Group sues FBI for records after Michael Hastings’ mysterious death

The Daily Caller ^ | 30 Jul 2013 | Josh Peterson

[mandaladon]

A journalist and a researcher have sued the Justice Department for access to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s records on the late journalist Michael Hastings.

The lawsuit follows the FBI’s failure to respond to separate Freedom of Information Act requests for records on Hastings submitted by journalist Jason Leopold of al-Jazeera and Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher Ryan Shapiro.

Agencies are required by statute to notify applicants about whether it will fulfill their requests within a 20-working-day period of the initial application.

In the hours before his death, which was ruled an accident by the Los Angeles Police Department, Hastings emailed Wikileaks’ lawyer Jennifer Robinson that he was being investigated by the federal government.

Staff Sgt. Joseph Biggs — who knew Hastings when he was embedded with Bigg’s unit in Afghanistan — told KTLA Hastings had blind copied him on an email sent 15 hours before his death, notifying colleagues that federal officials were interviewing his “close friends and associates.”

Leopold, a personal friend of Hastings, wrote in a piece published on the Freedom of the Press Foundation’s website that a government investigation into Hastings would not be a surprise.

“Given the nature of Hastings’s investigative work and the revelations that have surfaced about the government’s interest in journalists’ sources it wouldn’t come as a surprise to me if some agency was looking into Hastings’s journalistic activities,” said Leopold

[UCANSEE2]

You both are assuming that the ‘shots’ (if true) were fired when the car was still going very fast.

What if the shots were fired after the car crashed ?

Car crashes into tree/pole after hitting fire hydrant. Then shots fired into tank area to ensure a fiery explosion.

[UCANSEE2]

The question no one has answered yet is.... where was Hasting’s AT just before he went on his DASH FOR SPEED ?

[Boogieman]

Well, I’m not actually assuming any shots were fired, because I think it’s just a bad assumption to judge those as bullet holes from a blurry photo. I’m just saying, such a plan is ludicrous and wouldn’t have ever been used by a government agency in the real world.

As for shooting after the car crashes, you just add another level of incredulity to the scenario, because now you have to know the car is going to crash in a certain spot to have your crack-shooter with a .45 (why a top notch assassin wouldn’t use a rifle is beyond me) ready to fire at the car for some reason, even though the driver is already dead.

Do I really need to point out why that is even more ridiculous?

[Boogieman]

Well, if that is how you want to view things then you’ll just see a conspiracy around every corner. Evidence for a conspiracy? There’s a conspiracy! No evidence for a conspiracy! There’s a highly sophisticated conspiracy that covered up all the evidence!

See how that works?

[Boogieman]

“They knew where he was going, and at what speed. Nothing fancy.”

Well, that’s easy. If they need to know that, in order for your theory to work, then of course they knew that! No need to actually explain how they knew where he would be recklessly driving at over 100 mph early in the morning.

Nevertheless, say they did know where he was going. If that is true, it would have been much more logical to just wait at his destination and kill him there. Again, this “shoot at his speeding car with a pistol” theory never would have made it out of committee.

[UCANSEE2]

I’m just saying, such a plan is ludicrous and wouldn’t have ever been used by a government agency in the real world.

Well.... normally that would be true. However, have you read the news lately ? The current WH Administration is all about LUDICROUS plans. F+F, Benghazi, use of EO's to override the Constitution, etc.

As for shooting after the car crashes, you just add another level of incredulity to the scenario, because now you have to know the car is going to crash in a certain spot to have your crack-shooter with a .45 (why a top notch assassin wouldn’t use a rifle is beyond me) ready to fire at the car for some reason, even though the driver is already dead.

I don't know that those holes are bullet holes. They could be from something else.

As far as you and I know, they could be the reason Hastings was going 100 mph to begin with. They may have occurred as Hastings was LEAVING the place where he WAS AT before he went speeding down the road.

Getting back to the supposed hypothesis( shot at after crash), the reason to do it would be to ensure all evidence was destroyed. IF one had some kind of wireless 'control' of the vehicle, one could cause the crash at just about any point they wanted. So, having someone 'close' ready to fire is possible.

I don't think it is likely, but I was just trying to point out that the possibility is not as 'remote' (pun) as you are trying to make it.

STILL, the 'unanswered' question is.... WHERE was Hastings just prior to his Fireball 100 race to death ?

[UCANSEE2]

Evidence for a conspiracy? There’s a conspiracy! No evidence for a conspiracy! There’s a highly sophisticated conspiracy that covered up all the evidence! See how that works?

If it was a 'conspiracy' then it worked pretty darn well. No evidence. The 'hallmark' of a good conspiracy.

[Hardraade]

Oh, I dare say that if someone in an official capacity - or even someone not in such - wish to track you, it’s kind of easy. Do you use a cellphone? Do you usually take it apart and rip out the simcard and the batteries? That’s what you have to do, you know, to not be a live beacon.

And if we’re talking tech - even 40 year old tech - does the word “box” ring any bells with you?

[Boogieman]

“No evidence. The ‘hallmark’ of a good conspiracy.”

No evidence is also the “hallmark” of no conspiracy at all. So, if that is the standard you are using to judge things, you can imagine an conspiracy anywhere you want to.

It’s a completely subjective, and therefore utterly useless standard for judging things like this.

[crosslink]

Thanks Maggie, I am busy this week, hope to do some research this weekend.

[Boogieman]

The point wasn’t that they knew where he was, but that they knew where he was going. They would have to know his route in order to place a stationary gunman on the roadside, for him to pass by.

[Hardraade]

Pffft. Now you’re really paddling.

Of course they knew where he was going. All his contacts had been monitored for days.

Lol. What a trip ;).

[Boogieman]

“Of course they knew where he was going. All his contacts had been monitored for days.”

Well, number one, you’re just assuming that, without any evidence. His email only said the FBI was contacting people he knew, not monitoring them.

Besides which, you’re also assuming that he told anyone his exact route, which is far-fetched to say the least. The so-called “last email” pretty much says the exact opposite, that he is going “off the grid”. People off the grid don’t file itineraries with their friends.

[Hardraade]

Actually, he did, or close enough. There’s two or three exitpoints, and once the car starts moving - or he does his last call - which one of them is known. This is flatfoot stuff, if not for the surveillance tech.

And he arranged for backup of his story. yes, it’s sitting in a vault in an office or den or kitchen.

[UCANSEE2]

OK.

We have an upstanding citizen, with a job, who is planning to reveal evidence of government conspiracy, and who leaves an UNKNOWN place at 4am and drives down sidestreets at high speed until he crashes into a fire hydrant and tree, upon which the car explodes in all consuming fire.

SO, where was he at before he went on his Deathrace ?

Why would someone in his position go speeding off like this in the middle of the twilight hours ?

I guess that Jack Wheeler just wandered around looking for a dumpster to dive in to after he hit himself in the head with a baseball bat. No evidence that he didn’t , right ?

[Boogieman]

“Why would someone in his position go speeding off like this in the middle of the twilight hours ?”

People in all positions of life go and do stupid things like that and get themselves killed everyday. If your conspiracy premise rest on the idea that people always behave rationally, then you are in trouble from the get go.

[LyinLibs]

What's the theory here?

That Hastings was driving, somebody pulled up alongside and opened fire?

That theory would explain why he ran the red light (shown on dashboard cam video of freelance News Truck), and why he kept driving (trying to get himself to safety and escape the shooter).

It also explains why he was speeding.... yet lost control of the car (b/c he'd been shot).

It might also explain why 2 undercover cops were ambushed on the same street several nights later (b/c they know something and must be killed). They ended their shift at 4AM (same time of night as the crash, thus on-shift when it happened).

KEY QUESTION: Where the hell was he driving FROM/TO at 4:30AM in Los Angeles?


Here's the map/theory I put together.

[USS Johnston]

I tell you what, before you start insulting FReepers, why don't you produce the original blue prints to this car and show that they are not manufactured or third party additions for custom siding?

Oh, I'm sorry -- did I step on your Big Toe?? And is "insulting Freepers" a violation of the bylaws of some "Secret Society"? Guess what? *I* am a "Freeper" as well and while you just insulted me, I can take it.

I'll tell YOU what...

Since you obviously possess insider information, why don't you tell us why you believe the Fairy Tale of the feebs and investigators, the lapdog media, the reason why Hastings was eliminated shortly after voicing his fear of imminent danger to witnesses, the un-natural speeding and fireball that engulfed his car, the "woodpecker" holes still visible in his car, and why you believe the bullet holes in the in Hastings car are merely decorative"...

While you're conducting and piecing together your own thorough investigation, also please explain why the Hastings body was created without permission, it's official "unrecognizable remains" assessment, the odd appearance of feebs on the scene immediately after the fireball left nothing but a burnt out hulk of metal....just for a simple civilian crash.

Thanks.

Btw, have you an opinion on Andrew Breibart's demise?

[USS Johnston]

They made damn sure there wouldn't be any evidence.

I heard there was a molar that was almost identifiable and some loose change that wasn't totally melted.

I'm sure this kind of vehicular fireball is quite common. Especially when rigged with enough explosive to blow up a small WWII tank.

[USS Johnston]

*shrug* At least the Nuremberg defendants were following lawful orders.

How much weaker a defense is following unlawful orders from an illegitimate commander you had every reason to suspect was not in a Constitutional position to have the authority to give them?

Hey -- as long as the act of terrorism is ordered from an illegitimate commander to perform an unlawful, unconstitutional act of murder in the name of "security," then it's A-OTAY!

ANY and ALL Whistleblowers ought to think twice once before making any pronouncement of exposing a regime for whom laws and the USCON mean jacksquat. Afterall, the important thing is that the "Hope & Change" template of tyranny and totalitarianism is all that matters.

RIP, Andrew Breitbart, Michael Hastings, and...Godspeed to Edward Snowden.