Hours Before His Death Michael Hastings Contacted Wikileaks Attorney Said FBI Was Investigating Him

[Catherina]

Hours Before His Death Michael Hastings Contacted Wikileaks Attorney Said FBI Was Investigating Him #snowden


https://twitter.com/wikileaks/statuses/347475869629022208

[Lil Missy]

1. Ruh roh .....

[Luminous Animal]

2. I didn't want to laugh but I did.

[avaistheone1]

44. Shame.

Nothing to laugh about.

What has become of DU?

[Luminous Animal]

78. I laughed at the Scooby Doo reference. I have been very upset about Hastings death all day...

The "ruh roh" comment was the only thing that had cut through my distress. Maybe it is an Irish wake thing where both tears and levity are encouraged. I embrace your tsk tsking.

[eShirl]

113. I know exactly what you mean.

[Mosaic]

205. Good question I rarely come here anymore

For good reason. The red-necks have taken over.

[pscot]

3. Jungle drums

[blkmusclmachine]

4. Hit job?

Nice and neat.

.

We're all Germans now

[Catherina]

6. No idea. Wikileaks also tweeted this but the meaning is unclear to me

WikiLeaks ?@wikileaks 8h

Michael Hastings death has a very serious non-public complication. We will have more details later.

https://twitter.com/wikileaks/statuses/347475869629022208

Does that mean anything to you? Anyone?

[Cracklin Charlie]

19. Non-public would = private.

Other than that, I got nothin'.

[Catherina]

22. Thanks Charlie, Looks like we both got nothing

[MADem]

25. "Non public complication?"

Where was he coming from?

Where was he headed?

What was he doing before he got in the car?

Who was with him before he got in the car, or who was he meeting at his interrupted destination?

Why was he meeting with anyone, if that was what he was doing?

What was his state of mind?

I have no answers to any of these questions.

It's might be that one location or the other is problematic. He was speaking with someone he shouldn't have been speaking with? "Non-public" might mean "unrelated to work" or "personal?"

Or "non-public complication" could have to do with what he may have ingested before he crashed? That he was under the influence of a substance?

It is a very vague sentence. It invites more questions than answers--not sure how it aids anything save speculation and curiosity.

[Catherina]

52. All good questions

No answers here either. I can't even take a guess

[MADem]

72. It could be an "inside baseball" swipe at his wife.

His wife used to be a speechwriter for Condileeza Rice when she was at State, and she also had some job (don't recall what) in the Bush administration. She is still hooked into that world and that group of people. They live on the east coast, and the tweet might be trying to coyly suggest a dalliance or something. Whatever, and regardless of one's feelings about the guy--even from the diehard McChrystal fans--that kind of commentary is just not appropriate.

It could also be an attempt to try to insert themselves into the story. There's just no way of knowing, at least not yet. The lawyer needs to come forward and confirm the contact and perhaps characterize it (was it a request for legal assistance, or...was it a reporter asking a question?).

All the remark did was twist people's emotions even further.

His wife had to beat down some disrespect from the NYT before her husband's body even stopped smoking. Regardless what people might think of her and her work for the last administration, I can't imagine what she's going through right now. Details here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/19/michael-hastings-wife_n_3469095.html

[geek tragedy]

74. The 'non public' tweet preceded the claim about the FBI.

Ergo, the 'non public' angle is probably the alleged FBI investigation.

[MADem]

76. Odd phrasing, though. Why not "work-related?"

To me (and I am old and my mind distinguishes between 'public' business and 'private' business) that kind of tortured phrasing sounded like the National Enquirer, like they are saying he was catting around on his old lady or something. It just read to my eye like something that was real close to a cheap shot.

I remember this guy's reporting on McChrystal, I thought it was solid.

I went looking for the tweet and I see I am not the only one who thinks that it wasn't appropriate. The people objecting may not have the same feeling that I have about what they are trying to suggest, but they don't like the sound of it, either.

https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/347425652389052416

[geek tragedy]

79. Wikileaks is trolling for attention, ghoulishly so. nt

[sabrina 1]

100. Hastings didn't contact the Wikileaks attorney? Got a link to that?

[geek tragedy]

120. Suggesting a link between that and his death is trolling

on their part.

[msanthrope]

185. It's not just trolling..it's an utter violation of Michael Hasting's privacy rights.

Last edited Fri Jun 21, 2013, 09:08 AM - Edit history (1)

if Mr Hastings consulted an attorney in this country regarding a criminal matter or anything else he and his estate have a privacy right. if Jennifer Robinson is licensed to practice anywhere in the United States she would be disbarred for revealing this confidence.

[geek tragedy]

187. Wikileaks doesn't believe in anyone's right to privacy.

Just ask everyone whose information they leaked (US servicepeople, people helping our embassies overseas, etc).

[msanthrope]

190. I'm trying to find out if she is practicing in the US. I will file a bar complaint if she is. If

Last edited Fri Jun 21, 2013, 09:09 AM - Edit history (2)

not, I'm going to make sure that any case she co-counsels on in the US has a letter of complaint. A barrister contacted me via pm, so I will make sure that I follow up on that.....

This is outrageous conduct by an attorney.

[Aerows]

191. If someone screams out loud

that they are your client, strips down, and streaks past a fountain in front of the public, it's a little too late to say anyone was divulging private information if everyone in the neighborhood now knows they have genital warts. Just FYI.

[msanthrope]

193. That was Ken Starr's reasoning when he tried to violate Vince Foster's civil rights after he

shot himself. Specifically, that the manner of death vitiated the dead's privacy. Congratulations...

You might try reading the case on point.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/swidler062598.htm

[Aerows]

194. Who ended up on the right side of the ruling? n/t

[msanthrope]

195. The dead. nt

[Catherina]

86. Color me totally confused

I don't see where you see that possibility in the tweet but it's so vague that it's impossible to refute any possible interpretation. Hastings had worked with Wikileaks and Assange so I don't think they needed to insert themselves into the story but I agree with you that all that tweet did was rev up people's emotions. I tried to interpret it with French syntax, German syntax and still nothing. They should clarify it or delete it.

And your link the NYT incident, that's awful. If I had any respect left for the NYT, this incident would have taken care of it. Thanks for the other information too. I hate these tragedies.

[ReRe]

94. "...has a very serious non-public complication"

Omitting "non-public", the sentence reads: " Michael Hastings death has a very serious complication." What the complication is, they are not willing (because Big Daddy is always listening/watching) to say publicly. Wikileaks is just telling us that they know what the serious complication was and that they will tell us later.

That's what it means to me.

[Catherina]

101. You're probably right. I hope they follow up soon

Thanks ReRe

[MADem]

111. Well, it still could mean anything--absolutely anything.

It could be nefariousness against his person (but why wouldn't that be something in the public interest?), or it could be a challenge in his personal, private life--a spat with his wife, falling off the wagon with someone who enticed him to just smoke a rock or two with him...it's just vague.

And unnecessary, I think--teasing. Attention-seeking. I say, either say what you mean or just don't miss an opportunity for reflective silence. The guy is dead, and playing "I've got a secret" with the public at a time when his family/friends are mourning is ... tacky. David Corn and a bunch of others weighed in and said as much. No class.

[pnwmom]

82. Or, given his acknowledged history, maybe he was drunk or high.

I think we should wait for the toxicology tests before jumping to conspiracy conclusions.


http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2013/06/michael_hastings_crash_engine_flew_speeding_recovery.php

The writer does have a history with alcohol and drugs, however. In his first book, I Lost My Love in Baghdad: A Modern War Story, Hastings says that he crashed a car in a drunk driving accident when he was 19.

And in this True/Slant piece from 2009 Hastings describes himself as a "a recovering drunk/addict/screw-up."

In another True/Slant piece he says, "I have smoked crack."

[sabrina 1]

102. Here come the smears. How despicable. That was 13 years ago and he was a 'recovering' alcolic

Maybe you don't know what that means? It means, not drinking or doing drugs but aware always of the potential to do so again and being vigilant to prevent it.

Now, do you have anything to show he was no longer a 'recovering alcoholic and drug addict' and if not, what you posted is irrelevant.

'I have smoked crack'. Really? Obama, in his book, also admitted to doing drugs. What are you attempting to imply? That he was still doing crack because he admitted to doing it long ago?

If so, then everyone one who 'once smoked crack' is also still doing it. I don't think you want to use that logic in your efforts to try to smear a man who just died in a tragic accident. We could follow that logic to a place that you would not like. But then, most people probably wouldn't, it would be just too ridiculous for words.

RIP Mr. Hastings, this country has lost one of few real journalists today.

[pnwmom]

103. I absolutely know what it means. Do you?

Anyone can fall off the wagon at any time. That's why the term is "recovering" and not "recovered." Sobriety is a lifelong process.

I wasn't trying to smear him. But he was supposedly going double the speed limit in the middle of the night. For anyone in this situation, a toxicology report would be in order. Until then, I'm not going to encourage any conspiracy theories, no matter how popular they seem to be these days.

[sabrina 1]

106. Maybe he received an emergency phone call that someone was in trouble? Maybe someone was

chasing him? Maybe he just liked to drive fast when he thought no one was around? Maybe he fell off the wagon, maybe something scared him. There are all kinds of possibilities when something like this happens, including, but not the only one, falling off the wagon.

He was a great investigative reporter. And his family most of all will have to deal with their loss. I know what this is like, to lose someone in an accident like that. There is no preparation, it is a shock beyond belief. I wish there was a way to speed up the intensely painful grieving process they face, but there isn't. I feel for them.

[pnwmom]

107. You're right that this is an almost unimaginable loss for everyone who cared for him

no matter what the circumstances. He was much too young to lose his life like this.

[Eddie Haskell]

128. Given the FBI's recent history, I wouldn't want to be questioned ... alone.

[Octafish]

189. There's nothing like old history, say the Federal Witness Protection Program 1975...

Ask Sam Giancana. Just as he was getting set to testify about his knowledge regarding CIA plots to assassinate Fidel Castro, his FBI watcher just happened to be in the bathroom for an extended bowel movement when someone came into Giancana's kitchen, where he was in the process of cooking a fine pasta dinner, and put a .22 into the back of his head. Boom! Then six more around his mouth to keep him quieter.

[rhett o rick]

152. Yeah that's it, he was drunk or high. Good grief. nm

[zappaman]

162. Could have been.

Have you seen the toxicology report?
If so, can you share it with us?

[rhett o rick]

171. I am guessing you hate the idea of conspiracies. Just a guess. nm

[pnwmom]

184. You appear to love them. n/t

[rhett o rick]

204. I think that some deserve investigation. Democracy is all about openness.

I think we should keep an open mind about what might have happened to Michael Hastings. I dont believe in over reacting in either way. I especially object to those that immediately attack the character of Mr. Hastings as a method of shutting down discussion. I believe there are evil people in this world and some have unlimited budgets at their disposals. I believe people conspire at all levels.
I am disappointed in the lack of respect for Mr. Hastings in DU. Clapper, a lying REpublican gets more respect from some here in DU than Mr. Hastings, who died in a horrible accident.

[pnwmom]

183. That's the most common reason for driving like he did in the middle of the night. nt

[babylonsister]

5. Are you kidding me? Stop it! nt

[Catherina]

7. Edited. Nevermind. I see I was mistaken to give you the benefit of the doubt. n/t

Last edited Thu Jun 20, 2013, 04:59 AM - Edit history (2)

[zeemike]

68. I can't believe you said that...

After just reading your last OP defending the right to post what YOU want.

What the fuck is going on here...have we gone mad?

[AzDar]

8. Gawker ( I think...am on my phone) has an alleged video of the crash...and it is FIERY.

Seems kind of odd that a newer Benz would burst into flame like that... Tragic, and weird.

[Catherina]

10. Did you watch it?

I don't want too unless I have too. Did it just burst into flames? I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't follow any details. I did see a picture of the demolished car. What happened? It just burst into flames while he was driving?

[AzDar]

12. I did watch it... it appears to be just after the accident, he apparently hit a tree.

But the way it was so fully engulfed, and the fact that it seemed to be on a street where he wouldn't have been going extremely fast...
I watched without audio, and it was still very difficult. I didn't make it to the end. But it seemed off somehow; even before this recent development.

[FarCenter]

15. In one of the videos you can see what looks like a fire hydrant gushing in the median

Most likely he took out the fire hydrant before hitting the tree, and this accounts for ripping apart the front end and the gas tank.

[Catherina]

16. I just watched the video. Something's not right. A witness said the car was going ~100 mph

Fast, fast, fast! I just don't see someone driving that recklessly in a residential area, and what looks like a 2-way street. Some punk maybe but not this guy with the importance of what he was doing.

Here's the video

[reformist2]

28. Can a car be rigged so it accelerates uncontrollably?

[HooptieWagon]

40. Probably....perhaps even by remote control.

Or he could have been chased by what he percieved as a threat, and lost control. Or a chasing car could have tagged a quater panel and spun him out.

If, and I say if, any of the above occurred, much evidence was likely destroyed in crash and ensuing fire. Its possible there could be an eyewitness, or GPS tracking data. Perhaps ph data, too.

Him being "accidented" is a plausible theory that can't be discarded...but it's too early to jump to conclusions. There are certainly several other plausible (perhaps moreso) theories as to cause of accident.

[EOTE]

85. Ask Toyota/Lexus.

And that was unintentional. So yeah, it's not all that difficult.

[Eddie Haskell]

129. Yes

Cruise control can freeze. I had it happen to me. I hit the breaks and when nothing happened, my next reaction was to hit the accelerator. Bad reaction. At that point I was doing over 90 mph on I-95. Braking was useless. Risking a blown engine, I put the car in neutral and got it off the road.

I think newer cars have some kind of a fix, but if it's computer controlled ... who knows.

[zappaman]

69. Wrong

It's not a 2 way street.
It is a street divided in 2 directions with 2 lanes on each.
And it is well known for speeding.
I drive it everyday and this morning speed traps were set up again.

And this assertion-
"Some punk maybe but not this guy with the importance of what he was doing."

-is just about the dumbest fucking thing I have ever read on DU.

[DevonRex]

81. Yeah. It's the usual utter crap

rumor mongering.

[Eddie Haskell]

130. Given that the FBI has exonerated all 150 agents who've shot and killed,

why not just shoot him?

[Octafish]

146. Plausible Denial

CIA Assassination Manual explains:

A STUDY OF ASSASSINATION

EXCERPT...

2. Accidents.

For secret assassination, either simple or chase, the contrived accident is the most effective technique. When successfully executed, it causes little excitement and is only casually investigated.

The most efficient accident, in simple assassination, is a fall of 75 feet or more onto a hard surface. Elevator shafts, stair wells, unscreened windows and bridges will serve. Bridge falls into water are not reliable. In simple cases a private meeting with the subject may be arranged at a properly-cased location. The act may be executed by sudden, vigorous [excised] of the ankles, tipping the subject over the edge. If the assassin immediately sets up an outcry, playing the "horrified wit ness", no alibi or surreptitious withdrawal is necessary. In chase cases it will usually be necessary to stun or drug the subject before dropping him. Care is required to insure that no wound or condition not attributable to the fall is discernible after death.

Falls into the sea or swiftly flowing rivers may suffice if the subject cannot swim. It will be more reliable if the assassin can arrange to attempt rescue, as he can thus be sure of the subject's death and at the same time establish a workable al ibi.

If the subject's personal habits make it feasible, alcohol may be used (2 words excised) to prepare him for a contrived accident of any kind.

Falls before trains or subway cars are usually effective, but require exact timing and can seldom be free from unexpected observation.

Automobile accidents are a less satisfactory means of assassination. If the subject is deliberately run down, very exact timing is necessary and investigation is likely to be thorough. If the subject's car is tampered with, reliability is very lo w. The subject may be stunned or drugged and then placed in the car, but this is only reliable when the car can be run off a high cliff or into deep water without observation.

CONTINUED...

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB4/ciaguat2.html

And that's the way it is. Er, was. Er, maybe possibly perhaps could be might've been kind of.

[Eddie Haskell]

198. Yikes! They've got a manual for that?

[geek tragedy]

91. "But not this guy" who once crashed a car after driving drunk

[HiPointDem]

95. 'when i was 19'.

[sabrina 1]

110. 14 years ago when he was 19. Wow, the smears didn't take long to start. And just what does

that long ago accident have to do with this? The second time this has been posted. Did he wear boxer shorts when he was 19? Was his girl friend a pole dancer? A man just died, someone people respected and felt they knew. Could you not wait before starting the expected smear campaign? Yes, it is now expected, but at least when there is a tragedy like this you would think some sense of decency would at least cause a delay in the tactics.

I hope his family stays away from the internet. I know when this happened in my family, seeing something like this, a deliberate effort to cast a person you love as some kind of villain who caused his own death without even knowing a single fact about it, would have destroy me and my family considering the pain they are going through and will for a long time.

You and your friends are outdoing yourselves lately.

RIP Michael Hastings. One of a very few great investigative journalists. He will be missed by those of us who appreciate a rare thing, a journalist who is fearless in his reporting of the facts.

[geek tragedy]

121. We're talking about explanations as to how this happened.

Sorry if factual discussion--as opposed to tinfoil rumor mongering--offend you.

[sabrina 1]

168. No 'we're' not. IF we were speculating as to how this happened, we would

would wonder if maybe he had a heart attack, or the car had a mechanical problem maybe, or he had tried to avoid something on the road. He could have been murdered, that too is a possibility, he also could have been drunk, but there are plenty of other possible reasons for this tragic death that a sincere person discussing 'explanations as to how' it happened, would have raised as possible reasons. Instead I have seen the expected smears, discussing only one of these possibilities, which is intended to disparage his character.

To go back and dig into his history from 14 years ago to try to find something that could make him look like a criminal who caused his own death, when there is not a shred of evidence so far, that alcohol had anything to do with it, is NOT talking about explanationS as to how this happened, YOU are talking about ONE.

[stopbush]

138. Give us a break.

Whole cloth speculation that the guy may have been assassinated by some government agency is OK, but pointing out his actual past history is smearing?

Childish crap.

[rhett o rick]

156. Do you notice how some want so badly to dismiss events like this quickly. They immediately go to

character assignations of the victim or whistle-blower, and try desperately to dismiss any idea of conspiracy. Some will use rudeness and ridicule to try to close down discussion even to the point of recommending that anyone daring to consider the possibility of conspiracy should be PPR'd. IMHO conspiracies happen and an open-minded person should be willing to discuss the possibilities without being treated with ridicule.

I am betting that Michael Hastings didnt keep all his investigative information to himself. Just sayin.

I agree with, "RIP Michael Hastings. One of a very few great investigative journalists. He will be missed by those of us who appreciate a rare thing, a journalist who is fearless in his reporting of the facts."

[zappaman]

160. Do you notice how badly some want this to be more than an accident

without any evidence whatsoever?
I have.

[rhett o rick]

170. I want to keep an open mind. He had important, powerful enemies that have unlimited budgets

and resources. I am guessing you didnt like Hastings in particular and maybe not any investigative journalists. They stir up a lot of messiness. They challenge authoritarian authority.

[zappaman]

172. I liked his work fine.

But maybe because I'm not an authoritarian.
Really, that smear is getting old.

Didn't know him personally...did you?
If so, tell us about his driving habits.
Did he always speed thru red lights?

http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2013/06/michael_hastings_red_light_video_speeding.php

After the Weekly reported today that LAPD traffic investigators believe the car tied in reports to journalist Michael Hastings was going faster than 60 miles per hour before a fatal crash in Hollywood, we were tipped off to new video showing a vehicle blasting through a red light just moments before that collision.
The video, by freelance TV news crew LOUD LABS NEWS, shows a vehicle blazing through a red light on Highland Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, only four blocks from the crash:
The video appears to have been taken from a LOUD LABS vehicle awaiting the night's news.

Freelance videographers work the night shift in L.A. because local TV stations don't budget enough for expensive, three-person news vans to work overnight. The freelance crews listen to police scanners and sell their footage to the stations.

[rhett o rick]

177. Personally I think it was most likely an accident. And if I didnt, I wouldnt try to shut down the

discussions of those that did. I also believe that he had powerful enemies with lots of resources that would love to see him shut up. I want to make sure that those with power dont sweep this under the carpet because they can. You seem to want to shut down discussions of possible conspiracies. Why? What can it hurt? Let's keep an open mind.

[Marr]

164. I have little doubt that Snowden would've met with an untimely end,

had they known what he was going to stir up ahead of time.

Hastings was a pretty public figure, which makes me think it's less likely and yet... we have drifted further and further into banana republic territory. Few would dispute the notion that US agencies have assassinated prominent South American journalists/academics in the past. It doesn't seem all that unbelievable to think that broader latitude has crept north of the border in recent years.

[rhett o rick]

167. If Snowden is smart he will keep some important information for insurance.

Hopefully Hastings also kept good records with someone he could trust.

[rhett o rick]

157. You dont sound like a fan of Mr. Hastings. Even so I would hope you could show some respect. nm

[zappaman]

158. Really?

And you base that on what?
He was a good writer and I enjoyed his pieces.
Just because I call bullshit and present facts, not speculations and know more about that street than the poster I was responding to, doesn't mean I didn't like his work.
Take your bullshit allegations elsewhere.

[MADem]

21. It was gawker--you see a guy from the neighborhood with a garden hose, the FD hadn't gotten there

yet.

The engine flew a half block from the car, which had to be going at a very high rate of speed. The impact looked to be horrific.

Link here: http://gawker.com/gruesome-video-appears-to-be-aftermath-of-michael-hasti-514428722

[Cracklin Charlie]

27. Not to seem like an expert...

But I actually did see a late model Mercedes catch fire on a 35 mph street last summer. Hubs and I were on the way to lunch, and the silver two-door car came up beside us about 10 mph over the limit. Suddenly we hear beside us a loud racing engine sound, a boom, and the guy pulls into a gas station. He barely gets pulled to a stop, when smoke and flames start coming out of the engine.

When we went back by after lunch, the poor guy was standing looking at his car, with a phone up to his ear. Extinguisher foam was all over the car. It just seemed odd for such a nice, newer car to catch fire that way.

[JaneyVee]

9. SMH. We are all Glenn Beck now.

[babylonsister]

11. No shit. Disgusting. nt

[JackRiddler]

65. You speak well enough for yourself.

[Eddie Haskell]

131. We're not on tv or publishing speculation as fact to the general public.

We're simply raising questions about a mysterious death. If citizens can't discuss their doubts in an online forum, we're totally dependent on official sources. We've already seen how reliable they are ... Clapper.

[Hydra]

13. The timing on this is too coincidental for my taste

I wonder who contacted him and with what?

[Catherina]

18. I hope we find something out from wikileaks or the other people he was working with n/t

[arcane1]

30. At what poit in his career would the timing NOT be "too coincidental"?

[Hydra]

35. Well, considering he was writing against the NSA program

And now hints of Wikileaks just hours before, as well as a "wtf?" type accident...

Let's just say that before it looked a little odd. Now it's something I want to follow, even though I've never read any of his pieces before his "accident." Not unlike the DC Madam.

[geek tragedy]

36. I saw an article expressing those exact same thoughts.

http://www.infowars.com/is-journalist-michael-hastings-a-victim-of-obamas-assassination-policy/

Do you agree with Jones?

[Hydra]

41. You're not supposed to post Jones stuff here, jsyk n/t

[geek tragedy]

42. I'm not posting it for its merits, I'm pointing out the parallels between

the reactions of Jones and folks around here.

[Hydra]

46. Regardless, that sort of thing starts flame wars, which is why you should get rid of that

But as a counterpoint, I'll simply say that MLK's assassination came from on high, so the idea that they don't do it would be rediculous:

http://www.examiner.com/article/dr-martin-luther-king-assassinated-by-us-govt-king-family-civil-trial-verdict

[geek tragedy]

48. Um, wha?

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF SHELBY COUNTY,

TENNESSEE FOR THE THIRTIETH JUDICIAL

DISTRICT AT MEMPHIS

I guess that settles it.

[HiPointDem]

96. you're posting it to smear by association.

[geek tragedy]

14. I wonder if the "Clinton Body Count" guys post at DU. nt

[Cali_Democrat]

29. I wouldn't doubt it

http://www.snopes.com/politics/clintons/bodycount.asp

[okaawhatever]

17. While I understand some folks are trying to imply nefarious deeds by the gov't does it make sense

that if some gov't entity were going to off him he wouldn't know they were investigating him? It will be interesting to find out what story caught the interest of the FBI. It may be a story he hadn't printed yet.

[reformist2]

20. Michael Hastings did get pretty radical in that TYT clip, 4:20 - 5:00.

Quite frankly, I can totally believe that people in the government would want to kill him, after saying what he said there.

[Catherina]

32. I hadn't listened to the whole thing when I posted. Just did now. You may be on to something

Then there's this too

BOOK REVIEW: "The Operators" by Michael Hastings
By Andrew W. Griffin

Red Dirt Report, editor

Posted: March 27, 2012

...

The resulting article Hastings wrote for Rolling Stone – released in June 2010 – was headlined “The Runaway General” and proved fairly damning for Gen. McChrystal and his civilian associates. As a result, McChrystal was relieved of command by President Obama. The Operators is the book where Hastings explains what led up to the article, his time in Afghanistan, Europe, the Middle East and back in Washington and the aftermath of the release of his explosive article.

...

Hastings writes that as they drank and sang, several McChrystal staff members make subtle threats, saying

“You’re not going to f*ck us, are you?” asks one staff member.

Hastings responds: “I’m going to write a story; some of the stuff you’ll like, some of the stuff you probably won’t like.”

Another staffer then says: “We’ll hunt you down and kill you if we don’t like what you write.”

...

http://www.reddirtreport.com/Story.aspx/21839

Just a guess that they didn't like his book since McChrystal was fired for unprofessional comments about President Obama and VP Biden after his article The Runaway General came out. Just a wild guess.

[reformist2]

39. These military guys pride themselves on being men of their word, too.

Scary stuff.

[Catherina]

60. I know. That's what you get for pursuing the truth and writing it

I have no illusions about the depravity and vindictiveness of people who feel they were wronged, or tarnished. History is full of examples.

[Whisp]

23. Obama did it, in the front seat, with a candlestick.

[CakeGrrl]

47. From naive incompetent to evil spying mastermind

I'm just going to sit back and watch the Glenn Beck conspiracy theory morphing proceed.

[Whisp]

67. Apologies, Catherina.

Last edited Thu Jun 20, 2013, 05:03 PM - Edit history (1)

I should have put a smiley there instead of that eyeroll thing.

She probably put me on ignore so if anyone can send her my apologizes I would be grateful.

Things are just too tense here and I screwed up on someone I think highly of.
apologies

[treestar]

87. No you do

We all know where this is heading. The next outrage can be clearly seen.

[backscatter712]

24. Let's just say I wouldn't put it past the feds to do something like cutting brake lines...

Yes, they're that evil.

Did they do anything in this specific case? I don't know.

[arcane1]

31. Hey, you keep your calm and patient reasoning OUT of this!!

There is no place for that here!

[geek tragedy]

34. I find your irresponsible conspiracy mongering to be without honor.

PLONK.

[EOTE]

90. I truly hope you're not a vegetarian. Or a non-smoker. Or a teetotaler.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler_and_vegetarianism

Because if you're any of those things... you're just like Hitler.

Eat meat, smoke and drink. Don't be like Hitler.

[still_one]

151. Funny how how some presume conspiracy without proof, as long as it justifies

their preconceived view, yet they would demand truth beyond a reasonable doubt if it doesn't support their view

[Catherina]

45. Wisest not to put anything past anyone. Can't wait to hear what the wikileaks lawyers shares n/t

[jberryhill]

54. Which is a really stupid way to kill someone

People get murdered every day by being shot, stabbed, etc..... you know - effective ways of killing people and making sure they stay dead.

In a huge number of these, no suspect is ever arrested.

Pro-tip: You want someone dead, just go shoot them.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

61. There have been a few who have gone down in small planes

of course it's all coincidence

[Major Nikon]

123. Which is even a stupider way to kill someone

Just sayin'

[Rosa Luxemburg]

197. expensive

and sad

[Cali_Democrat]

77. Cut his brake lines?

You've seen way too many Hollywood movies.

It's time to come back to reality.

[geek tragedy]

80. PLONK! nt

[Eddie Haskell]

199. It's not necessary anymore. They've got Boston brakes now.

[Cali_Democrat]

26. OH FUCK

I should have known it would only be a matter of time before people try to pin this on the evil Obama Administration.

[Cal Carpenter]

33. Careful, you'll pull a muscle stretching like that n/t

[Cali_Democrat]

53. I'm not saying anyone here is doing that

But after Catherina posted this, I decided to visit some of the sites mentioned in the NY daily news article and people are absolutely convinced Obama had him killed to cover for the NSA.

It's exploding.

[geek tragedy]

73. People are only hinting at it here, probably cuz they know they'll get PPR'd

if they directly say it.

[Hydra]

37. You have a theory?

Because there are more people in the Gov't than the Obama Admin.

[Cali_Democrat]

38. Ya..I have a theory regarding his death

It was a tragic accident.

[Hydra]

43. Yup, and that's certainly a possiblity.

I'd like some things cleared up before we go with that one though. Bush admin was famous for "accidents," and we have a lot of his old crew still hanging around.

[stopbush]

62. Bingo! We have a winner!

The CTists are salivating at this tragedy. It's disgusting.

[treestar]

88. I predict this to be the next outrage

Poor Eddie. He will be forgotten.

[gopiscrap]

49. are you saying........

the government killed him..............I wouldn't be surprised!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

63. the government?

who exactly?

[DesMoinesDem]

51. At 4 am, just hours after contacting a lawyer about being investigated by the FBI,

he drives down a 35 mph road at twice the speed limit, runs at least one red light, hits a tree and his brand new Mercedes immediately bursts into flames.

[Hydra]

55. Apparently it's legit if you don't ask any questions

Nothing to see here, move along...

[Catherina]

58. Is that the deal?

Too bad.

"History is on the side of those who seek to reveal the truth, not on the side of those who seek to conceal it"
- Daniel Ellsberg, May 2013

[Hydra]

59. I agree with Daniel, the truth ALWAYS comes out

Personally, I like to move the process along rather than find it 2000 years later. Call me impatient

[Catherina]

66. Same here. That's why I wish Wikileaks would hurry up with it

if they know something, or at least clarify their tweets. Oh boy, I just saw mention of his last article in one of WillyT's threads. It never even occurred to me that it could be foul play until that wikileaks tweet. Now I understand some of the paranoid hysteria that this could reflect badly, could be linked, could, could, could. FFS.

Why Democrats Love To Spy On Americans

Besides Senators Ron Wyden and Mark Udall, most Democrats abandoned their civil liberty positions during the age of Obama. With a new leak investigation looming, the Democrat leadership are now being forced to confront all the secrets they’ve tried to hide.

Michael Hastings - BuzzFeed
posted on June 7, 2013 at 12:10pm EDT

...

For most bigwig Democrats in Washington, D.C., the last 48 hours has delivered news of the worst kind — a flood of new information that has washed away any lingering doubts about where President Obama and his party stand on civil liberties, full stop.

...

Glenn Greenwald’s exposure of the NSA’s massive domestic spy program has revealed the entire caste of current Democratic leaders as a gang of civil liberty opportunists, whose true passion, it seems, was in trolling George W. Bush for eight years on matters of national security.

...

The very topic of Democratic two-facedness on civil liberties is one of the most important issues that Greenwald has covered. Many of those Dems — including the sitting President Barack Obama, Senator Carl Levin, and Sec. State John Kerry — have now become the stewards and enhancers of programs that appear to dwarf any of the spying scandals that broke during the Bush years, the very same scandals they used as wedge issues to win elections in the Congressional elections 2006 and the presidential primary of 2007-2008.

...

There are two notable exception to this rule are Senator Ron Wyden, from Oregon, and Sen. Mark Udall from Colorado, who had seemed to be fighting a largely lonely, frustrating battle against Obama’s national security state. As Mark Udall told the Denver Post yesterday: &quot I) did everything short of leaking classified information" to stop it.

...

The state of affairs, in other words, is so grave that two sitting Senators went as close as they could to violating their unconstitutional security oaths in order to warn the country of information that otherwise would not have been declassified until April of 2038, according to the Verizon court order obtained by Greenwald.

...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mhastings/why-democrats-love-to-spy-on-americans

Posted here earlier by WillyT: Michael Hastings' Last Piece On BuzzFeed...

[Hydra]

70. Ya, I saw it earlier

This combined with the wikileaks thing and the timing...VERY "coincidental." And not in a good way.

[Catherina]

92. These times are getting too complicated

I wish wikileaks would either delete or clarify that tweet. If the twitter account is run from Europe, maybe they'll send an update soon. I hope they do.

[stopbush]

64. Er, any brand new car is going to burst into flames if your run over a fire hydrant, rip open

the gas tank and then hit a tree.

Try physics before jumping onto the conspiracy bandwagon.

[reformist2]

71. It's actually ridiculous *not* to be suspicious in this case.

[pnwmom]

84. And it's actually ridiculous not to wonder about alcohol or drugs

in a case where someone has acknowledged having a problem.


http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2013/06/michael_hastings_crash_engine_flew_speeding_recovery.php

The writer does have a history with alcohol and drugs, however. In his first book, I Lost My Love in Baghdad: A Modern War Story, Hastings says that he crashed a car in a drunk driving accident when he was 19.


And in this True/Slant piece from 2009 Hastings describes himself as a "a recovering drunk/addict/screw-up."

In another True/Slant piece he says, "I have smoked crack."

[HooptieWagon]

93. No-one has discounted he may have been under the influence...

or any of the other possible causes. Being "accidented" is also a possible cause. No possible cause has been eliminated, nor has a probable cause been determined.

[OilemFirchen]

139. Upthread that's called "smearing".

No, no. No "discounting" at all.

[HooptieWagon]

153. Well, until we hear more its a possibility.

Also possible he was texting, or just driving recklessly fast and lost control. As more is learned, we can eliminate possibilities, perhaps leaving one as a likely cause. You don't conduct an investigation by discounting possibilities in advance.

[OilemFirchen]

154. Absolutely.

His history is part of the record. Posters add it to the discussion as it's obviously pertinent. Certainly LE is considering it.

It's postulation, but it isn't "smearing".

[stopbush]

137. Whatever helps you get through the day.

Oh, and James Gandolfini was offed by the Italian Mafia because they didn't like the way The Sopranos portrayed the mob. Is it just a coincidence that he died while in Italy? How naive is that?

[MADem]

98. That same videographer (who was out following leads on Justin Beiber's misdeeds, oddly enough)

who filmed the vehicle on fire actually caught Hastings blowing through that red light:

He was booking pretty fast.

Was that "his" new Mercedes? Or a rental? I thought he lived in Vermont with his wife?

[Catherina]

108. No answers to your questions but thanks for posting that n/t

[JI7]

112. he was in Los Angeles for Work

[zappaman]

200. Actually, 3 times the speed limit...

A witness said the vehicle was traveling about 100 mph shortly before the crash.

http://laist.com/2013/06/20/coroner_confirms_michael_hastings_died_in_crash.php

[JI7]

56. Anyone think James Gandolfini's Death is connected to this ? and Obama just happens to be in Europe

??????? HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmm

[still_one]

75. you're right. oh nose what's next

[alittlelark]

83. Go to sleep... to much of a good thing is great if the AM is cool

Sweet Dreams....

[treestar]

89. LOL

You got it!

Did you notice the recent formation of Tropical Storm Barry? I say you know who is behind it!

[BainsBane]

116. A tropical storm born in Kenya

Finally, proof positive!

[BainsBane]

115. Don't forget the Kennedy Assassination

JFK knew this would happen. Nostradamus foretold it.

[cliffordu]

57. Pfthhh

Ockham called.

He wants to loan you a razor.

Check the fucking speling (sic).

[ReRe]

99. Tues night, when I got home...

K&R

... and heard Rachel Maddow tell of Michael's death, it only took me about one minute to surmise that it was payback from Big Daddy MIC. Especially since his life ended in a fiery blaze. And yesterday, right on schedule, the discrediting of Hastings started.

It was a blatant assassination. Period. There's no need in anyone trying to change my mind or discuss this with me. AND OBAMA DIDN'T DO IT.

[Catherina]

109. It wouldn't be exactly a shock

unless you live in a world where unicorns fart pink cotton candy.

[veganlush]

104. sometimes people have car

Accidents.

[veganlush]

105. do we have to stoop to the

Tin foil hat, alex jones crap?

[BainsBane]

114. So now Obama is murdering journalists?

Is that the argument here?

[HiPointDem]

117. i smell straw.

[BainsBane]

118. So what is the point then?

And what has happened to the world that a tweet is evidence of anything?

[HiPointDem]

119. more straw.

[BainsBane]

122. Evidently that was too complicated of a question

[HiPointDem]

124. not complicated at all, just irrelevant & diversionary. like straw men are. as is the implied

slam on me.

[BainsBane]

125. Expecting someone to read your mind

Isn't really a productive way to discuss a subject, but then it appears that doesn't interest you. I myself don't see a point of responding to someone when you have nothing to say.

[HiPointDem]

126. I told you exactly what was on my mind. The OP has nothing to do with Obama. The OP is

about what it says it's about.

what is your investment in trying to make it about something else?

[Catherina]

135. Thanks HiPointDem. This new tactic is quite something. The investment too. n/t

[Catherina]

133. Incredibly LAME. Nowhere is Obama mentioned or implied.YOU make this about Obama

HiPointDem gave you several opportunities to retract that. It's incredibly revealing you didn't take them. Knock yourself out with your own conspiracy theories. I'm not going to waste the time reading them in the future.

[BainsBane]

134. Lots of anger and no point made

Options to retract? I asked what the point is. So what is the point? All you need to do is state your argument. Why should that be so difficult?

Gee, and before you said you loved me. Now you are never going to read what I say again because you don't like the question I asked. Good grief.

[Catherina]

136. Sorry it's not one comment. You've done this sort of thing before to other people

and tenaciously continued attacks. I'm not playing your little game.

I appreciated your contributions when Pope Francis was being attacked before any facts were in about the Argentine war and 1-2 contributions you made about Latin America. None of them were that awesome but I appreciated them. The rest of your contributions here haven't been anything to write home about. So yeah, now I'm not going to read what you say again. Good-bye dear. Continue your little bag of tricks without me.

[BainsBane]

181. Wow, so thin skinned

I'm sorry to see that. I wouldn't think making your argument would be so objectionable.

[rhett o rick]

159. Are you trying to start a discussion with that remark? Or start a flamewar. nm

[BainsBane]

161. I was trying to figure out what the point of the OP was

Obviously many others have taken it the same way. Obama/govt, whatever, it's all wacko without actual evidence.

[rhett o rick]

175. "many others"? Show me the post that ties this with Obama? Some here are interested in what really

happened and others want to shut down discussion with ridicule if necessary.

Everyone agrees that it could be just an accident, but some of us want to keep an open mind and investigate other possibilities.

Conspiracies do happen. Denial doesnt make them disappear.

[BainsBane]

178. Govt., Obama, what's the difference?

Denial? You'd have to have evidence for me to deny anything. If you have any, produce it. But for God's sake, a tweet is not evidence.

[struggle4progress]

127. Sorry. The Wikileaks story stinks. Hastings had worked for Newsweek and had been an editor

at Rolling Stone. And he had plenty of contacts

So why would he reach out to an Australian lawyer if he thought the FBI was after him? It simply doesn't make any sense

I predict that, when the dust settles, the proper take on Robinson's story will be: it was just another attempt to put Wikileak back in the news

[Bobbie Jo]

140. Vince Foster....

Hmmmm

[ladjf]

141. Another complicated and vague string of posts. Would anyone be kind enough to give a

summary of what this post is all about? My apologies for not being a genius speed reader.

[Scurrilous]

143. Summary: Obama BAD!

[Catherina]

147. The death of a journalist who covered stories people didn't want him to cover

The death of a journalist who, by his editor's statement, had a history of writing about people who either didn't want to be written about or in General McChrystal's case, didn't like what he wrote because he was relieved of command as a result.

His last story was about NSA's spying and he had worked with Wikileaks.

This particular OP is simply about a tweet from Wikileak's lawyer that he contacted them before his car accident and said the FBI was investigating him.

That's all this is about. But judging by some reactions, it can be about whatever you want it to be.

[ladjf]

207. Thanks. nt

[msanthrope]

142. If Jennifer Robinson was a lawyer in this country, she'd be disbarred for

Last edited Thu Jun 20, 2013, 05:20 PM - Edit history (1)

her actions here. This is ghoulish on her part.

The right to client confidentiality remains after death in the US. If she was being consulted on a US prosecution of Hastings, he and his estate had the reasonable expectation of privacy.

If she with merely being consulted is part of another story then the wikileaks tweet is very misleading.

[reorg]

196. please delete the empty space

I have noted that most of your posts contain a lot of empty lines. I am referring not just to the content and meaning of your posts, you often put about ten or more totally superfluous empty lines below the text. It is unnerving, makes threads harder to read.

[msanthrope]

202. I will do so. nt

[Octafish]

144. A short list of journalists who asked too many questions who ended up suddenly dead...

Gary Webb hurt the BFEE’s feelings by tying the CIA's Iran-Contra gang to the crack cocaine epidemic in America's major metropolitan areas. To the Bush gang, telling the truth made Webb an enemy.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5568504&mesg_id=5569521


Daniel “Danny” Casolaro — Researched BCCI and the Inslaw-PROMIS Affair, found that George HW Bush had ties going around the world and back through Iran-Contra, Iraq-gate, the October Surprise, Watergate, Vietnam, the Bay of Pigs and Dallas. A “suicide.”

http://web.archive.org/web/20040323075408/http://www.cjr.org/archives.asp?url=/91/6/octopus.asp


Abbie Hoffman — Yippie of the 60s turned into an investigative reporter in the 80s, researched and wrote about "October Surprise” allegations involving George HW Bush, Bill Casey and Robert Gates doing a deal with the Ayatollah Khomeini to delay the release of the USA’s Iran embassy hostages in 1980. The pretty good overview appeared in Playboy in 1992. A “suicide.”

http://web.archive.org/web/20040311135232/http://democracyunbound.com/playboy1088.html


Steve Kangas — Researcher and writer who started "Liberal Resurgent" web site dedicated to naming names like Richard Mellon Scaife and telling the truth about what was happening to America. Wrote the seminal “The Origins of the Overclass” which detailed the role of the CIA in preserving the privileged positions of the nation’s wealthiest individuals and corporations. A “suicide.”

link:http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=1948198&mesg_id=1949975


Jim Hatfield — Researcher and writer who penned “Fortunate Son,” an unauthorized biography of George W Bush that included allegations of cocaine use, planted by Karl Rove, who knew that Hatfield, an ex-con would be discredited. The last thing Hatfield wrote "Why Would Osama Want to Kill His Ex-Business Partner?" that detailed bin Laden threatening to crash a plane loaded with explosives into the G-8 summit in Genoa Italy in July 2001. Bush slept offshore aboard a US warship and the meeting was guarded by SAMs. A “suicide.”

http://www.angelfire.com/rant/pearly/htmls1/bush-laden.html


Mark Lombardi — Artist and researcher who developed "Global Networks" or “Social Network Diagrams” which illustrated and chronicled the relationships between many of our day’s shadiest characters, institutions and treasons. One of his works graphically charted Osama bin Laden, Sheik Salim bin Laden, James R Bath, Texas Gov George W Bush and HARKEN Energy (above). A “suicide” in March 2000.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=840935

There are many more remembered on DU.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2819427


PS: Some of the links are stale, broken and prolly monitored. The Wayback Machine still has a few of the articles that the NSA doesn't want to find on your hard drive or among your personal technology.

[Catherina]

148. Thanks, this is a keeper. Please consider adding Aaron Swartz to your list

Aaron Hillel Swartz (November 8, 1986 – January 11, 2013) was an American computer programmer, writer, political organizer and Internet activist.

Swartz was involved in the development of the web feed format RSS,[4] the organization Creative Commons,[5] the website framework web.py[6] and the social news site Reddit, in which he was an equal partner after its merger with his Infogami company. Swartz also focused on sociology, civic awareness and activism.[7][8] In 2010, he became a research fellow at Harvard University’s Edmond J. Safra Research Lab on Institutional Corruption, directed by Lawrence Lessig.[9][10] He founded the online group Demand Progress, known for its campaign against the Stop Online Piracy Act.

On January 6, 2011, Swartz was arrested by MIT police on state breaking-and-entering charges, in connection with the systematic downloading of academic journal articles from JSTOR.[11][12][13][14] Federal prosecutors eventually charged him with two counts of wire fraud and 11 violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act,[15] charges carrying a cumulative maximum penalty of $1 million in fines plus 35 years in prison, asset forfeiture, restitution and supervised release.[16]

On January 11, 2013, two years after his initial arrest, Swartz was found dead in his Crown Heights, Brooklyn apartment, where he had hanged himself.[17][18][19]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Swartz

He may not be a journalist per se but one of his last projects was Strongbox

In 2011–2012, Swartz designed and implemented Strongbox (website), a system that allows anonymous informants to send electronic documents to reporters at The New Yorker without fear of disclosure.

Strongbox is a website for secure communication between journalists and sources launched by staff at The New Yorker on 15 May 2013.[1] The Strongbox platform was designed and constructed by Aaron Swartz and Kevin Poulsen over a two-year period.[2][3] The underlying computing platform is called "Deaddrop" and is available from GitHub as open source code.[2][4] Strongbox can only be accessed via The Tor Project.

Tor (originally short for The Onion Router)[5] is free software for enabling online anonymity.

TOR is one of the NSA's worst nightmare. They can't crawl it or index it. It's what Assange used for Wikileaks and recommends people use to exchange information.

[Octafish]

186. Thank you. Will do. Mr. Swartz was a truth seeker and truth teller.

There used to be a word for that, I can't remember too well since they de-funded public education, kind of person. Oh, yeah. A teechur.

Regarding TOR, etc.:

Too late. My spring has been clocked, so to speak.

[Catherina]

192. Mine too

but I salute the young generation of programmers for finding and providing ways to either circumvent the NSA or make them work a lot harder for it. I'm so glad I kept my Facebook limited to only friends and family.

[rhett o rick]

163. Yes but they all used drugs, drank alcohol and drove too fast. And anymore conspiracy talk

and off the the CT corner with you.

[Octafish]

188. A perfectly sulfurous destiny, indeed.

F'r instance, the job Corporate McPravda is doing on Mr. Hastings' memory..."the guy ruined McChrystal's career"...type of thing.

Here's the reality:

"I can personally verify that some of the most damning comments were made by McChrystal himself, and many others made by his aides in his presence were greeted with his enthusiastic approval. Michael refused to give further evidence to the Pentagon investigators, even though he could have directly attributed a host of insubordinate comments to others on the general’s staff, in part because he believed that it was not the role of a journalist to open his notebooks to the military, and in part because he felt that what was needed when it came to the war in Afghanistan was not a change in personnel, but in policy." -- Elise Jordan, Mr. Hastings' widow.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/20/geraldo-rivera-michael-hastings_n_3469936.html

[rhett o rick]

203. I know that authoritarians dont like whistle-blowers, protestors, conspiracy theorists, liberals,

and anyone else that might challenge the authority of an all mighty leader. I guess investigative journalist needs to be included on the list.

[allin99]

145. Proof?

[Catherina]

149. You need to ask their lawyer.

[allin99]

150. lawyers are liars, he's full of it, there's no proof.

[rhett o rick]

166. But we are keeping an open mind arent we??? nm

[ohheckyeah]

155. I think there are a lot of questions

that should be asked. What was he doing out at 4:00 am? Where had he been? Where was he heading? Who had he been with? Is there a history of speeding or driving under the influence?

[Catherina]

165. Definitely. I hope we get some answers over the next few days, weeks

I just did a cursory search and didn't see anything.

[ohheckyeah]

169. I don't discount anything at this point.

Many cops will tell you that if something seems too convenient or a coincidence they get twitchy. But, if he in fact has a history of speeding and drinking/drug use this being an accident wouldn't be surprising. Lots of questions and few answers at this point.

[Catherina]

173. Me neither. Blind Trust is not, has never been, the name of this game

RIP Senator Wellstone too.

[xiamiam]

174. Splitting the Sky died in March 2013

I don't know about the details. I do know that he died from falling and hitting his head. One of the things he always said was if they tell you I slipped and fell and died, its not true.

If you don't know anything about Splitting the Sky, Dacajawea (sp) , Native American activist then he is a worthy of your research. Im troubled by his passing.

http://splittingthesky.blogspot.com/

[snot]

176. I do wish

there were a way to scientifically verify my general impression that somehow, journalists/activists/leaders seem to die or otherwise be more or less neutralized in untimely ways at a suspiciously higher rate when they take on the powers that be.

[pacalo]

179. I didn't know Michael Hastings, but the YT clip makes me want to learn more about him.

Looking forward to hearing more from WikiLeaks, also.

As an aside, it's good to know Ben Mankiewicz is a liberal.

[Zorra]

180. MIC Damage Control Unit 4 to NSA Strawman 6, do you copy?

DUGD whistleblower control team needed immediately.

You done it now, sistah. But I'm sure you knew what was coming.

Thanks for the info.

[Catherina]

182. You're not kidding

The DUGD whistleblower control team must be exhausted lol.

But seriously, I had no idea this was coming. I just posted a tweet and a video lol. Because of the inexplicably vicious reaction, now even people who didn't know Michael Hastings before are doing what they can to get to the bottom of this. Ichingcarpenter just posted this.

Have you ever been warned/threatened by any of the interests whose power your style of reporting threatens to jeopardize?

[–]Michael_Hastings[S] 6 points 1 year ago

Yes. Every once and awhile, I'll get a death threat from someone--like, "if we don't like what you write, we'll hunt you down and kill you" kind of thing. But there's a more insidious response most of the time when you piss off the powerful. They come after your career, they try to come after your credibility. They do cocktail party whisper campaigns. They try to make you "controversial." Sadly, The Powers That Be are often aided by other journalists.

The Pentagon has launched three investigations into stories I've done over the past 18 months under the pretense of finding the wrongdoing we were exposing. But the investigations were really about creating a Pentagon approved official document to criticize journalism they don't like.

http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/uaha0/iam_michael_hastings_a_reporter_for_buzzfeed_and/c4tri20

[Hydra]

201. If you're not disturbing the comfortable, you're not doing it right

Keep up the good work!

[Catherina]

206. Thanks Hydra, That's how I feel about it too lol n/t