Terry Ramey - Distortion Of Facts by Smoky Mountain News and Cory Vaillancourt
- LeRoy Cossette
- Jan 27
- 4 min read
Smoky Mountain News and Cory Vaillancourt
The Mountaineer is our hometown newspaper, and when they make an honest mistake, such as confusing Commissioner candidate Tiffany Collins with Tax Collector candidate Emily Sapp or incorrectly stating that Terry Ramey was late on his taxes when he was not, they issue corrections. That is responsible journalism.
In contrast, the Smoky Mountain News and one of its reporters, Cory Vaillancourt, routinely distort facts in their political reporting. By allowing such biased reporting, the Smoky Mountain News presents itself as nothing more than a tabloid publishing sensational narratives rather than balanced reporting.
Cory Vaillancourt has falsely claimed that Terry Ramey filed his taxes late in 18 separate articles. This is despite Ramey’s official tax records showing that he has filed and paid all legally required taxes on time and in full. Even when Vaillancourt’s articles are not directly about Terry Ramey, Vaillancourt consistently embeds the same false tax claim against Ramey in those stories.
Recently, Vaillancourt has made additional false statements, which the Smoky Mountain News has published, including references to Terry Ramey's thirty-five-year-old horse and to his temporary association with Haven on the Hill. Again, Vaillancourt failed to adequately research the issues.
Had Vaillancourt done simple research, he would have known (and, in my opinion, did know) that Ramey’s taxes were paid in full and on time and that his thirty-five-year-old horse was examined by a veterinarian who determined that the horse’s appearance was due to its age, not mistreatment.
Furthermore, Vaillancourt would have known (and, in my opinion, did know) that Ramey’s association with the Haven on the Hill facility occurred during Hurricane Helene. That temporary association was to help deliver food, gas, clothing, and heaters to anyone seriously affected by Hurricane Helene's flooding. Ramey worked tirelessly to distribute necessities and also personally delivered hay and feed to farmers who had no other way to feed their livestock.
Another fake story by Vaillancourt, published by the Smoky Mountain News, was Vaillancourt’s false report that Terry Ramey wanted to break the law by permitting the provision of tiny homes to shelter flood victims who had lost their homes and had nowhere to stay during the coldest period after the flood. Haywood County Board of Commissioners Chairman Kevin Ensley, in my opinion, was in lockstep with Smoky Mountain News reporter Cory Vaillancourt, stating on WLOS News that "There will be no tiny homes in Haywood County," even as other counties allowed similar temporary shelters.
The reality is that Ramey sought a temporary emergency change to allow alternative shelters for Haywood County flood victims during extreme winter conditions. Because the Board of Commissioners, under the chairmanship of Kevin Ensley, refused to work with Ramey to secure approval for these temporary shelters, Ramey escalated the issue to the State Fire Marshal and then to the Governor's office. It was only at this point that Governor Stein finally declared a state of emergency for flood victims, forcing Chairman Ensley to approve the use of Amish-built tiny homes.
For the record, Cory Vaillancourt has an ongoing history of inappropriate behavior, which is supported by his criminal history, including an attack on Terry Ramey in the Haywood County Courthouse. That incident involved Vaillancourt screaming and spitting in Commissioner Ramey's face. Law enforcement records indicate that Vaillancourt also has multiple violent incident reports, including an incident in which he threw political signs at the home of a candidate for governor in Georgia. Cory's behavior raises serious questions about his objectivity and credibility as a political reporter, and it also calls into question Smoky Mountain News’ political impartiality by allowing such reporting and behavior by its reporters.
In my opinion, Cory Vaillancourt is a “fake news reporter” with no honor or integrity, and by publishing his fake news articles, the Smoky Mountain News is complicit and has seriously harmed its credibility.
==================================================================================
"The Informed Citizen" is a Judeo-Christian conservative blog and website with a mission to provide information on the governance of our municipalities, counties, states, and country, enabling you, the voter, to make informed decisions at the ballot box.
To this end, "The Informed Citizen" publishes daily information that mainstream media either fails to provide or does so in a manner that aligns with the ideological narrative of the Socialist-Democrat Party.
If we are to retain our Constitutional Republic as envisioned by our Founding Fathers, we need the involvement and engagement of everyone. So, please consider joining this mission.
If you are interested in participating in informational conversations via "The Informed Citizen" Blog and Website, please visit americaninsanity.org to learn about "The Informed Citizen" and gain valuable insights into our communities' issues, and to subscribe to “The Informed Citizen.”
Together, our voices as Judeo-Christian conservatives will resonate more powerfully than ever.
Please share this post with your contacts. Everyone needs to be an informed citizen, knowledgeable about political activities that directly affect them and their families, so that they too can make informed decisions at the ballot box.
The smoky mountain times is a worthless left wing rag just like the mountaineer.