As I first reported here last week, New York Times Public Editor Clark Hoyt was reviewing the controversy surrounding the Times' coverage of Connecticut U.S. Senate candidate Richard Blumenthal's war record.

Hoyt told me last week he was “looking into” the way the Times handled the coverage, particulary its failure to utilize a full version of a video in which Blumenthal falsely said he had served in Vietnam. Earlier in the same video, he stated he served in the “Vietnam era.”

The Times has come under attack for failing to note the full context of that video.

Hoyt finally weighed in on the issue in a column Sunday. He summed up the controversy, but eventually said the paper acted properly: “In the end, through all the swirling sand the article has kicked up, a clear set of facts remains uncontested: On more than one occasion, Blumenthal said he had served in Vietnam when he had not. Did people The Times talked to have agendas? Sure. Did The Times independently verify the information? Yes, and that's what counts.”

Doubtful this will put the situation to rest.