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Senate Democratic leadership threatens Disney with legal and legislative sanctions
americablog.blogspot.com ^ | September 07, 2006 | John in DC

Posted on 09/07/2006 4:12:34 PM PDT by Mo1


Senate Democratic leadership threatens Disney with legal and legislative sanctions

by John in DC - 9/07/2006 06:02:00 PM

This letter was sent today by the entire Democratic leadership of the US Senate. This letter is such a major shot across the bow of Disney, it's not even funny. It is FILLED with veiled threats, both legal and legislative, against Disney. US Senators don't make threats like this, especially the entire Democratic leadership en masse, unless they mean it. Disney is in serious trouble.

Read it, then read my analysis of it below:
September 7, 2006

Mr. Robert A. Iger
President and CEO
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank CA 91521

Dear Mr. Iger,

We write with serious concerns about the planned upcoming broadcast of The Path to 9/11 mini-series on September 10 and 11. Countless reports from experts on 9/11 who have viewed the program indicate numerous and serious inaccuracies that will undoubtedly serve to misinform the American people about the tragic events surrounding the terrible attacks of that day. Furthermore, the manner in which this program has been developed, funded, and advertised suggests a partisan bent unbecoming of a major company like Disney and a major and well respected news organization like ABC. We therefore urge you to cancel this broadcast to cease Disney’s plans to use it as a teaching tool in schools across America through Scholastic. Presenting such deeply flawed and factually inaccurate misinformation to the American public and to children would be a gross miscarriage of your corporate and civic responsibility to the law, to your shareholders, and to the nation.

The Communications Act of 1934 provides your network with a free broadcast license predicated on the fundamental understanding of your principle obligation to act as a trustee of the public airwaves in serving the public interest. Nowhere is this public interest obligation more apparent than in the duty of broadcasters to serve the civic needs of a democracy by promoting an open and accurate discussion of political ideas and events.

Disney and ABC claim this program to be based on the 9/11 Commission Report and are using that assertion as part of the promotional campaign for it. The 9/11 Commission is the most respected American authority on the 9/11 attacks, and association with it carries a special responsibility. Indeed, the very events themselves on 9/11, so tragic as they were, demand extreme care by any who attempt to use those events as part of an entertainment or educational program. To quote Steve McPhereson, president of ABC Entertainment, “When you take on the responsibility of telling the story behind such an important event, it is absolutely critical that you get it right.”

Unfortunately, it appears Disney and ABC got it totally wrong.

Despite claims by your network’s representatives that The Path to 9/11 is based on the report of the 9/11 Commission, 9/11 Commissioners themselves, as well as other experts on the issues, disagree.

Richard Ben-Veniste, speaking for himself and fellow 9/11 Commissioners who recently viewed the program, said, “As we were watching, we were trying to think how they could have misinterpreted the 9/11 Commission’s findings the way that they had.” [“9/11 Miniseries Is Criticized as Inaccurate and Biased,” New York Times, September 6, 2006]

Richard Clarke, the former counter-terrorism czar, and a national security advisor to ABC has described the program as “deeply flawed” and said of the program’s depiction of a Clinton official hanging up on an intelligence agent, “It’s 180 degrees from what happened.” [“9/11 Miniseries Is Criticized as Inaccurate and Biased,” New York Times, September 6, 2006]

Reports suggest that an FBI agent who worked on 9/11 and served as a consultant to ABC on this program quit halfway through because, “he thought they were making things up.” [MSNBC, September 7, 2006]

Even Thomas Kean, who serves as a paid consultant to the miniseries, has admitted that scenes in the film are fictionalized. [“9/11 Miniseries Is Criticized as Inaccurate and Biased,” New York Times, September 6, 2006]

That Disney would seek to broadcast an admittedly and proven false recounting of the events of 9/11 raises serious questions about the motivations of its creators and those who approved the deeply flawed program. Finally, that Disney plans to air commercial-free a program that reportedly cost it $40 million to produce serves to add fuel to these concerns.

These concerns are made all the more pressing by the political leaning of and the public statements made by the writer/producer of this miniseries, Mr. Cyrus Nowrasteh, in promoting this miniseries across conservative blogs and talk shows.

Frankly, that ABC and Disney would consider airing a program that could be construed as right-wing political propaganda on such a grave and important event involving the security of our nation is a discredit both to the Disney brand and to the legacy of honesty built at ABC by honorable individuals from David Brinkley to Peter Jennings. Furthermore, that Disney would seek to use Scholastic to promote this misguided programming to American children as a substitute for factual information is a disgrace.

As 9/11 Commission member Jamie Gorelick said, “It is critically important to the safety of our nation that our citizens, and particularly our school children, understand what actually happened and why – so that we can proceed from a common understanding of what went wrong and act with unity to make our country safer.”

Should Disney allow this programming to proceed as planned, the factual record, millions of viewers, countless schoolchildren, and the reputation of Disney as a corporation worthy of the trust of the American people and the United States Congress will be deeply damaged. We urge you, after full consideration of the facts, to uphold your responsibilities as a respected member of American society and as a beneficiary of the free use of the public airwaves to cancel this factually inaccurate and deeply misguided program. We look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Sincerely,

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid
Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin
Senator Debbie Stabenow
Senator Charles Schumer
Senator Byron Dorgan
The Senate Democratic leadership just threatened Disney's broadcast license. Not the use of the word "trustee" at the beginning of the letter and "trust" at the end. This is nothing less than an implicit threat that if Disney tries to meddle in the US elections on behalf of the Republicans, they will pay a very serious price when the Democrats get back in power, or even before.

This raises the stakes incredibly for Disney.



TOPICS: Breaking News; Business/Economy; Government; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: 109th; 1stamendment; 2ndamendment; 911; abc; abcbestrong; abledanger; abuseofpower; americanhaters; antiamericanhaters; arkancide; assclowns; balsawoodliberals; benedictarnolds; bergertheftofdocs; binclintonalot; bjclinton; bluedress; boohoo; bookburners; brownshirts; callfbi; cantstandthetruth; castrolovers; censorship; cheaters; chinesecampaignmoney; clinton; clintonhitlist; clintonistas; clintonlegacy; clintonoids; communists; crimedimwitparty; crybabies; democratcensors; democratgestapo; democrats; demofascists; demosocialists; demseattheirown; dimwitscry; dimwitthreats; dirtyrats; disbarred; disney; enemywithin; fascists; fraud; freespeech; gaydaysatdisney; gestapo; gflowers; gorelickmemo; gorelickwall; gramsci; hatefuldimwits; heilhitler; hitler; impeached; intimidation; islamofascism; jfkjrkilledbyhill; jimguytucker; lawsuit; letbinladengo; liars; mao; monica; monicasdress; monicastain; mussolini; nationalsocialists; nazis; notruth; ovalofficestain; pathto911; paulajones; perjury; pinkocommies; popcorn; putsomeiceonit; rapedjuanita; repealmccainfeingold; roselawfirmrecords; sandyburglar; scumbags; sept11; september10thrats; sinkmeister; slickwillie; ss; stabenow; stalin; stalinists; thefinalsolution; thosecrazyrats; thosedirtyrats; toodangfunny; truthhurts; truthiskryptonite; unamerican; waronterror; whileclintonslept; whitewater; whokilledfoster; whokilledjfkjr; whoshotjr; wordsfailme
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To: Peach
Boy, you've got some good memory, Christian. Good find.

Actually, in hockey terms, the goal goes to JimRob and the Webmasters, keeping the archives intact. All I did was type "Fahrenheit" in the browse section, and I went to "older articles". But I do vividly remember that the DNC "leadership" from both houses was there.

That really helped them in the general election. NOT!

321 posted on 09/07/2006 5:40:18 PM PDT by Christian4Bush ("Ma'am, you don't have to thank us. You just go beat him for us." Soldier to Irey re: Murtha)
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To: Howlin
Call me cynical but I wonder if ABC got cold feet and suggested the dems write this letter so they will have an out.

We shall see if they broadcast this program as created by Cyrus.

322 posted on 09/07/2006 5:40:20 PM PDT by OldFriend (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.....and My Heart to the Soldier Who Protects It.)
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To: gov_bean_ counter

I understand that.

my point remains - how many people will seek out the uncut version? people like us will, but what good is that, we already know these truths.

the point of airing an unedited program like this on a network, is not so people like us see it. we already know the truth. its the vast uninformed sheeple masses that we need to reach, that's why the Dems want it edited.


323 posted on 09/07/2006 5:40:24 PM PDT by oceanview
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To: TheLion

Where were they when Farenheit 911 came out?

%%%%%%

Many congressmen and Senators went to opening night in DC!


324 posted on 09/07/2006 5:40:36 PM PDT by maica (9/11 was not “the day everything changed”, but the day that revealed how much had already changed.)
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To: Tribune7

Is there anyone Disney can turn to for any type of legal action?


325 posted on 09/07/2006 5:40:36 PM PDT by hoosiermama
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To: JasonC



That's a great post and pithy.
Send it to oreilly@foxnews.com


326 posted on 09/07/2006 5:40:50 PM PDT by onyx (1 Billion Muslims -- "if" 10% are fundamentalists, that's still 100 Million who want to kill us.)
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To: Peach

That...is precisely what my son said...er..hollered...on the phone.

So many of them (our soldiers) love..in a very real way..the freedoms we have here. They have fought in a country that hasn't even a concept of what FREEDOM is..they come home and tell us over and over...you don't appreciate and value what we have here.

My head is just spinning. How can this happen here?


327 posted on 09/07/2006 5:41:23 PM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet-prayers for the kidnapped Israeli Soldiers)
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To: Mo1

It seems the dim's are scared of losing another block in the MSM stronghold they think they own. I don't recall BJ coming to GWB's aide when the trash called Fahrenheit 911 was released.


328 posted on 09/07/2006 5:41:27 PM PDT by libill (Socialism is Communism with a happy face)
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To: lawnguy; All

If I recall correctly it was characterised by GW as, "I am not going to fire a one million dollar tomahawk at a $10 tent and hit a camel in the butt." Beautiful words by a gret POTUS that needs us to stand with him now!!!! Vote republican and defeat the donks!!!!!


329 posted on 09/07/2006 5:41:30 PM PDT by jrooney ( Hold your cards close.)
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To: Vermonter
Wonder if the dems are going to go after bebeKean, who is running for senate in NJ.

This is getting really ugly but frankly, Kean deserves all the crap that is going to come his way over this documentary.

He laid down with dogs, and now the fleas are biting him.

330 posted on 09/07/2006 5:41:49 PM PDT by OldFriend (I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag.....and My Heart to the Soldier Who Protects It.)
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To: lawnguy
What a crock, Bubba told everyone that would listen the first week after 9-11 that he tried to "get him", and "just missed".

Yeap and Carl from Newsmax has the tape to prove it. He was in the audience when Clinton said so at one of his speeches.

331 posted on 09/07/2006 5:41:53 PM PDT by mware (Americans in armchairs doing the job of the media.)
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To: lawnguy

Bill Clinton admits letting OBL go in February 2002 at a speech in Long Island.

FNC has played the audio which I've heard.

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1462003/posts


332 posted on 09/07/2006 5:41:53 PM PDT by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: Howlin
They sure are desperate, aren't they?

I wonder why.

Watch the show and see...

333 posted on 09/07/2006 5:41:54 PM PDT by null and void (Islamic communities belong in Islamic countries.- Eric in the Ozarks)
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To: hoosiermama
Is there anyone Disney can turn to for any type of legal action?

True Americans.

334 posted on 09/07/2006 5:42:09 PM PDT by polymuser (There is one enemy and one war.)
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To: oceanview

Keep the pressure on FOX to report the editing....Fair and balanced....etc.


335 posted on 09/07/2006 5:42:12 PM PDT by hoosiermama
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To: Howlin

I am only to your post #258, but I have a question. Could the reaon that this letter is signed "Senate Democrat Leader" rather than "Minority Leader" is that he is trying to dodge charges of ABUSE OF HIS OFFICE? I want to know why something like this isn't grounds for censure or expulsion from the Senate. It is pure coercion, and should be seen and treated as such. I say refer them all to the Ethics Committee!!


336 posted on 09/07/2006 5:42:16 PM PDT by Miss Marple (Lord, please look over Mozart Lover's and Jemian's sons and keep them strong.)
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To: OldFriend
Wow, the truth must really really hurt.

I don't remember the Senate Republicans writing any such letter when Michael Moore released his "Fahrenheit 911" with its at least 57 fabrications, mostly bashing the Bush Admin. We are on the precipice of civil war if the DemonRATs want to keep this up. They must never again be allowed to control the US Military.

337 posted on 09/07/2006 5:42:29 PM PDT by AZConser
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To: mware

Oh wow! A memory to treasure always:)

I saw you..and the raincoat!!


338 posted on 09/07/2006 5:42:34 PM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet-prayers for the kidnapped Israeli Soldiers)
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To: Mo1

the manner in which this program has been developed, funded, and advertised suggests a partisan bent unbecoming of a major company like Disney


WAIT, "Unbecoming" is a chauvinist word, remember the 04 election?


339 posted on 09/07/2006 5:42:50 PM PDT by omega4179 (What have you done to help moderate muslims bring Islam into the 9th century?)
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To: roostercogburn
People, we cannot win this battle. the MSM has the ability to connect with too many uneducated voters. This movie is already too tarnished to make a difference in peoples minds. The hatchet job will be complete over the next two days. Everyone's local papers will run AP stories tomorrow that will claim that all the bad stuff about Clinton is a republican trick. The fix is in. The only way to put these bastards in their places is to hold your nose and pull that lever for the GOP candidate in your district. I do not care how ticked you are over the current GOP leaders. I cannot imagine anything worse than Pelosi and Reid in charge. These folks will allow the thermonuclear destruction of an American city before they will call ragheaded muslim facists for what they are.

AGREED!!!

340 posted on 09/07/2006 5:43:27 PM PDT by AZConser
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