(From BLM): The Story of Gary Webb and the ultimate price he paid for the truth

[beachmom]

I was visiting Salon.com and came across an Iran/Contra story about Kerry, and that led me to other stories, which made me hone in on Gary Webb, the San Jose Mercury News reporter who linked CIA/Contra drugrunning to crack cocaine ending up in South Central L.A. This all made me philosophical. Yes, today hurt, reading about that DNC '08 speechifying. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought Kerry could have blown each and every one of them out of the water (think of his NH Jefferson/Jackson dinner speech, which we'll have to admit was his first and unfortunately last firing shot for the '08 nomination) today had he thrown his hat in the ring. But I will also be totally honest that he made the right decision to bow out, because even if he HAD blown everyone out of the water he would have either been a) ignored or b) mocked anyway by the media and, unfortunately, some of the top tier lib blogs, too. But you know, he still has his job as senator, and he's still going to fight for what's right until he retires. And we are blessed he'll be there doing that, and he's blessed that he has the privilege of holding that Senate seat from the people of Massachusetts.

Gary Webb also did what was right and told the truth, and he ended up fired, marginalized, deprived of his living, lost his marriage, and ended up committing suicide in December '04 (which may or may not have been related to Kerry losing the election -- we will never know). That's a real tragedy to see someone's life be so completely shattered for speaking truth to power.

Here is the story about Gary Webb:

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2004/121304.html

And how it relates to Kerry's investigations:

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2004/102904.html

This one nicely sums up how the MSM went after Webb mercilessly reviewing a book, "Kill the Messenger":

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2839/


Yes, we're still all sad, but I think the above reading will keep it in perspective.


Thanks to BLM for telling me about this story in the first place. May we never forget what this courageous journalist did.

[blm]

1. Webb needed Kerry in the oval office opening the books.

I am quite certain that if the votes had been secured and Kerry had prevailed, Webb would never have given up - Kerry was his chance to have the full story come out and fully vindicate him.

If this can happen to a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter it can happen to ANY reporter - and is a big reason why we have so many propaganda pushers posing as journalists today.

Also important to remember that it was BILL CLINTON who was in office when this story broke in 1996 - the teardown of Webb and the denial of the facts came from HIS administration officials who made a conscious choice to side with the coverup for Poppy Bush - over the facts and over the welfare of the black community.

[beachmom]

2. Question: what role did Kerry play if any in 1996?

I saw a statement from him, saying yes there was a connection between the contras/cia/drugrunning, but he didn't find any evidence for what Webb alleged, targeting urban populations with cocaine. I was just wondering if he pushed on this at all in 1996. Thanks.

[TayTay]

3. That was the "MacGuffin" that was used to discredit

the investigation. The main thrust of the story was government corruption and the abuse of power. The major news outlets that took after Webb for his reporting did so on the margins of the story and used minor points to discredit the major points. This is also, alas, how the RW discredits Dem pols. Same MO.

Sen. Specter held Select Committee on Intelligence hearings on the Dark Mercury series in 1996. This is a transcript of what Jack Blum, Senate investigator for Sen. John Kerry in the original investigation in the 1980's had to say about that investigation, how it was blocked at the very highest levels of the government and the fallout.

http://www.pinknoiz.com/covert/jackblum.html

[blm]

4. Well, the documents that were released in 1998 that showed the essential parts

of what Webb reported were true.

In 1996, Kerry couldn't have seen the documentation that proved it at that point, but since he was the only senator acknowledging Webb, he is likely the one who backed up the call to release the documents. I have never heard anyone else's name attached to the story other than Waters and Kerry.

[cadmium]

5. bump

[blm]

6. Hey there - good to see people GET that this is what we are really up against

The shorthand is this - Bush2 NEEDS Clinton2 to coverup for his crimes of office the way Clinton1 covered up and protected Bush1 and his crimes of office.

http://consortiumnews.com/2006/111106.html

[cadmium]

7. Our esteemed leaders would never lie

or sweep under the rug issues as serious as war or drugs. I would be shocked.