Fox Television generally provides solid news coverage. That said, an investigative report broadcast Tuesday evening, which claimed to document abuse of Chelsea Soldiers Home residents by an uncaring administration, was fundamentally flawed, distorted and inconsistent with what actually occurs at the facility. Our familiarity with the Soldiers Home is extensive. We are well acquainted with its leadership. We hold Mike Resca, the commandant, in high regard and deep respect. The Fox Television report from Tuesday night does nothing to diminish our esteem for what Resca has accomplished despite operating under severe resource constraints. Residents of the home, nearly without exception, voice their support for and approval of the job Resca performs in managing the facility. His consistent day-to-day engagement with residents and his thoughtfulness toward their families are matters of public knowledge. Certainly, minor issues like exposed wiring or peeling paint can be addressed and remedied. What cannot be undone is the damaging narrative advanced by the purported investigative report, which suggests that certain residents are being denied proper care and attention. Such claims are false and represent, in significant measure, a distortion by Fox News, which leverages television’s power to sensationalize and make unfounded accusations in pursuit of higher ratings. In our view, the Fox Special represented an attempt by the station to attack Mike Resca, the Soldiers Home staff, and the administration responsible for its operations. We are intimately familiar with this facility—far more so than Fox could ever be. We know Mike Resca, and we hold him in respect for the exceptional work he has delivered on behalf of those who depend on the Soldier’s Home. Operating the Chelsea Soldier’s Home and providing services to veterans, particularly elderly ones dealing with serious health conditions, presents substantial challenges, and daily operations cannot be executed flawlessly. Nevertheless, over the long term, the Chelsea Soldier’s Home serves as a vital refuge for former service members who lack family support or alternative housing. Fox News has succeeded in damaging the reputation of the Chelsea Soldier’s Home and the committed individuals who dedicate themselves to it. This demonstrates how much simpler it is to tear down a worthy institution than to celebrate it. The Fox News report presented an incomplete picture—not even approaching a full account. For many veterans, the Chelsea Soldier’s Home represents their only lifeline. Undermining the Home jeopardizes these men, pushing them closer to homelessness. Was this the outcome Fox Television sought?
Investigative report unfair, ill-advised
