CBS News’ Boss Hired Private Eye To Source Memos

NYOBSERVER ^ | 02/23/05 | Joe Hagan

[MonroeDNA]

OK, I have to confess. It's been long enough now.

I forged the memos, and mailed them to Burkett.

I didn't think he'd really use them, though.

[MonroeDNA]

"I think Burkett faked them all by his lonesome."

Naw, look at him. Too fat and stupid to do anything using computers, except downloading every virus scam.

I set him up the bomb.

[Semper Paratus]

His effectiveness makes him look like a hybrid of Inspector Closeau and Sgt. Schultz.

[dhs12345]

Makes you wonder if there is a lot more to this. Maybe connections run a lot deeper between Lockhart and CBS. There is already evidence of this.

It would not be a good thing if evidence of complicity were uncovered. Wonder if some of the investigator's conclusions were kept private.

And maybe CBS figured that if they sacrificed a few people, this would go away.

[Political Junkie Too]

But Mr. Rigler’s search for the origins of the documents dead-ended with the man who had given them to CBS, former National Guard employee Bill Burkett.

Since the DNC campaign "Fortunate Son" was coordinated to run the morning after the CBS report, why didn't this PI pursue the parallel track of investigating when the video was produced, where it was edited, when the director was hired, when the narrator was booked into the studio, who paid the bills, etc.

That might also shed some light on the origins of the memos.

-PJ

[Timeout]

I don't think Burkett made them. I think the forger was no older than 25, someone who grew up in the world of word processing and has no "framework memory" of typewriters. He (they?) probably had computers at home and went to good schools with computers available. It simply wouldn't enter their minds that there is another way to create documents. An older person would've thought of the old typewriter angle right away.

I think it was likely one or more "kids" from the anti-Bush forums Burkett frequented...perhaps with a MoveOn.org connection. All the "background" info about TANG were on those forums, enough that these geeks to thought they'd covered all their bases. They probably did some Googling on how to make documents appear old: crumpling the paper, etc.

I don't know if Burkett was in on it. I'm inclined to think not...he's old enough to have thought of the typewriter problem. They probaly came up with some mysterious way to rope him in and feed his conspiracy theories...maybe they really did the Lucy Ramirez routine.
I think Burkett is a schmuck who fell for it because he wants so badly for it to be true. And, given all the warnings to CBS to check them out, I think Burkett had his suspicions. I think his game was to get his "access" to the Kerry campaign BEFORE CBS discovered they were forged. He way underestimated CBS' blind drive over the cliff.

[Southack]

"Naw, look at him. Too fat and stupid to do anything using computers, except downloading every virus scam."

Burkett was a regular poster on several radical left on-line chat forums. One of his computer posts said that he had "reassembled" the President's National Guard docs.

He also had personal contact with a former Democratic Party Senator from Georgia, as well as with Joe Lockhart of Clinton/Dean/Kerry fame.

At the very least he was trafficking in fraudulent military orders, forged military signatures, and perhaps even engaged in wire fraud if he faxed or emailed those forgeries anywhere outside of his own home.

Pretty despicable behavior, all told...but not atypical of the Left.

[fish hawk]

Excuse me but SOMEONE received those papers at CBS and you tell me whoever that was, was not asked where they got them? I don't believe you need X-FBI for that???

[rintense]

And all along I thought Gannon was the private d!ck.

[kcvl]

bttt

[cabojoe]

***"... he will be limited to seven controlled interviews with the press to avoid questions about the scandal."***

HEY DAN...wassup with that? Are you scared to be interviewed in the same way that you sniper interviewed countless people about scandals for your 60 minutes programs? Are you scared someone would present evidence in your face in front of T.V. cameras and ask you to explain it like you have done to so many other normal folks? What are you afraid of Dan? Are you scared your reputation and life would be ruined like you did to so many people??? What makes you so special dillweed? /rant off

[self_evident]

I think Burkett faked them all by his lonesome.

I completely agree. There is no reason to think that it was anyone other than Burkett. It's hilarious to see how the MSM is going through contortions to take this guy seriously. He gets off scott-free, however, by pleading the fifth.

[Texas Songwriter]

I am going to be at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2 weeks. I'll be on the lookout for Burkitt and his cutout.

[self_evident]

Naw, look at him. Too fat and stupid to do anything using computers, except downloading every virus scam.

But if anyone "smart" would have been involved, don't you think they would have had the sense to do a better job? heh. The hack had to do 111 th to avoid superscript, and then forgot to do it once!

[Texas Songwriter]

Robin Rather

[Howlin]

Whodunit
Tavares

Whodunit
Who stole my baby
Whodunit
Everyone in the room looks shady
Whodunit
Who stole my girl from me (Yeah)
Whodunit
Who took my honey
Whodunit
I know the motive was not funny
Whodunit
It's a bedside mystery (Yeah, yeah)

Hey, where's the phone to call Sherlock Holmes
[Somebody took my baby]
I've been framed by what's his name
and he's gettin' away Charlie Chan, see if you can
Help me find those two, won't you
Where were you on the night of the 12th
[I was by myself]
She went dancin' in the dark,
somebody stole her heart Ellery Queen if you're so keen
Won't you help me find my sweet thing (Yeah, yeah)

Whodunit
Who stole my baby
Whodunit
Everyone in the room looks shady
Whodunit
Who stole my girl from me (Yeah)
Whodunit
(Whodunit)
Who took my honey
Whodunit
I know the motive was not funny
Whodunit
(Whodunit)
It's a bedside mystery

The place is surrounded
[The place is surrounded]
Nobody leaves till I found her
[Nobody leaves till I found her]
Until this case is solved
It's up against the wall, you all

Whodunit
(I wonder, wonder who)
Who stole my baby
Whodunit
(Whodunit)
Everyone in the room looks shady
Whodunit
(I wonder who, was is you)
Who stole my girl from me
(Hey Baretta, won't you please go get her)
Whodunit
(For cryin' out loud)
Who took my honey
Whodunit
(Somebody call McCloud)
I know the motive was not funny
Whodunit
(Where is my baby)
It's a bedside mystery
(Yeah, Kojak won't you bring her back)
Whodunit
(Ironside, don't you let her slide)
Who stole my baby
Whodunit
(Tell Dirty Harry)
Everyone in the room looks shady
(We're supposed to get married)
Whodunit
Who stole my girl from me
(From me, from me)

[albee]

QUICK.....somebody.....ANYBODY.....

Call a waaaaaaaahmbulance!

[harpu]

oops...DA, Ronnie Earle, is an Austin, TX performer. Sorry if I inadvertently maligned any Houstonians.

[ArmyBratproud]

It is obvious that the PI had no intent in getting to the bottom of where the memos came from.

Looks like CBS is covering for somebody. Dean, Kerry, DNC???

However, Mapes whould not complain one bit about the scrutiny she is put under.

A responsible investigation would indeed involve checking her background.

HOWEVER...it would also involve NOT covering up the source.

[ArmyBratproud]

"Other avenues of cracking the case, outside the network’s own investigation, don’t appear very promising at the moment. If the documents are fakes, they are apparently illegal—it is against the law in Texas to forge a government document, according to Chapter 32.21 of the Texas Penal Code. The chapter on forgery makes it clear that forging a government record, state or federal, is a felony."

---

Freepers reported this well before the MSM.

It's time for the State Atty Gen. to look into this.