Sibel describes some of the various ways that the government can stop production and publication of various stories, including using legal threats and threatening to cut off a reporter's access.
Sibel tells a remarkable story from her own case:
I am going to provide you with another first-hand witnessed and documented incident. The only reason I am not naming ‘the well-known reporter & publication’ is to protect the source who obtained and passed on the incriminating documented evidence - the communication that occurred in writing between him and this particular ‘reporter.’There you have the problem in a nutshell.
The individual who dealt with the congressional and press side of my case during the early stages of my whistleblowing journey wrote an e-mail to a well-known and well-placed journalist, saying, ‘Man, I can’t believe you guys did not cover this!!! Ashcroft comes out and invokes the State Secrets Privilege, first time ever asserted by the Bush administration, and you don’t write about it?! What the hell, man?! What’s the deal? I sent you the press release and attached a bunch of documents on that e-mail…’
Here is the response from that well-known journalist, and stupidly enough in writing:‘I was going to call you. A few months ago I finally got this big DOJ guy, I mean BIG! Our deal-exclusive. You can’t do better than that in Washington. Anyhow, he doesn’t want us to touch Edmonds’ story. Period. I am not going to piss off my source for some God Damn translator whistleblower…’
Another example of 'pressure' from Sibel's case that she doesn't mention in her post is that the FBI made a "formal complaint" with the UK's Times when American journalist Joe Lauria was investigating the story.
Incidentally, I have filed a FOIA request with the FBI for information about this incident, and any other similar examples where the FBI used any form of pressure to attempt to stop or otherwise influence any reporting about Sibel's case. They've been messing me around, of course, but hopefully we'll get something interesting. They have to give me the Joe Lauria records, presumably, or at least tell me which exception they are claiming, and now we have another reference point to judge whether the FBI is being responsive.
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See also: They knowingly sent unqualified, incompetent translators to GITMO from yesterday and CIA and the Nuclear Black Market from today
2 comments:
This should go without saying, but just to be absolutely clear:
If the FBI was actively working to interfere with investigation of this issue, this would entail FOREKNOWLEDGE of the situation.
Good for you! These contractors get a sense that they are special and can do what they want. They are just contractors and need to be reminded of their place. You know what would be great, release a new policing contract, this one dedicated to the arrest and conviction of police and other officials that abuse their powers. Cops are just contractors working for a corporation that sucks the government tit. These corporations are self serving and can no longer be trusted to police them selves. It may not be the best solution in the world but having independent contractors out there nailing these contractors when they break the rules would be a good start.
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