NationStates Jolt Archive

Since the Justice Dept has denied that Hastert is under investigation, ABC is now getting letters like this:
Hastert Legal Letter To ABCNEWS President Westin

David Westin
George Stephanopoulos
Brian Ross
ABC News
7 West 66th St.
New York, NY 10023

RE: False Story Regarding Justice Department Investigation

Dear Mr. Westin, Stephanopoulos, and Mr. Ross:

At 7:25 p.m., the Statement of the Department of Justice confirmed:

“Speaker Hastert is not under investigation by the Justice Department.”

At 10:21 p.m., you wrote:

“Whether they like it or not, members of Congress, including Hastert, are under investigation,” one federal official said tonight.”

This statement is false, and your republication of it after actual knowledge of its falsity constitutes libel and defamation. ABC News’ continued publication of this false information, after having actual knowledge of its falsity, evidences a specific and malicious intent to injure and damage Speaker Hastert’s reputation by continued repetition of a known falsehood.

We will take any and all actions necessary to rectify the harm ABC has caused and to hold those at ABC responsible for their conduct.

Please advise regarding who will accept service of process to remedy this intentional falsehood.

Very truly yours,
J. Randolph Evans
Stefan C. Passantino
Counsel to Speaker J. Dennis Hastert


Hey, I bet he wins.

Well, if he's right, I hope he does. But ABC must be pretty solid on their story if they're standing behind it. That said, I'll stop referring to Hastert being under investigation until something else breaks on it.

Well, if he's right, I hope he does. But ABC must be pretty solid on their story if they're standing behind it. That said, I'll stop referring to Hastert being under investigation until something else breaks on it.

Consider that the Justice Department has officially denied the ABC story.

I'll wait, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm betting that ABC has to retract it.

Consider that the Justice Department has officially denied the ABC story.

I'll wait, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm betting that ABC has to retract it.They could be denying it because it would compromise an ongoing investigation, but right now, it does look pretty shaky for ABC. I wonder if this could be a classic case of ratfucking a la Nixon.

They could be denying it because it would compromise an ongoing investigation, but right now, it does look pretty shaky for ABC. I wonder if this could be a classic case of ratfucking a la Nixon.

I wonder if the Justice Department is going to carry on a campaign of intentional leaks that are intentionally false, so that news organizations get iffy about talking to "highly placed government sources".

I wonder if the Justice Department is going to carry on a campaign of intentional leaks that are intentionally false, so that news organizations get iffy about talking to "highly placed government sources".

Like passing out National Guard memos? :D

Like passing out National Guard memos? :D

No, they traced the source of the memos to a political hack. But it would have been funny.

Nothing illegal about stinging the press with fake leaks.

No, they traced the source of the memos to a political hack. But it would have been funny.

Nothing illegal about stinging the press with fake leaks.
They only traced the REPRINT of the memos to a "hack".
The info's still valid, and the white house itself has NEVER denied the info in it. There's a very good reason for that.
It was just as convenient that they kept losing and regaining the "source disc" of certain excrement's official duty, and even after torching the disc irreparibly, it still came out okay later.

So perhaps they'll retract it, perhaps not ... perhaps a "ratf*ck".

They only traced the REPRINT of the memos to a "hack".
The info's still valid, and the white house itself has NEVER denied the info in it. There's a very good reason for that.
It was just as convenient that they kept losing and regaining the "source disc" of certain excrement's official duty, and even after torching the disc irreparibly, it still came out okay later.

So perhaps they'll retract it, perhaps not ... perhaps a "ratf*ck".

We'll leave out the part where the document was without question manufactured by someone using Microsoft Word.

Back when Bush was in the National Guard, there weren't any "source discs" for anyone. They used typewriters in those days.

We'll leave out the part where the document was without question manufactured by someone using Microsoft Word.

Back when Bush was in the National Guard, there weren't any "source discs" for anyone. They used typewriters in those days.
I didn't "leave it out". I "pointed it out". Are you slow today?
They only traced the REPRINT of the memos to a "hack".

Perhaps you'll care to explain the line of reasoning that assumes that all of Bush's personal and legal memos keep their sources on say ... i dunno, just typewritten paper, when information these days is best reproducible after being scanned into a digital format? Are you keeping up? And what happened with some of those archives when Bush entered office? Do you actually know? Do you know what you're talking about? Of course you're only going to get copies these days.
You can look this up if you like, or perhaps ask Gauthier and a few others about all this since it came up in the '04 debate, when i was on here, and i posted that info at the time. It's all been done before.

The odds of Hastert being investigated are slim to none until the new wave of Democratic Congressmen takes office and starts picking apart the remnants of the Republican government.

And as soon as I post this, they'll find out he is under investigation, knowing my luck. :rolleyes:

The odds of Hastert being investigated are slim to none until the new wave of Democratic Congressmen takes office and starts picking apart the remnants of the Republican government.

And as soon as I post this, they'll find out he is under investigation, knowing my luck. :rolleyes:Ah, don't attribute that to luck, attribute that to serendipity! ;)

Oh yeah, don't forget to ask what Whispering Legs remembers about those memos.

Tick, tock.
It might appear to the average observer that the net didn't turn up anything useful.
Oh well, perhaps on later, perhaps not (sketchy forum performance this eve)

Hey, I bet he wins.Not a chance.

Remember that all ABC reported was this:

“Whether they like it or not, members of Congress, including Hastert, are under investigation,” one federal official said tonight.

Assuming this "federal official" exists (and I see no reason to believe that he/she does not), the press is merely quoting her/him. I think it would be insurmountably difficult to establish "actual malice" for quoting an official source just because he/she happens to contradict another official source.

Not a chance.

Remember that all ABC reported was this:

“Whether they like it or not, members of Congress, including Hastert, are under investigation,” one federal official said tonight.

Assuming this "federal official" exists (and I see no reason to believe that he/she does not), the press is merely quoting her/him. I think it would be insurmountably difficult to establish "actual malice" for quoting an official source just because he/she happens to contradict another official source.
Prwned.

Prwned.

I am getting the very strong vibe that the Justice Department is intentionally "leaking" bogus stories to news organizations like ABC, just so the news organizations will end up with egg on their faces when the Justice Department turns around and denies the story and the source just vanishes.

I am getting the very strong vibe that the Justice Department is intentionally "leaking" bogus stories to news organizations like ABC, just so the news organizations will end up with egg on their faces when the Justice Department turns around and denies the story and the source just vanishes.
You're probably on to something. I think you were alluding to it earlier, and i suspect it wouldn't be the first or last time. Considering how much of a deal has been made about "leaks", this is probably part of the shakedown. I think that was also alluded to earlier. Probably all of the above.
BTW, did you catch "Savage" Weiner yesterday?