Dim letter with veiled threat about ABC's broadcast license/RAT hypocrisy alert

http://reid.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=262624&&year=2006& ^ | Sep. 7, 2006 | U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.)

[seanmerc]

Press Release of Senator Reid SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP URGES DISNEY CEO TO CANCEL MISLEADING 9/11 MINISERIES

Thursday, September 7, 2006

Washington, DC — Urging him to cancel the grossly inaccurate upcoming miniseries The Path to 9/11, the Senate Democratic Leadership today sent the following letter to Disney President and CEO Robert Iger. Disney’s subsidiary ABC erroneously claims the misleading miniseries is based on 9/11 Commission report and is planning to air it on September 10 and 11. Shockingly, the network is also planning to use the program as a teaching tool through Scholastic, potentially misinforming thousands of children about the most important event in recent American history.

The text of the letter, signed by Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin, and Senators Debbie Stabenow, Charles Schumer, and Byron Dorgan, is 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

[seanmerc]

Dingy Harry and his cronies are at it again.

So, in the Rats' view, we have free speech as long as our speech puts them in a favorable light. Reminds me of Animal Farm--'all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.' Sheesh, there is no limit to Rat hypocrisy.

[figgers3036]

I sent a letter to my Senator, Sen. Stabenow.

I wonder if she'll respond this time.

Or if she'll be on topic this time.

[seanmerc]

Dingy Harry and the gang actually had the nerve to cite Jamie Gorelick as an authoritative source. I wonder if this movie will show how much her boneheaded policy decisions contributed to 9/11.

[bboop]

DISGUSTING. And really chilling. Did you guys hear the guy from Russia who called and said, "This is just like what the KGB did in Russia. We immigrees cannot believe it is happening in this country."

I hope the RNC uses this for all it's worth in the coming elections.

[auboy]

Richard Ben-Veniste

Jamie Gorelick

Both are still working overtime.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Freedom of speech is only for the dems, I guess. Tune in to Rush on Monday and he'll describe just how much of the movie, in its original form, has been edited.

[Puppage]

Dim letter with veiled threat about ABC's broadcast license

And, it worked.

[Obadiah]

If Republicans did this the media would be on their high horse pontificating about free speech and denouncing censorship. But with their brethren, the Democrats, it appears that they will meekly walk themselves to the slaughterhouse.

For all the world to see - yet again - the display of the MSM's rank hypocrisy and crystal clear double standard.

[patriot_wes]

"Shockingly, the network is also planning to use the program as a teaching tool through Scholastic, potentially misinforming thousands of children about the most important event in recent American history. "

How rich.....like the public school system doesn't misinform children.
It's "shockingly" alright!

[TomGuy]

So, how many signatories to that letter have actually seen the movie?

[We know from past vocalizations from Senator Reid that he doesn't read all the bills and reports he votes on in the Senate.]

[MarkL]

Frankly, I seriously doubt that any republicans would ever have the nerve to issue such a letter to any network.

First off, they know that they'd be crucified in the media were they to do so. So far, I've only heard this mentioned on talk radio and Fox & Friends.

Secondly, while the dems like to say how the conservatives or republicans would do this sort of thing, it's the leftists whos ideology actually supports this sort of government censorship, not conservatives. After all, the left is in favor of shutting down free speech, when they don't like it, as with the "fairness doctorine."

Where are the hollyweird producers, the free speech activists, the "artists," the ACLU, when the sitting members of the senate issue a not very veilled threat to begin proceeding to pull a broadcast license because of a show that is critical of them? No, don't bother, we all know the answer.

Mark

[MarkL]

Dingy Harry and the gang actually had the nerve to cite Jamie Gorelick as an authoritative source.

Well, you have to admit that Gorelick is an authoritative source on why there was a breakdown of intel, and lack of communications between the CIA and the FBI. After all, she was the one behind it. I mean, it was important to make sure that the CIA couldn't communicate the facts it was turning up to the FBI, about illegal campaign and legal fund contributions that the red chinese military was making to the Clintons. That was the most important thing that needed to stay hidden.

Mark

[elc]

Can someone please explain to me politely, how what the dems are doing with this movie is different than what the RNC did with the Reagan CBS movie?

[YellowRoseofTx]

Did they send this, or similar, letter to Michael Moore before his airing his movie?

[right wing]

I wonder if this movie will show how much her boneheaded policy decisions contributed to 9/11.

Of course not. Even though she's responsible for putting up the "walls" which made it impossible for government agencies to communicate with one another, the Clintons made sure was a member of the stupid 9/11 Commission.

[Corporate Law]

Signed by assclowns all around. And Ben-Veniste's spin adds to the sleaze.

[GreenAccord]

It's funny, when I read this letter, it looks like this:

Dear Mr Iger,

Blah, blah, blady-blah-blah. Collectively, the Democrats would like to assist in the promotion of the show, The Path to 9/11, by incessantly talking about it. We require no compensation for our efforts. All we ask is that you permit us to protest too much.

Sincerely,

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid

Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin

Senator Debbie Stabenow

Senator Charles Schumer

Senator Byron Dorgan

[Diogenesis]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1117579/posts
GORELICK GATE - various FR links

---

---

Consider: If Gorelick, Clarke and Clinton had been completely HONEST
to the American public about the Islamic-crashed airplanes, like TWA800, in the 90's
or the other Islamic terror attacks, then Americans WOULD have been on alert on 911
and would have had the opportunity to prevent the 911 Atrocities.

---

FLASHBACK:

Who's Who on the 9/11 "Independent" Commission

"According to a 1998 Senate testimony of former CIA director James
Woolsey, powerful financier Khalid bin Mahfouz’ younger sister is
married to Osama bin Laden,. (US Senate, Senate Judiciary
Committee, Federal News Service, 3 Sept. 1998, See also Wayne
Madsen, Questionable Ties, In These Times,12 Nov. 2001 )
Bin Mahfouz is suspected to have funneled millions of dollars to the Al
Qaeda network.(See Tom Flocco, Scoop.co.nz 28 Aug. 2002)
Now, "by sheer coincidence", former New Jersey governor Thomas

---

Kean has business ties with bin Mahfouz and Al-Amoudi.
Thomas Kean is a director (and shareholder) of Amerada Hess
Corporation , which is involved in the Hess-Delta joint venture with
Delta Oil of Saudi Arabia (owned by the bin Mahfouz and Al-Amoudi
clans)...
Now you would think that being a business partner of the brother in
law and alleged financier of "Enemy No. 1" would also be considered a
bona fide "conflict of interest", particularly when your mandate --as
part of the 9/11 Commission's work-- is to investigate "Enemy No. 1".
"(Michel Chossudovsky, New Chairman of 9/11 Commission had
business ties with Osama's Brother in Law,
Centre for Research on Globalization, December 2002 )

[P-40]

Reid must really want people to see it for some reason...

[Diogenesis]

PARTIAL LIST OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES IGNORED BY McCARTHY, GORELICK, CLARKE and CLINTON,
WHO ARE AMERICAN ENABLERS OF TERRORISM WHICH MURDERS INNOCENT AMERICANS

1993 Attempted Assassination of Pres. Bush Sr., April 14,1993
1993 First World Trade Center bombing, February 26th, 7 Killed, Hundreds injured, Billions
1995 Attack on US Diplomats in Pakistan, Mar 8,1995
1996 Khobar Towers attack
1998 U.S. Embassy Bombing in Peru, Jan 15, 1998
1998 U.S. Kenya Embassy blown up, 100's murdered
1998 U.S. Tanzania Embassy blown up, 100's murdered
1999 Plot to blow up Space Needle (thwarted)
2000 USS Cole attacked, many U.S. Navy sailors murdered