Posted on 10/24/2004 5:08:47 PM PDT by Ex-Dem
Washington D.C.'s Secret Service is investigating Charlie Brooker of the UK Guardian. The entertainment writer's weekend, anti-Bush tantrum, ending with the words, "John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr.--where are you now that we need you," was picked up by the Drudge Report,--using Brooker's provocative last words as the main headline.
Citing federal statute 18 USC 879, Florida attorney John B. Thompson, called in the Secret Service Protective Intelligence Unit. "Please do whatever is necessary to punish the UK Guardian and to educate Matt Drudge on the meaning and scope of statute 18," Thompson wrote in a letter faxed to the SS on Saturday.
Thompson's letter indicates that not only was his complaint being taken seriously by the SS, but that it had already been tipped off about the Guardian story before receipt of his letter.
"I am relieved to find out that you were alerted to this danger last evening and are working on it."
Following a telephone call to the Unit, Thompson registered surprise that the Secret Service seemed unaware of the magnitude of the Drudge Report. "(But) in calling you today, I find that you did not know that one of the most visited sites on the Internet, with more than 10 million hits every 24 hours, is highlighting this call for the assassination of President Bush by placement of it as a headline, as follows: "UK Guardian: "John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr.--where are you now that we need you?"
"This is to be found this morning at www.drudgereport.com. The owner of the Drudge Report is Matt Drudge, who lives on South Beach (Miami Beach), Florida. I would encourage the Secret Services Miami office to pay Mr. Drudge a visit to tell him he needs to comply with the law and take down that screaming red headline."
Thompson's concern is that the combined circulations of the Guardian and Drudge Report manifest a siren call to whackos among the millions of readers reached by the publications.
"As I noted in our call, my friend, who is an Assistant United States Attorney, successfully prosecuted some numbskull who was talking about killing Dan Quayle in a bar. It would seem that an American journalist who puts a threat of the above kind on his website seen by millions is being at least as reckless as the aforementioned drunk," Thompson said in his letter.
In his anti-Bush tirade, Brooker wrote: "On November 2, the entire civilised world will be praying, praying Bush loses. And Sod's law dictates he'll probably win, thereby disproving the existence of God once and for all. The world will endure four more years of idiocy, arrogance and unwarranted bloodshed, with no benevolent deity to watch over and save us" before ending with his call for a would-be Booth, Oswald and Hinckley Jr.
The television entertainment writer seems to have his knickers in a twist about the "Bush-wears-a-wire-to-televised-debates theory.
"The internet's abuzz with speculation that Bush has been wearing a wire, receiving help from some off-stage lackey. Screen grabs appearing to show a mysterious bulge in the center of his back are being traded like Top Trumps. Prior to seeing this debate footage, I regarded this with healthy skepticism: the whole "wire" scandal was just wishful thinking on behalf of some amateur Michael Moores, I figured.
"Quite frankly, the man's either wired or mad. If it's the former, he should be flung out of office: tarred, feathered and kicked in the nuts. And if it's the latter, his behaviour goes beyond strange, and heads towards terrifying."
Brooker criticizes the American media for purportedly ignoring the wire theory. "...And then I start hunting around the internet, looking to see what the US media made of the whole "wire" debate. And they just let it die. They mentioned it in passing, called it a whacko conspiracy theory and moved on."
The American website, www.rense.com, which leans heavily on UFO and alien abduction stories, made the most of the wire theory.
Answering media inquiries about his "mysterious bulge", President Bush identified it as "my spine."
Meanwhile, at press time, Brooker's calling all assassins story was still being carried by the Guardian and Drudge Report.
Canada Free Press founding editor Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the media. A former Toronto Sun and Kingston Whig Standard columnist, she has also appeared on Newsmax.com, the Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, and World Net Daily. Judi can be reached at: cfp@canadafreepress.com.
"Citing federal statute 18 USC 879, Florida attorney John B. Thompson, called in the Secret Service Protective Intelligence Unit. "Please do whatever is necessary to punish the UK Guardian and to educate Matt Drudge on the meaning and scope of statute 18," Thompson wrote in a letter faxed to the SS on Saturday."
Wanna take a guess at the political affiliations of one FL attorney John Thompson? Seems this mouthpiece wants to spread the guilt around and smear Drudge. Later on, if it sticks, this can be spun to sound like a 'rightwing' sin to paste onto conservative media. Turn a liability into an asset - remember Clinton accusing everyone of exactly what he was doing? "The politics of personal destruction" means destroying those that uncover the truth about RATs.
Thanks; now I remember why that name was oh so familiar. There are times you just want to play "whack-a-mole" with these characters, I'd swear!
Its still on Drudge. Something tells me that the Secret Service was smart enough to figure out who's the reporter and who's the threat. I think these crazies, the UK Guardian and *****EQUALLY IMPORTANT***** the advertisers that were on the UK Guardian site, paying the UK Guardians bills (Toyota, American Express, and others) need to be exposed to the world for the angry haters that they really are. Their not pacifists, they don't hate war, they just hate anyone and everyone that doesn't see it their way or just plain gets in their way. Since this is from a UK paper, I hope the Brits Secret Service is investigating as well.
I'm not a lawyer, but -- I don't think Drudge should be in any trouble about it. The remark had already been published in a big circulation newspaper/website. Drudge is well within his rights to criticize/comment on such a remark once it is published. He has a first amendment right to do so, as long as he isn't endorsing or encouraging the implied threat to POTUS. It would probably be smart of Drudge in the future to use wording that indicates that he condemns the remark.
Drudge brought it out for all to see how crazy the story really was. I'm sure he's not in trouble. Probably got a pat on the back for exposing this threat.
(jackpeace, I'm just joking. Please don't threaten to sue me.)
Very little, but the clerics do have clearer skins (have you seen a picture of that guy )?
18 USC 879
Section 879. Threats against former Presidents and certain other persons
(a) Whoever knowingly and willfully threatens to kill, kidnap, or
inflict bodily harm upon -
(1) a former President or a member of the immediate family of a
former President;
(2) a member of the immediate family of the President, the
President-elect, the Vice President, or the Vice President-elect;
(3) a major candidate for the office of President or Vice
President, or a member of the immediate family of such candidate;
or
(4) a person protected by the Secret Service under section
3056(a)(6);
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5
years, or both.
I think more than two lawyers in any Country constitutes a terrorist organization. How about they get some heat too?
Sounds more like this "attorney" has a thing against Drudge rather than any concern about the President.
Lol nice nick.....
"In his anti-Bush tirade, Brooker wrote: "On November 2, the entire civilised world will be praying, praying Bush loses. And Sod's law dictates he'll probably win, thereby disproving the existence of God once and for all. "
I'm wondering to whom do the "entire civilised world will be praying" ???
Bush's win is a proof of God doesn't exist? Ehm....
Dang, I just made my new tagline....
Great idea. I hope it is taken up.
He was strange, but liked his story of Janet Reno being arrested for soliciting a prostitute.
Something tells me that they ought to investigate a few other select people like Al Gore, Ted Kennedy, and all the others that have incited this hatred and anger. Screaming at the top of their lungs, telling people to rise up, get angry. They're coming out of the woodwork to intimidate, ransack, and commit serious violence against Republican elections sites and early voters. It would seem to me that all this activity of instigating civil violence is beyond the line and has been a catalyst for all this.
The Guardian is well aware, probably via indymedia.com, that there are elements of the Left who are capable of evil.
That being said, their call for murder should not be taken lightly - this was an attempt to steer a lunatic to results they wish to see.
I hope they fry.
Read up on Thompson's history on this site, and you'll understand. ;-)
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