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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: FreedomNeocon

Oh, that is JUST perfect! Thank you so much.


941 posted on 09/07/2006 7:48:27 PM PDT by McGavin999
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To: Fudd Fan

It is a blatant, open, threat to ABC.

Even the most cynical among us (I count myself as one) must find this truly stunning.

This- is America.


942 posted on 09/07/2006 7:48:40 PM PDT by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet-prayers for the kidnapped Israeli Soldiers)
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To: Integrityrocks

Nevermind Farenheit 11, what about the CBS/Rather debacle of false letters? They want to talk about "flawed and factually inaccurate misinformation to the American public? Not to mention the timing of the story surrounding these documents? I didn't hear any Dems speak out against that crime at the time. These people are pathetic.


943 posted on 09/07/2006 7:48:41 PM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway~~John Wayne)
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To: headstamp

Imagine if Bush tried anything like this? The WH press corps would beat Tony Snow to death.


944 posted on 09/07/2006 7:48:43 PM PDT by mainepatsfan
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To: antceecee
"The people at ABC and Disney didn't just have an epiphany and decide to go more to the right. This could very well be an attempt to shoot down Hitlery's chances in '08"

Al Gore?

945 posted on 09/07/2006 7:48:50 PM PDT by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
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To: All

This is great
John Gibson: My word


http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,212844,00.html

Clinton and Company Angry Over ABC's 9/11 Movie

Thursday , September 07, 2006

By John Gibson


President Clinton and a phalanx of Clintonistas from the old days have rolled out of the barracks and are putting up a fierce fight over a movie.

The complaint from the Clinton troops is that the movie "The Path to 9/11," which ABC will air this weekend, contains scenes that did not happen. Particularly, they complain about a scene in which CIA agents and Afghanis have bin Laden cornered and a character modeled after former National Security Adviser Sandy Berger won't give permission to capture or kill him........


946 posted on 09/07/2006 7:48:52 PM PDT by SoCalPol (We Need A Border Fence Now)
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To: Saint Louis


Hugh Hewitt wrote:

Every time I think the democrats have hit bottom, they dig a new basement. LOL


947 posted on 09/07/2006 7:48:56 PM PDT by JRochelle (You can believe what you want, but you can't have your own facts!)
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To: SE Mom

ABC may become the Joe Liebermann of the MSM networks.


948 posted on 09/07/2006 7:49:42 PM PDT by mainepatsfan
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To: mware; All
..... 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.

President Bush must be laughing his head off at that one.

QUESTION: Is this being presented as a movie or a documentary? Anybody know, hubby is asking, thanks.

949 posted on 09/07/2006 7:50:18 PM PDT by prairiebreeze (Brought to you by the American Democrat Party. aka alQaeda, Western Division.)
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To: mware

So they don't want it censored, they want it flat out cancelled?


950 posted on 09/07/2006 7:50:19 PM PDT by VA40
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To: Mo1

Nothing new here, apparently...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1667436/posts


951 posted on 09/07/2006 7:50:26 PM PDT by polymuser (There is one enemy and one war.)
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To: jrooney
Actually, it is worth posting it at the top of the FR homepage, until the election!!

I, too, amd not all that happy that more has not been done for the conservative cause, but I SHUDDER to imagine how bad things would get, in probably 2-3 years, if the DUmmies win and take over!!

AS I have talked about here, and to many others in the past, it would not be too long, before the "man comes to our houses, with a clipboard in his hand, surrounded by stormtroopers, saying "we are here to see if you are in compliance with the new rules of society. Step aside, or be taken to our "retraining camps".
952 posted on 09/07/2006 7:50:29 PM PDT by Rca2000 (I may be a prude, but at least I am CONSISTENT about my beliefs!!)
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To: McGavin999

I know, McGavin. This was one of the more stupid blunders they've made and they've made more than a few of them. They're acting just like the Mob.


953 posted on 09/07/2006 7:50:35 PM PDT by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: Mo1

The above letter is more damning to the democrat party than their attrocious lack of action leading up to 9-11. I've never seen them be so defensive about anything else.

My prognosis:

If you're recieving flak....you're over the target!

We have definitely hit a major nerve. Keep digging.


954 posted on 09/07/2006 7:51:05 PM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life)
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To: zook

OK...THEY JUST ADVERTISED 'THE PATH TO 911'...YES!!!


955 posted on 09/07/2006 7:51:07 PM PDT by shield (A wise man's heart is at his RIGHT hand; but a fool's heart at his LEFT. Ecc 10:2)
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To: JRochelle

They should have found plenty of oil considering how low they've gone.


956 posted on 09/07/2006 7:51:09 PM PDT by mainepatsfan
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To: Fudd Fan

Thanks. Wanted to keep it in that form on FR.


957 posted on 09/07/2006 7:51:13 PM PDT by hoosiermama
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To: Mo1; All
... understanding of your principle obligation to act as a trustee ...

If only these censorious, inchoate miscreants would have impressed upon the puerile, illiterate retards they have hired as letter-writing flunkies, the importance of proper usage of the English language...

It's Disney's "principal obligation" you arrogant degenerate thugs!

958 posted on 09/07/2006 7:51:14 PM PDT by mwilli20
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To: Mo1

Clintonista's are in full attack mode over this:

FOXNEWS.COM HOME > POLITICS
9/11 TV Film Sparks Clinton Administration Outrage
Thursday, September 07, 2006


ABC's upcoming miniseries "The Path to 9/11" is generating a firestorm among members of the Clinton administration, who claim the two-part, made-for-TV film is filled with factual errors and lies.

Three members of the administration — former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, former National Security Adviser Samuel R. Berger and Clinton aide Bruce Lindsey, who now heads the Clinton Foundation — have sent letters to Walt Disney Company, parent of ABC, demanding that it re-edit or pull the five-hour film, scheduled for air Sunday and Monday nights without commercial interruption.

-snip-

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,212743,00.html


959 posted on 09/07/2006 7:51:16 PM PDT by visualops (artlife.us crikey!)
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To: Peach; onyx; Howlin; All

It's bedtime for this ole biddy. Will the dawn come up 'like thunder' tomorrow in the MSM? I'll be up to see. Good night!


960 posted on 09/07/2006 7:51:21 PM PDT by Carolinamom (This is no time to go wobbly. - Lady Margaret Thatcher)
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