\Withdrawal/Redaction SheetClinton LibraryDOCUMENT NO.AND TYPESUBJECTrriTLEDATERESTRICTION001. IndexIndex for binder (2 pages)n.d.P5IOOY/002. reportRe: Overview (2 pages)n.d.P5lOO 5J-.·003. reportRe: Who's Behind All This? (1 page)n.d.P5tooCe004. reportRe: Sources (7 pages)n.d.P5l oOICOLLECTION:Clinton Presidential RecordsCounsel's OfficeJane SherburneOA/Box Number: CF 426]FOLDER TITLE:[Binder] Communication Conspiracy [1]Rhonda Young2007-0080-F1273RESTRICTION CODESFreedom of Information Act- [5 U.S.C. 552(b))Presidential Records Act- (44 U.S.C. 2204(a))Pl National Security Classified Information [(a)(l) of the PRA]P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA]P3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(a)(3) of the PRA]P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial orfinancial information [(a)(4) of the PRA)PS Release would disclose confidential advice between the Presidentand his advisors, or between such advisors [a)(S) of the PRA]P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion ofpersonal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA]C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deedof gift.PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C.A-"'·' ;:;.·r_-:--;--c"'"'.2201(3).RR. Document will be reviewed upon request.b(l) National security classified information [(b)(l) of the FOIA]b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of ·an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]b(J) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(J) of the FOIA)b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financialinformation [(b)(4) of the FOIA)b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion ofpersonal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcementpurposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]b(8) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation offinancial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA)b(9) Releasqv_Quldqisclose geological or geophysiCal information. concerning welis'[(b)(9) of the FOIA]o,~. ·. LINTON LIBRARY PHoTocoPY···---· ...... -."'-- .. --.\(INDEXI.OVERVIEWII.COMMUNICATION STREAM·BACK~ROUNDl.~,.(,RICHARD MELLON SCAIFE - THE WIZARD OF OZ.· BEHIND- THE. FOSTER CONSPIRACY INDUSTRY'1.FACT SHEET ON· SCAIFEH.O'!'LINE ON SCAIFE AND FOST~RNEW YORK TIMES EDITORIAL ..60 MINUTES STORYARKANSAS DEMOCRAT GAZET~E.STORYNEW YORK TIMES STORYPITTSBURGH GAZETTE 'COLuMBIA JOURNALISM ART.ICLENEWT GINGRICH' S CONNECTION.2 •3.4.5.6~7 :..8 ."9 .•t,,READINGWASHINGTON POST STORYCH~ISTIAN CENTURY STORYATLANTIC MONTHLY STORYOMINOUS POLITICS4-.· VI .· .. ! ~ •.,·· . ·2..:3.V.CONSPIRACY COMMERCE -.··:.: .WHO'S BEHIND ALL THIS?~MED I]\ .FOOD CHAIN . f;2.IV~-bFi1.III./ooy· T;aE HELEN . DICKEY EXAMPLE : HOW THE MEDIA FOODCHAIN WORKS1.'OVERVIEW2.ORIGIN· 3.'!'HE· STORY IN THE RIGHT WING PRESS4.THE MEDIA FOOD · CHAIN IN ACTION'·. f:tiGH~- ~ING PUBLICA'I';;J:ONS1.--· . "•WESTERN JOURNALISM CENTER2 . . MEDIA BY: PASs..3 . . STRATEGJ;C INVESTMENT4 . . CITIZENS UNITED··....A:--,;z-:;·:?.C.--::--:_~'...·..._\ .C~m~~N LmRARY PHoTocoPYc~~..---.'·.-.lt:.:;••.--..'-.'.....-•. --.--VII.THE INTERNET INFLUENCE1. WHITEWATER/VINCE .FOSTER HOME PAGE2.COMMUNICATIONS ON THE NET BETWEENCONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS AND RIGHCONSPIRACY THEORY PROPONENTS3.NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE4.WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE5.SAN DIEGO UNION-tRIBUNE ARTICLE6.WASHINGTON POST ~TICLE~-:~;t~'w.t'!>•.. __OVERVIEW/oo:)COMMUNICATION STREAM OF CONSPIRACY COMMERCE: TheCommunication Stream of Conspiracy Commerce refers tomode of communication employed by the right wing to conveytheir fringe stories into legitimate subjects of coverage bythe mainstream media. This is how the stream works. First·~well funded right wing think tanks and individualsunderwrite conservative newsletters and newspapers such asthe Western Journalism Center, the American Spectator andthe Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Next, the stories are reprinted on the internet where they are bounced all over theworld.From the internet, the stories are bounced into themainstream media through one of two ways: 1)The story willbe picked up by the British tabloids and covered as a majorstory, from which the American right-of-center mainstreammedia (i.e. the Wall Street Journal, Washington Times andNew York Post) will then pick the story up; or 2) The storywill be bounced directly from the internet to the right-ofcenter mainstream American media. After the mainstreamright-of-center American media covers the story,Congressional committees will look into the story. AfterCongress looks into the story, the story now has thelegitimacy to be covered by the remainder of the Americanmainstream press as a "real" story.•BACKGROUND READING: The emergence of conservative thinktanks and their effectiveness at conveying conservativeideas. has been discussed by a number of publications. Thethink tanks serve as the ideas mill for today's RepublicanParty. The think tanks define and shape the idea's agendafor the party and serve as the training ground for this newgeneration of conservatives.In many ways, these Republicanthink tanks are to today's media age of politicalorganizations what the Democratic big city party machineswere to the New Deal era of political organizations.RICHARD MELLON SCAIFE:Richard Mellon Scaife is in thevanguard of this aforementioned form of this media agepolitical organizing.Scaife uses the $800 million Mellonfortune which he inherited to fund a virtual empire of rightwing newspapers and foundations.These newspapers andfoundations, in turn, propagate Scaife's extremist views.Scaife along with a handful of other wealthy individuals andfoundations use their power to control the RepublicanParty's agenda and viewpoints.Scaife, in particular, isone of the major backers of Newt Gingrich.Interestinglyenough, Gingrich's views on Vince Foster seemed to dovetailwith Scaife's following Scaife's pumping of thousands ofdollars into Gingrich's GOPAC's coffers.THE HELEN' DICKEY EXAMPLE:classic example of how thesenewsletters canspiracyCommerce to get a fringe story into the mainstream.In thiscase, the right wing British tabloid reporter AmbrosPritchard reported in London's Sunday Telegraph that anArkansas State Trooper, Roger Perry, had talked with White-..House staffer Helen Dickey about the fact that VinceFoster's death hours before his death was suppose to havebecome known.From Pritchard, the story received majorcoverage by the Scaife funded Western Journalism Center andthe Scaife owned Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. From thesefringe, right wing publications the story went on theinternet, which reproduced the_story for a far wideraudience. From the internet, right-of-center mainstreampapers, including the Washington Times and New York Post;covered the Dickey story as a legitimate news item. Oncethese papers covered the story, Congressional staffers fromAlfonse D'Amato's staff had the needed justification toinvestigate the issue.In turn, the inves~igation of theissue gave the story further credibility and allowed othermembers of the mainstream media to cover the story.•RIGHT WING PUBLICATIONS: Right wing publications areproduced in a prolific manner.•THE INTERNET: The internet has become one of the major andmost dynamic modes of communication. The internet can linkpeople, groups and organizations together instantly.Moreover, it allows an extraordinary amount of unregulateddata and information to be located in one area and availableto all. The right wing has seized upon the internet as ameans of communicating its ideas to people. Moreover,evidence exists that Republican staffers surf the internet,interacting with extremists in order to exchange ideas andinformation.In order to fully understand the Whitewater story, it is important to understandhow conservative groups are, and have been. able to generate a media frenzyover the Whitewater story.The .. Media Food Chain"The media food chain is the system by which right-wing activists feed conspiracytheories and innuendo from the. fringes into the mainstream media. The "foodchainw starts with activists such as Willie Horton creator Floyd Brown, SheffieldNelson and larry Nichols_ These activists feed the partisan conservative press.publications suCh as the American Spectator, the Washington Times and theeditorial page of the Wall Street Journal. The mainstream press then picks upon these reports.The "Blow-Back" Strategy....One specific "food chain" strategy is the "blo\V-ba'*," The blow:-back_ star:t$,.W,it~. ;-_,, ..conservative groups feeding material to the British tabloids! sudl::l~';'ifi~;·§.iJ&Qiayg::;.Telegraph. Conservative American tabloids and mainstreamthen report on-the British reports.·· ·•· .:: ·Arriencan-:mec:J_Ia"f: .,..For example, recently the Washington Times reprinted Ambrose EvansPritchard's Sunday Telegraph response to a Washington Post articleVince .·Foster conspiracy theorists_ Pritchard, who took offense to being lumped iriwith·conspiracy theorists, has been a leading reporter of various conspiracies :-:- most· recently accusing Vince Foster of secretly being a spy_ (Washington Times,7/10/95 and Washington Post; 7/4/95)onThe Richard Scaife ConnectionIn addition to use of the media food chain and blow-back strategies,conservatives have another tie - their source of funds_ A number of groups thathave been peddling conspiracy theories (mainly questioning the suicide ofDeputy White House Counsel Vince Foster} are funded by Richard M. Scaife.Richard Scaife is an heir to the Mellon fortune with an estimated net worth of$750 million_ lri addition to his financial support of purveyors of Vince Foster· conspiracy theories, Scaife also is a Ne'Wt Gingrich insider - backing many ofthe groups that support and defend Newt Gingrich, induding contributing$60,000 to GOPAC and $450,000 to the Landmark Legal Foundation_jou7pWhitew(ller is one ofmany issues originating with sources wilhoUI credihiliry.discernible pattern in which Willie Honan creator Flqyd Brown and whloid ·news· organizationshave forced stories into the mainstream press. Most inleresting is rhe •blowback" straiegy in whiChstories are vlamed in the British tabloids and lhen. lho£e srories are rep_oned on in the U.S_ press_WHITEWATER: FROM FWYD BROWN TO WALL STREET JOURNALThe WallStr:e:et lm!mal Serves as a Mouthpie£e for Floyd Brown's Research:From Brown; Membei:s of The Wall Street Journal's editorial board met with Floyd· Brown, the Conservative Republican who produced the 1988 Willie Horton ad_21213/4/94.To the Journal's editorial page: After the meeting, the Journal devoted nearly half ofits editorial page to reprinting documents it had obtained from Brown in the meeting.The Journal reprinted a series of letters between David Hale and Paula Caseythey obtained from Brown, which it entitled, "Poison, Then Recuse" and"Bargaining in Little Rock." [Chica~o Trib., 3127/94; Wall St. Journal,_ 3/4/94]. . ."'.-:.:·::.:.< ·... ··~ ·.-.·4_,.,.·~--·,319/94~ub~sherl ~whitewatern Fax Bulleti~.~:·n.x>,';·_--.~From Brown: Brown's "Clinton Watch•aentitled, Special Counsel Robert Fiske subpoenaed Clinton a.dmi.niStration officials and.:·associates but he missed one-- Patsy Thomasson.·This Bulletin spoke of Thomasson's rel~tionship with Dan I....a.sa.ter and the factthat she searched Vince Foster's office after his death. [Clinton Watch,. 3/9/94]3/10/94To the Journal's editorial page: The next day, The Wall Street Journal ran aneditorial entitled, nWho Is Patsy Thomasson?".The article stated that there had been a delay in getting a White House pass forher and said, "We suspect that [the delay] had somethmg or other to do with herpast association with another Arkansas FOB, bond trader and drug convict DanLasater_ n [Wall Street Journal, 3110/94]Other Mainstream Press Have Been Influenced By Brown:1994Froni Brown to other mainstream media: Floyd Brown and his associate DavidBossie claim that "dozens" of members of the mainstream press including Time andMoney Magazines, NBC and the London Times have used them for information orinterviews_ [Chica~o Tribune, 3/27/94]2/94From Brown to other mainstream media: Bossie and NBC television producer IraSilvennan were seen tog-ether while attempting to interview Arkansas S&L regulator,Beverly Bassett Schaffer. [Chig~o Trjbune, 3/27/94]/r»7GENNIFER FLOWERS: THE "BLOWBACK" STRATEGYA search of an electronic dtuahase revealed thalfive oUI of the first seven newspanicleabow Genn.ifer Flowers' allegations of an wratn.ariml affair with Bill Qiroon were fowul in Britishnewspapers. The Star tabloid broke their story on January 23, 1992. There were 29 stories ahoiJJ theFlowers allegarion.s the n.exr day in the mainstream press.British Tabloids Pushed the Flowers Story:1117192From British tabloids: "Bush rival in beaucy queen scandal; (l)Democrat faces axeover 'affairs' (2)Girls and the Governor (3)TV beauty 'paid for by state. cash'(4)Scandal erupts over all the would-be President's women." [Dajly Mail]1118/92"Caught in the Honey Trap; Why Democrat Hope Clinton May Be the Latest AmericanPolitician to Grab the Girl and Lose the Glory." [Daily Mai I)1119/92"Wild Bill dogged by the affairs of state.· (The Times NewspamsJ1119/92"Wild Bill puts his sins behind him." [Sunday Telegraph]Then The Star Broke The Flowers Story In the U.S.:. .,1123/92To the American tabloids: ··My 12-Year Affair With Bill Clin_ton';J?:{~rijsSf.w:nt~'·,· .Runner Lied to America, Says His Fonner LOver. Plu~ TheSeci~t):f;~i[l)~t()l~¢>:':·It! Mistress Tells All;· 'We Were Lovers From' 1977to_I989/" [tt}ii;:.~· : ~ .' ,The Mainstream Press Followed This Lead:.1/24/92To mainstream U.S. media: On J;muary 24, 1992, there were 29 stories,about BillClinton and Gennifer Flowers including stories in The Washington .f:'ost; The l'-few .York Times, The Washington Times, The Los Angeles Times, USA Toctay{AP, UPI,and Reuters.· ·.SAlLY PERDUE: BWWBACK FROM BRJTISH·TABLOIDS TO WASHINGTON llMES TO???·In January of 1994, the British press tried to resurreer rhe story of Sally Perdue and theWashington Times followed suit.In 1992 American Tabloids Turned Sally Perdue Down:7/26/92The National Enquirer which pays hundreds of thousands of dollars for stories abOutthe private lives of politiCal figures rejected Perdue's story because it was "largelyunprovable· according to Enquirer editor, Dan Schwartz. [Washin~on Post, 7/26/92]7/17/92Sally Perdue appeared on the Sally Jessy Raphael progrnm one day after theDemocratic Convention. Earlier, Carmina Marcia, a spokeswoman for the programsaid, "We didn't feel at the end we had enough information to prove she was telling thetruth, especially during the convention.· [Atlanta Journal & Constitution, 7115/92]In 1994 The British Press Recycled Sally Perdue:1123/94From British Tabloids: "The threats that followed my fling with BillArkansas beauty queen Sally Perdue tells Ambrose Evans-Pritchard of anattempt to buy her silence." [Sunday Telegraph]1/23/94"'I was threatened after Clinton affair' Ex-beauty queen fueis presidential scandal ....[Sunday Ielegwh, Page 1]1/24/94"Pressure on Clinton as sex scandal grows." IThs- Daily1/24/94"Clinton 'mistress' demands inquiry into his sex trysts." [Daily Majl]1124/94"Clinton talks of economic gains amid new sex. tiles.· [The Times]Tele~raphlWashington Times Followed British Press:1/26/94·· To The Washington Times: Richard Grenier wrote an op-ed piece in The WashingtonTimes, which cited the headline from London's Sunday Telegraph CI Was ThreatenedAfter Clinton Affairu) and described Sally Perdue's story. (Washineton Times]1128/94The "Inside The Beltway" section of The Washington Times gave details of Perdue'sstory and quoted liberally from the Sunday Telegraph cuticlec f\Yashinitod :rirnesf~ ·2/1/94Wesley Pruden mentioned the Sally Perdue story again in his "Pruaen oil;Politics~,,oolumn in The Washington Times. [Washington Times] .. · .: y··~;t. · · .·· .. -.·._· : _, ·. : :->, ;::>'·\'t'f+'-::j:r¥J~r~~~;-~}-~'~1MF\f~~-:·>·' ;- ·. .BRITISH TABLOIDS BLOWBACK REHASHED BEVERLYSTORY .·A Wgshjngron Times story from September 1993 was successfully resurrectedin the Brifishtabloids in 1994.9129193From The Washinlrton Times: Jerry Seper of reported on the Rose Law firm'sinvolvement in a 1989 Iowa nursing home deal with Beverly Enterprises. The. articlewas entitled, "Hubbell implicated in profiteering; Helped 'excessive' nursing homede.U." [Washington Times, 9/29/93]2/13/94Resurrected by the British Tabloids: In an article entitled "Big Trouble At LittleRock", The Sunday Times of London reported that Hillary Clinton profited from a1989 deal that artificially inflated the value of 45 Iowa retirement homes. They allegedthat Mrs. Clinton gained $15,000 from the deal, which netted the Rose Law Finn$500,000 and that William Kennedy "engineered" the deal which "raisedthe cost of .caring for many of the elderly in the retirement homes by 14%" [The Sunday Tirriesl2113/94To The Dail):: News: The New York Daily News reported this story on the same day.fHoUioe, 2113/94]IdJ1,....2/14/94To The New York Post: ln an article entitled, "Hillary Named In Nur · g Home Sales iii'Scandal,"' The New York Post reported on The Sunday Times article one two off-p~the paper. !New York Post)2/15/94To Th~ Washineton Times: The WashingtQn Times reprinted portions of The Sun@.yI.i.I:!l§ article and called it "The Four Musketeers" but omitted the portion aboutthe·Rose Law firm's involvement with Beverly Enterprises.3/28/94[Washin~tonTjmes]To Forbes Magazine: In an article entitled, ·profiteers," Fqrbes reviewed these chargesagainst Hillary and The Rose Law Fimi. [Forbes]PAULA JONES: BLOWBACK- FROM BRITISH TABWIDS TO MAINSTREAM MEDIAIii.e March headlines in the British press were a sign of things ro come.Paula Jones Originally Appeared With Cliff Jackson at CPAC. Conference:.2/11/94From Cliff Jackson: Paula Jones appeared at a press conference organized by Clin~nanugonist Cliff Jackson at the Conservative Political Action Committee conferen¢e::•.2/12/94· · To The Washington runes: Among the 11 stories in the mainstream Pres~day was a Washjnf::ton Times article entitled, "Woman:ateihes·cnniori ' ,. .·...·advances iil '91. • [Washington Times]·· , · ··· · ·. · ·..A ..."-'·The British Tabloids Resurrected "The Paula Jones Story": ·3/28/94To Tbe British Tabloids: "Clinton fa.ceS court over 'sex trap' in hotel."3/27/94nClinton accused of 'grotesque; sex harassment." [Sunday Telegraph].3/25/94._..To Mainstream Media?: The Washine;ton Times reported that the_Washin~tonwas working on a story about Paula Jones. [Washine;ton Times, 3/25/94] ·:Po~{·4/4/94To Right-Wing "Accuracy In Media": Right-wing media watch group "Accuracy In.Media" printed an ad in the Washin~ton Post entitled "Who is Paula Jones and Why isthe Post Suppressing Her Charge of Sexual Harassment?" The advertisement chargedthat the Washington Post was suppressing rqx>rter Michael Isikoffs story on Jones'allegations. On April 6, 1994 Paula Jones appeared with AIM's Reed Irvine onNational Empowerment Television. [Washington Post, 4/4/94; NE( 4/6/94]4/15/94To Robertson's 0 700 Club 11 : On April 15, 1994, Paula Jones was interviewed byHurd on Pat Robertson's "700 Club" Program. [cBN "700 Clubn, 4/15/94)4/94To Jerry Falwell: Falwell began using his "Old Time Gospel Hour" program to sell$40 videotape entitled "The Clintons~ Circle of Power."he aired charges byPaula and Steve Jones regarding the sexual harassment charges against_Bill Clinton.["Old Time Gospel Hour, 94]on_.Ai.Z.~---:-'.~---·,__,, ..1. •~.\~.:t:LINTON LIDRARY PHOTOCOPYlDaiea/06'75/3/94To Rush Limbaugh; On May 3, 1994, Rush Limbaugh showed footag of Jones'_Feb~ 11, 1994 press conference on his te}evi~ion show. Limbaugh -d that C.lintonhad hired Bob Bennett and that, "You don't go hire Uncle Bob unless you ave b1g "-oboo£y heading down the traek. This ... and I don't think it stops at Paula Jone :"'.~~~thaL .. there's something here." ["Rush", 5/3/94]5/4/94To Floyd Brown: OnMay 4, 1994, Floyd Brown's ClinJonWacch put out a faxentitled, "We Interrupt Whitewater For A Special Report Fomigate Report; Paula JonesWill File A Lawsuit Thursday Against Bill Clinton For Sexual Harassment."(CliruonWatch, 5/4/94)5/6/94To The Mainstream Media: Paula Jones ftled her suit against Bill Clinton and it waswidely rovered in the mainstream media.P,SPECTATOR GIVES "SCOOP" TO BRITISH TABLOID11ze n'ght-wing Americcm Specuuor magazine gave a speCial ·scoop • to its ally in the Bririshcabloid press, Ambrose EvaJIS-Pritchatd of che Telegraph. EvtlllS-Pritcha.rd, the Telegraph'sWashingron correspondenr is typically 1he first British reponer called in on the ·blowbacK-. -British Tabloid Given Scoop on Spectator Story. · :.:;:~ ~::i :,;~>< ;.::: L:: .4/10/94From the Spectator:. The AmeriCan Spectator's May edition indudeq[#t·:~~{ej-(fu$@.·:. '-·"Love and Hate in Arkansas" in which Arkarisas state trooper.LD.''Bro\Vri.iiladff:i'?~F.::·\':,:: ·further allegations against President Clinton: [The American Spectatrir1'1994)4/10/94.April/May: : : :· ··..··>;To the British Tabloids: "Trooper 'Solicited Hundred Girls for Clinton'". The .Sunday Telegraph ran an article about the Spectator's piece before the American·magazine was released. [Sunday Telegraph]Washington Post Runs Piece the Following Day4/11194To the Washington Post: "Decade-Old Allegation Against Clinton Reported". OnApril 11, rhe Washington Post's Michael Isikoff wrote a piece on the fux'&tator'sarticle. [Washington Post]DENNIS PATRICK- BLOWBACK FROM TABWIDS TO WASHINGTON llMES TO WSJ·The British cahloid.s focused on an Economist story aholil a man 1Uil1leli Dermis PaJrick whichevelUUillly found irs way inco The Wall Streel Jourrlgi by way of The Washingcon Times and PatRobertson 's 700 Club ".··The Economist Broke The Dennis Patrick Story.517/94From The Economist: The Economist reported that an associate at Dan Lasater's bondflnn had opened an account in Dennis Patrick's name in 1985. In 1987 Patrick claimedthat the account was set up without his permission and that trades in the accountallegedly exceeded $12 nwJion but Lasater later billed Patrick for $86,625. Patrick also./00'7claimed that lhere were three attempts on his life after his dispute with,Lasater & Co.[The Economist]5/8/94To the British Tabloids: The next day, Ambrose Evans-Pritchard of~~~~~~wrote an article that largely parroted the Economist story. Pritchard reportedthat Patrick has allegedly been in hiding with his wife and children in Kentucky for thepast seven years because of his involvement with Lasater. Pritchard wrote,·congressional investigators are beginning to ask whether Hillary Clinton and Fosterwere involved inattempt to draw a veil over Lasater's role in the whole S&Lscandal." [The Sunday Telegraph]Tele~raphan5/12/94More British Tablo1ds: William Rees of The Times of London, wrote an article thatrepeated The Economist's charges and stated, "Dan Lasater was a major contributor toClinton election funds. Lasater, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Roger Clinton, VincentFoster and Patsy Thorilasson were all in the same Little Rock network, andundoubtedly worked together to advance their interests ... Pa(Sy Thomasson still worksat the White House, the link between Lasater and Clinton remains in place.· ~Times]5/13/94To The Washineton Times: R. Emmett Tyrrell of The American Spectator wrote,oLast weekend the British press was again alive With 'More Arkansas Scanda1s.' Tlta.tis how the venerable Econorizisr of London put ir in a front-page headline' The.,,t;,,·-·- •.. .... -) .•... -'-· --·~··,000 to Accuracy in Media from 1988-93. AIM is one of eight ·groups that pays$12 ,000 a year to broadcast National Empowerment Television, the conservative right wingcei that airs two shows featuring Newt Gingrich. AIM, along with the Progress and·-·~··Freedom Foundation, are Associate Broadcasters of the channel. [Washington Post, 2/10/94]SCAIFE FEEDS VINCE FOSTER CONSPIRACIES+Through his Carthage and Sarah Scaife Foundations, Richard Scaife subsidizes a number ofgroups that attack President Clinton for his Whitewater invcitmem and promote conspiracytheories that question whether White House deputy counsel Vincent Foster Committed suicide.In addition, Scaife is publisher of the conservative Pittsbunm Tribune-Review, a newspaperthat pu.?hes ttie y_i!lce Foster conspiracy theories. Scaife donations to Clinton-attack groupsinclude:• Large donations to the.Western journalism Center {WJC). Founded· by Joseph Farah (thefanner editor of Scaife's now-defunct Sacram.ento Union newspaper) the WJC is a non-profitorganization that was dormant until last year. Last August, the Center reprinted criticisms ofindependent counsel Robert Fiske's investigation into the Foster suicide written by formerNew York Post reporter Chris Ruddy in full-page ads headlined ''Vince Foster's Death: WasIt a Suicide?' 'in the New. York Times, the Washin~ton Post and other large newspapers.After that WJC began sponsoring the efforts of Chris Ruddy, the only daily reporter known tobe working full-time on the Fost¢:r suicide. Ruddy is currently employed by Scaife•sPitEburgh Tribune-Review. On August 31, 1994, U.S. Park Police Officer Kevin Fomshillfiled a $2 million libel suit against Chris Ruddy, the WJC, and NTU·s James Dale Davidson(see below) for writing and distributing the Ruddy report that alleged a cover-up involvingFoster's suicide. The WJC's other Foster-related activities include: reprinting Ruddy articlesin full-page Wasbington Times ads, distribution of the QUnanswered: The Death of Vincent ·Postern video, and release of a study into the Foster suicide at an April 27, 1995 Washingtonn:c. press conference. The press conference was also attended by AIM's Reed Irvine andJames Dale Davidson. The WJC advisory board includes Arianna Buffington and Marviri.Olasky, both senior fellows at Newt Gingrich's Progress and Freedom Foundation. ExaCttotals of Scaife foundation contributions to the WJC will be disclosed later this year. [Illi!:Wall Street Journal, 3/23/95; Pittsburgh Po~t-Gazette, 4/30/95; AP, 8/31/95] ·• $570,000 to Accuracy in Media (AIM) from 1988-93. AIM's chairman, Reed Irvine, is aleading Clinton critic and Vince Foster conspiracy theorist Irvine has written numerous opeds, including three in the Washjngton Times. ·Irvine's editorials suggest that Foster's deathwas not a suicide and that the White House did not want a thorough investigation into thedeath because the Clintons had documents they wanted to conceal. In addition, Irvinerepresented AlM at the April 27, 1995 press conference held with the WJC and James DaleDavidson, at which AIM released a report "The Trial of Vince Foster" which raised questionsabout the Foster suicide. AIM also produces a television show, "The Other Side of the.Story." The show, hosted by Irvine, appears on National Empowerment Television and oftenfocuses on the Foster suicide. Irvine helps lead the crusade against the s.o-called "liberalmedia." [Pinsburgh..Post-Gazeqe, 4/30/95; The Nation, 3/30/85: Washington Times,12/11/93, 1126/94, l/31194]A;:c---:o:r:rec-~·,..,,. .·.,\~INTO~ LIDRARY PHOTOCOPY __ :l't; 1'(5,000 to the National Taxpayers Union (NTU) from 1988-93. NTU Chairman JamesDavidson also publishes a newsletter "Strategic Investments, a which has engaged ining rumors about Foster and a supposedly devasra.ting Whitewater scandal that wouldcause the Clintons to be "eliminated from the political scene, hopelessly and totallydiscredited." Davidson attended the April 27, 1995 press conference and produced the· video"Unanswered: The Death of Vincent Foster, a thar was distribured by the WJC. In addition,Davidson was named in the libel lawsuit by a U.S. park: policeman after publishing a ChrisRuddy article in his "Strategic Investment" ne\lisletter alleging that U.S. Park: Police lied aboutFoster's death. ["Strategic Investment,"-4/25/94; ~. 3/23/95; AP, 8/31/94]• $1,209,000 to the American Spectator from 1988-93. The American Specrator has been a·leading critic of President Clinton, going much further than other news organs in trying tolink the president to sex scandals and in digging up dirt on Whitewater. And while themagazine has not yer pursued the Foster story, its editor-in-Chief, R. Emmett Tyrell, stillrefers to Poster's death as an nalleged suicide• in his columns. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,4/30/95]• $450,000 to the Landmark Legal Foundation from 1988-93. Landmark is a conservativelegal organization which has offered counsel and advice to Paula Jones, supported CruenceThomas and Ed Meese, and searched· for a conspiracy in "Travelgate... The Landmark LegalFoundation also asked Attorney General Janet Reno to seek the appointment of an independentcounsel to review the Clintons' role in the Whitewater and Paula Jones cases. £W3shingtoo~. 514194; Texas lawyer, 2128/94; National La.w loumal9/9/91]• $5~326,000 to the Free Congress Foundation from 1988-93. The Free CongressFoundation •s National Empowerment Television (NET), headed by conservative activist PaulWeyrich, concentrates on conservative programming that includes such Clinton attack groupsas Accuracy in Media and the NRA. The Board of Directors ofCongress includes:Former Secretary of Education and current Sarah Scaife Foundation Board of Trustee memberWilliam Bennett; and Christian Coalition Executive Director Ralph Reed. HeritageFoundation economic analyst Dan Mitchell hosts a show on NET. The Heritage Foundation isa conservative tlrlnk tank of which Bennett is a Distinguished Fellow. The Heritage PresidentEdwin Feulner, Jr.· also serves on the Scaife Board of Trustees. Scaife gave $4,441,000 toHeritag~ from 1988-93. [Sarah Scaife Foundation, 1993 Annual Report; Times Picayune,215195; Free Congress Foundation Brochure]FreeSCAIFE'S HISTORY OF SUPPORT OF CONIROVERSIAL RIGliT WING GROUPS+Scaife's traditional support of conservative groups includes donations of:• $1,000,000 -to CREEP (Committee to Re-Elect the President) in 1972. Scaife's donationsmade him the second largest contributor to Richard Nixon's re-election effort. CREEP· gener.li counsel G. Gordon Liddy, who served time in prison for his role in the Watergatescandal, is now a right-wing radio talk show host who ha.s come under fire for advocating thekilling of federal agents. CREEP was linked directly to the Watergate break-in the early1970's. [Gannett News Servive, 6/10/92]• $47,500 to the Townhouse Operation in 1974. The Townhouse Operation was a secret $3million slush fund that contributed large campaign sums £o Republican candidates around thecountry whom Nixon supported. The fund was run by H. R. Halde~ and the operations ledto guilty pleas by ~.~~g"-'"'"''"'' to ekctiOn'!1"\ violations during the Waterga to Gingrich's GOPAC in the second quaner of 1995 7 Since 1989, Scaifehas given at least$60,000 to GOPAC.GINGRICH: "NOT CONVINCED" FOSTER COMMTITED SUICIDEToday, Gingrich told a small gathering of reporters that "'I'm IUJt convinced that he didn't (mmmitteesuicide). I'm just not con.vinced he did ... I don't question it, I just don't accept it... I believe thereare plausible grou.ruJ..s to wonder what happened. There is plausible reason to question whether or notic was suicide." [bf, 7/25/95]On July 6, ·1995, Gingrich promised a caller to Bob Grant's radio show that congressional hearingson Whitewater would question whether Foster committed suicide. Gingrich: ·oh, I thinkareentitled co a full· airing tzJUi I think you're gonJUlfind thaJ Congressional hearings are go1l1Ul raisequestions. I was very struck by an anide, I think it was in, Intiescor·s Dally. ran a. very a long .wearticle cluUJ thought was scunning raising question ·after question after question aboUL Foster andwhaJ: happened there. And I've asked several of our congressional chairmen of our committees colook inio thai and I chink you will be seeing some hearings on rhese topics because when you look atem, there's just too much there ra, uh, uh, ro not try to }inti aut what really happened.· [Bob Grantradio show, 7/6/95]·However, in 1993, Gingrich said that the views an independent investigation should be accepted: ·If;here is an investiga!i.on, and there should be. if they end up concluding that whqcever happened wasentirely perso!Ull, then 1 think that ouglu to be sealed. I lhink human beings aiu1 their families deservesome level afdecen.cy in which to live cheir lives out, even in this town."~' ~CapitalGangn,7/24/93]FOSI'ER CONSPmACY THEORISTS REPEAT GINGRICH'S WORDSGingrich's quote on Foster's death from the Bob Grant show have been published three times byorganizations funded by Richard Mellon Scaife.The Pittsbu.~ Tribune-Review, which is owned by Scaife, featured Gingrich's quote in a·story by Christopher Ruddy that ran on July 13, 1995. ·The Western Journalism Center thenpaid to have Ruddy's story - entitled "Gingrich Says Expect Hearings on Foster J)eathTopics".-- re-printed in the July 19, 1995 Washin~ton Times. ·The July 24, 1995 issue ofDispatches, a monthly newsletter published by the Western Journalism Center's executivedirector, Joseph Farah. ran a front-page re-print of the same Ruddy story, now entitled"Gingrich calls flaws in Foster case 'stunning.·'IWithdrawal/Redaction SheetClinton LibraryDOCUMENT NO.AND TYPE001. reportSUBJECTffiTLEDATERe: Consipracy Theory (1 page)n.d.RESTRICTIONP510 I \..COLLECTION:Clinton Presidential RecordsCounsel's OfficeJane SherburneOAJBox Number: CF 426FOLDER TITLE:[Binder] Communication Conspiracy [3]Rhonda Young2007-0080-F1275RESTRICTION CODESPresidential Records Act- [44 U.S.C. 2204(a))Freedom of Information Act- [5 U.S. C. 552(b))PI National Security Classified Information [(a)(l) of the PRA)P2 Relating to the appointment to Federal office [(a)(2) of the PRA)P3 Release would violate a Federal statute ((a)(3) of the PRA)P4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential commercial orfinancial information [(a)(4) of the PRA)PS Release would disclose confidential advice between the Presidentand his advisors, or between such advisors (a)(S) ofthe PRA)P6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion ofpersonal privacy [(a)(6) of the PRA)b(l) National security classified information [(b)(l) ofthe FOIA]b(2) Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices ofan agency [(b)(2) ofthe FOIA)b(3) Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA)b(4) Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financialinformation [(b)(4) of the FOIA)b(6) Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion ofpersonal privacy ((b)(6) of the FOIA)b(7) Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcementpurposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]b(S) Release would disclose information concerning the regulation offinancial institutions [(b)(S) ofthe FOIA)b(9) ]l_el.ease would·dis_close geological or geophysical information· · -concerning wells R~)(9) ofthe FOIA]C. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deedof gift.PRM. Personal record misfile defined in accordance with 44 U.S.C.,,_,~o,;;::T- --:::-r c-::_',_,i2201 (3).RR. Document will be reviewed upon request.'~~\~L bffl§}f0«J _CiS~a..'1O.(ok editor and feat.ure writer Su~ Gilmore resigned a~er 13 .years when Farah sharp!ycriticizetl er favorable rev1ew of a book about Jane Fonda. He sa1d Jane Fonda was a tra1torto our cou try and we shouldn't have reviewed the book," said Gilmore. "There had been someother incid nts, but after thatone I just decided it wasn't a healthy place to work anymore ...."the atmos here was rea II y oppress1ve.I0/ ')_,.n•t\l'lo Faraid he objected to the rev1ew because 1t was a defense of Jane Fonda and Janeonda's politics. It would be suicidal for this newspaper to run exclusively that kind of materialover a long period of time. We've got a readership that's totally at odds with that point ofview." [L.A. Times, 5/16/91; Columbia Journalism Review, 1-2/91]Farah discussed abortion, gays and religion with job applicants. In a letter from a job applicantfor a reporter's position that was left on top of the city editor's desk over the weekend (andwas copied and distributed around the newsroom), it became clear that the applicant had talkedwith Farah about abortion, homosexuality, and Christianity. "I mentioned to you that I'veresolved the homophobia and personal hatred toward homosexuals that I once had," wrote theapplicant, who in the end was not hired. "I don't hate them as individuals, but I believe they arean evil influence in our society and need to be opposed and their propaganda barrage combatedby truthful reporting .... I trust God for protection and if He chooses not to protect me in Hisown purposes, then I'm re~dy to suffer for it."Across the top of this letter Farah had written: "This guy will work cheap." [ColumbiaJournalism Review, 1-2/91]Controversy on "Ghost-written· Rush Limbaugh column. Farah and the Union were forced todefend themselves against charges by California radio host Christine Craft that a bylined colum11by syndicated radio commentator Rush Limbaugh was actually written by someone else. Farahadmitted that the column was ghostwritten by a newspaper staff member but insisted that "thewords are really Limbaugh's." Limbaugh and Farah argued that a Union staffer transcribedportions of Limbaugh's radio program, wrote a column and faxed it to Limbaugh for editingdaily. [Editor and Publisher, 1/12/91].. Operation Spike• and the conservative media watch. Farah ws director of a media panel called"Operation Spike" -- a conservative counterpunch to "Operation Censored", a project ofProfessor Carl Jensen of Sonoma State University. Operation Censored annually lists whatJensen and his panel (which includes Ben Bagdikian and Bill Moyers) consider the top 10"underreported" ·news stories.Farah's group, which includes Reed Irvine and Washington Times editor Arnaud de. Borchgrave, ·listed its own top 10 underreported stories. Leading the list was "Ronald Reagan's contributionsto world peace." Other choices included "how supply side economics really worked" and "whySDI is more necessary than ever." [California Journal, 4/1/91]4AC'--:-.--:;'.r:--,--,.,..,_ -ot::_INTON LIDRARY PHOTOCOPY ..·--~-./---#_~:.iii.;,•.. _. __ :____ ... ··- .. _.. . ... --.... ,; __ !'---··,Speaks at Anti-Abortion Rally and Involved In Tussle at Abortion Clinic.Farah addressed an anti-abortion rights rally at the California state Capitol.In 1991, Farah was involved in a tussle with a pro-choice escort at an abo ion clinic in~Sacramento. He claimed to be "punched in the mouth by one of the vicio s pro-abortion r::demonstrators" and filed assault and battery charges against the woman.~$'..,._-Y>After deliberating less than an hour, a Sacramento Superior Court jury acquitteofassault and battery charges for striking Farah. The jury found the woman was acting inself-defense. Farah said he had gone to the clinic as a journalist after hearing that abortionsupporters were harassing abortion opponents. He claimed that his hands were in his pocketsduring the altercation and that at no time did he grab or strike the woman. [Editor and Publisher,7/6/91]Outing Gay Journalists. Farah published a story in an August 1993 newsletter called "TheLambda Report" in which he wrote "the pernicious role of the National Lesbian and GayJournalists Association in media coverage of homosexual i_ssues". The article identified severalreporters as "card-carrying members" of the gay journalists group, and was accompanied by asidebar that listed nineteen other journalists who "are or have been active" with the group.The monthly newsletter (which is published by the Springs of Life Church, a Pentecostal churchin Lancaster, California) is devoted to "monitoring the homosexual agenda in American politicsand culture." The church has also produced a twenty-minute video called "The Gay Agenda,"which offers an unflattering portrayal of gay life in America. [Columbia Journalism Review,March 1994]At a May 1993 meeting of Pat Buchanan's "American Cause" organization, Farah said he wa~receiving literature from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. He said: "I'mhappily married, to a woman no less. Maybe they thought I was a male lesbian." [HoustonChronicle, 5/15/93] .Farah and Buchanan's Cultural War. At a May 1993 meeting of Pat Buchanan's AmericanCause supporters, Farah "summoned the spectre of communism ... and said that the Redsunderstood that once you got hold of a nation's cultural institutions, political power was yoursfor the plucking. "The left has been doing that for the last 25 or 30 years," according toMacLean's magazine. [Maclean's, 6/7/93]·5A;::~--:::·c ·.---~,.,O&u~~~ LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY..-·::/. ~...•.-. ·....··. __,_....- --..>