the life of many area counties, and most assuredly Loudoun. Is WAPO promoting a political year agenda, or simply trying to fill space with local news from a dry source (and perhaps unmotivated reporters)? Note the Loudoun County insert has, in the past 6 months, turned into the regional source for Fauquier County news, a republishing platform for WAPO-reporter supported blog entries from "Living in Loco", and a place to stick in all kinds of "regional" news, columns and advertisements (having nothing to do with Loudoun at all).

I think the local rags will likely provide the most appropriate and locally-relevant insight and material on these activities, events and allegations as they unfold over the year - WAPO's fallen down on this one (after such a good "breaking" story earlier this year, about Loudoun corruption!).