On 15 February 2021, Z-List science fiction author Jason Sanford posted a so-called expose on “Baen’s Bar”, the web forum for Baen publishing, and attacking female Publisher Toni Weisskopf. It has been alleged that the article at first assumed Toni was, “Tony” and of the male gender, and the article was later changed. I cannot find an archive of the original article earlier than 16th. However, I was able to find comments in which Toni was referred to as male and “Tony” and where the commenter corrected. This tends to corroborate the allegation the article did misgender Toni. Regardless, it is only a minor issue compared to the horror of Jason’s writing. My analysis quickly found a smorgasboard of material that is, in my opinion, offensive, depraved and vile, including some involving the torture of minors by adults.

It has been alleged that Jason Sanford misgendered Toni Weisskopf as Tony. The comment in the screenshot suggests this is true (click for full size).

Jason Sanford’s most recent short story is freely available online and it is entitled, “The Wheels on the Torture Bus Go Round and Round” (archive). The (very) short piece follows the interactions of a little girl called ‘Jane’. Jane’s age is not given, but the information that is given makes it plain she is a child. A minor. The story opens with the sentence, “All the neighborhood kids except for Jane cheered when the torture bus stopped in front of Mrs. McKinney’s house”. Jane is a “kid”. Readers will be aware of course that Sanford is not the most successful of authors, but this reads like sub-par fanfic with a disturbing focus.

The story follows Jane’s observations of visits by the eponymous “torture bus”, and being assaulted by a boy called ‘Binny’. The bus, apparently a known and accepted institution in the world of the short story, visits members of the public without explanation and literally tortures them with medieval equipment –

“They watched as the torture techs opened the back of their yellow bus and wheeled out an iron maiden stretcher and a satchel of scary tools. The techs wore black coveralls embroidered with a grinning cartoon devil holding a red whip.”

The image of a grinning cartoon devil puts me in mind of BDSM websites. Why is this story about a little girl observing this? Not that the story lasts long. It meanders on, with Jane befriending the “lead torture tech”, whose name is, ‘Leroy’. Leroy is a creepy guy who literally drives up again the next day in an unmarked white van. He is so impressed with Jane that he decides to offer her a “free torture” –

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In my last article I exposed amateur journalist and z-list science fiction author Jason Sanford’s misleading recent article about Baen Publishing’s webforum, “Baen’s Bar”.  In this second (of at least three) articles, I deal with the aftermath. A third article will deal with some of Sanford’s writing that is, in my opinion, sexually problematic, racially insensitive and offensive to people with some disabilities. There may be a fourth article but I am still investigating. Anyone who has felt that Jason Sanford has dealt with them inappropriately in any way (but especially at conventions), is invited to get in touch in confidence via the email on the, ‘About’ page.

Jason Sanford’s Linkedin images are shown here for the purposes of criticism and review. Sanford, who works for the Ohio News Media Association, is clearly not the snappiest of text writers and either his head is weirdly elongated or the aspect ratio is slightly off. His job is to do … marketing content, including graphics. (Click for full size)

Since Jason Sanford’s article misinformed but zealous readers of his have inundated the organisers of WorldCon 2021, a science fiction convention, with complaints to the extent that Baen Publisher Toni Weisskopf has been uninvited from being a guest of honour. The problem is that the allegations are, largely, just not true. At the same time, darker and darker information is emerging about Sanford. I have received a statement from lawyers for Sanford’s employers, the Ohio News Media Association (ONMA) trying to distance themselves from the scandal. However, given they are a media organisation, given Sanford uses his employment with them to advertise himself and given his followers standard of tenuous-guilt-by-association, that position seems untenable. These events can only reflect badly on ONMA, Sanford’s boss Monica Nieporte (ONMA President) and Discon III Chair Bill Lawhorn.

So, when I put up my first article about Jason Sanford’s unethical behaviour, no response was received. I offered the subjects an extension of time and I know they saw it. I also spoke to Monica Nieporte on the telephone. The day after publication, I received the following statement from lawyers instructed by ONMA –

This is the official statement from ONMA’s lawyers. Click for full size.

Jason Sanford’s conduct is outside his employment at ONMA, they say, and nothing to do with them. Now, Baker Hostetler is a large law firm but that does not mean I intend to fall over. I set out why I respectfully disagree, below. Now firstly we should make clear why ONMA would want to disassociate themselves from Jason Sanford’s article. It is a shoddy piece of journalism that no reputable media organisation would want to be associated with. The article has been debunked by a stellar list of science-fiction luminaries –

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