[WikiEN-l] Reporting/dealing with whitewashing/smearing

[The Cunctator]

What is the policy (or information about the policy) on dealing
with/reporting whitewashing or smearing by interested/paid parties? An
example was
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Congressional_Staffer_Edits but it
doesn't seem to be under any category... is there any kind of policy? Should
there be?

I almost don't want to justify the practice with a defense, because then it
sets up a game/conflict for people to "win" at by "beating" Wikipedia. But
it would be foolish to ignore what will be more prevalent as Wikipedia
grows.

Also, I think it would be good for the community to tackle this, because
otherwise the Foundation and Jimbo will take the lead, and they have a
necessarily conflict/legal-dispute/panic-mode bias toward the issue, since
they're always on the receiving end of irate phone calls or Ann Coulters in
their face or controversy-seeking journalists. I for one don't think the "no
interested parties" policy idea is very good, but I can see it being
implemented if a better framework isn't put in place before all hell breaks
loose. An ounce of prevention and all that.

But only an ounce!

Sorry for the rambling if there's already work that's been done on this
issue and I just haven't seen it.