Mary Ferrell Lawsuit - can we get media coverage?

[Paul Brancato]

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately, especially since Tucker Carlson covered the story in some depth. I don’t want this thread to be about Carlson - we’ve been discussing that for a while. I don’t want a wringing of hands, a discussion of left vs right. I’m looking for ideas that might help change the media landscape. I’ve written to a few anchors on MSNBC with no responses so far. What I wish for is a non partisan media campaign to get the documents released, and covering this lawsuit seems like a good place to start. Is anyone personally acquainted with media or Hollywood stars, or anyone with a bully pulpit who can garner media attention? 
Mr. Kinaski recently posted a speech by RFK jr. In which he says he is exploring a run for the President. He is on record as saying he thinks his uncle was murdered by conspiracy, though I think Charlie Rose’s producers never aired his Texas interview with RFK Jr. He is controversial - who isn’t? But I don’t think there could be any doubt that on this issue he is aligned with us. He is married to Cheryl Hines, a well known actress. She has green lighted his possible 2024 candidacy. Does anyone know her? Or him? As for the controversy surrounding him regarding vaccines, it behooves all of us to actually listen to what he says. He is not anti-vaccine, but he is labeled as such by every news story. Sound familiar? Don’t let the media coverage dissuade you from looking at what he actually says, and why. He and his large staff of scientists who are not out of the mainstream at all are pointing at the health disparities in the US, and specifically the fact that our poor showing against Covid is related to our overall health, especially among poor and black folks. I looked this up - our longevity figures started going down a few years before Covid, largely because of this disparity in health between poor and middle and upper classes. His point is that open debate on the efficacy of vaccines vs the efficacy of good health is necessary, and we don’t have it. In fact, it has been marginalized to a great extent. Children are his main focus, and no one can deny that they are beleaguered by auto immune diseases, childhood diabetes, and autism spectrum. Why? He clearly states he does not know if vaccines are the main culprit. But he would like a free society to debate this, and asks why we as a society seem not to care, and seem content with letting the pharmaceutical industry solve these health issues. Are we content? I’m surely not, and I hope you can see why I’m posting this paragraph here. 
Ok - to get back to this. Is there anything we can do individually or collectively that might get the msm to dig down and report on JFK records release and this lawsuit? Remember those full page ads the NYT would run which prominent persons would sign in order to highlight an issue of national importance? How could we organize resistance to the media logjam? 

[Benjamin Cole]

4 hours ago, Paul Brancato said:

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately, especially since Tucker Carlson covered the story in some depth. I don’t want this thread to be about Carlson - we’ve been discussing that for a while. I don’t want a wringing of hands, a discussion of left vs right. I’m looking for ideas that might help change the media landscape. I’ve written to a few anchors on MSNBC with no responses so far. What I wish for is a non partisan media campaign to get the documents released, and covering this lawsuit seems like a good place to start. Is anyone personally acquainted with media or Hollywood stars, or anyone with a bully pulpit who can garner media attention? 
Mr. Kinaski recently posted a speech by RFK jr. In which he says he is exploring a run for the President. He is on record as saying he thinks his uncle was murdered by conspiracy, though I think Charlie Rose’s producers never aired his Texas interview with RFK Jr. He is controversial - who isn’t? But I don’t think there could be any doubt that on this issue he is aligned with us. He is married to Cheryl Hines, a well known actress. She has green lighted his possible 2024 candidacy. Does anyone know her? Or him? As for the controversy surrounding him regarding vaccines, it behooves all of us to actually listen to what he says. He is not anti-vaccine, but he is labeled as such by every news story. Sound familiar? Don’t let the media coverage dissuade you from looking at what he actually says, and why. He and his large staff of scientists who are not out of the mainstream at all are pointing at the health disparities in the US, and specifically the fact that our poor showing against Covid is related to our overall health, especially among poor and black folks. I looked this up - our longevity figures started going down a few years before Covid, largely because of this disparity in health between poor and middle and upper classes. His point is that open debate on the efficacy of vaccines vs the efficacy of good health is necessary, and we don’t have it. In fact, it has been marginalized to a great extent. Children are his main focus, and no one can deny that they are beleaguered by auto immune diseases, childhood diabetes, and autism spectrum. Why? He clearly states he does not know if vaccines are the main culprit. But he would like a free society to debate this, and asks why we as a society seem not to care, and seem content with letting the pharmaceutical industry solve these health issues. Are we content? I’m surely not, and I hope you can see why I’m posting this paragraph here. 
Ok - to get back to this. Is there anything we can do individually or collectively that might get the msm to dig down and report on JFK records release and this lawsuit? Remember those full page ads the NYT would run which prominent persons would sign in order to highlight an issue of national importance? How could we organize resistance to the media logjam? 

Great sentiments Paul. 

Yes, some people cannot get past the blue-red pissing wars---but we need to.  The kool-aid contests are diversions. 

If someone wants to author an article entitled "Why Did Biden Deep-Six the JFK Records in Perpetuity?" I would contribute to that, and perhaps we could get The Hill or Breaking Points to cover, and get an interview on air. Small odds. 

We need a hook to get the general public or media interested. 

The odds of The Atlantic publishing such an article are minute. 

Maybe MFF needs a press office, and that sends out releases "on letterhead" so to speak. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob Ness]

5 hours ago, Paul Brancato said:

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately, especially since Tucker Carlson covered the story in some depth. I don’t want this thread to be about Carlson - we’ve been discussing that for a while. I don’t want a wringing of hands, a discussion of left vs right. I’m looking for ideas that might help change the media landscape. I’ve written to a few anchors on MSNBC with no responses so far. What I wish for is a non partisan media campaign to get the documents released, and covering this lawsuit seems like a good place to start. Is anyone personally acquainted with media or Hollywood stars, or anyone with a bully pulpit who can garner media attention? 
Mr. Kinaski recently posted a speech by RFK jr. In which he says he is exploring a run for the President. He is on record as saying he thinks his uncle was murdered by conspiracy, though I think Charlie Rose’s producers never aired his Texas interview with RFK Jr. He is controversial - who isn’t? But I don’t think there could be any doubt that on this issue he is aligned with us. He is married to Cheryl Hines, a well known actress. She has green lighted his possible 2024 candidacy. Does anyone know her? Or him? As for the controversy surrounding him regarding vaccines, it behooves all of us to actually listen to what he says. He is not anti-vaccine, but he is labeled as such by every news story. Sound familiar? Don’t let the media coverage dissuade you from looking at what he actually says, and why. He and his large staff of scientists who are not out of the mainstream at all are pointing at the health disparities in the US, and specifically the fact that our poor showing against Covid is related to our overall health, especially among poor and black folks. I looked this up - our longevity figures started going down a few years before Covid, largely because of this disparity in health between poor and middle and upper classes. His point is that open debate on the efficacy of vaccines vs the efficacy of good health is necessary, and we don’t have it. In fact, it has been marginalized to a great extent. Children are his main focus, and no one can deny that they are beleaguered by auto immune diseases, childhood diabetes, and autism spectrum. Why? He clearly states he does not know if vaccines are the main culprit. But he would like a free society to debate this, and asks why we as a society seem not to care, and seem content with letting the pharmaceutical industry solve these health issues. Are we content? I’m surely not, and I hope you can see why I’m posting this paragraph here. 
Ok - to get back to this. Is there anything we can do individually or collectively that might get the msm to dig down and report on JFK records release and this lawsuit? Remember those full page ads the NYT would run which prominent persons would sign in order to highlight an issue of national importance? How could we organize resistance to the media logjam? 

Ha! Try these! I'm not certain how good the contact info (or their potential interest) is but most likely you'd get an assistant anyway. Develop a pitch that is a sentence or two at the most which focuses on an interesting current hook to the story and send it to these people. I'm pretty sure all of these people have shown previous interest in the story, so they'll need a new spin or take to further it along. Brainstorm some ideas here and see what the people here can come up with. Start small at the intercept or a smaller outlet to test run the pitch and then work your way up until it's refined. If you get a positive response ask them "When should I call?" Always leave the next step open, don't close doors. E.G. After the first call it's "I'll get that information to you (whatever that is) and have Mr. So and So contact you." (expert like Morely etc).

 

1. James Risen (The Intercept): james.risen@theintercept.com
2. Lachlan Markay (The Daily Beast): lmarkay@thedailybeast.com
3. Robbie Gramer (Rolling Stone): robbie.gramer@rollingstone.com
4. Spencer Ackerman (The Guardian): spencer.ackerman@theguardian.com
5. Max Kutner (Newsweek): max.kutner@newsweek.com
6. Emma Roller (Slate): eroller@slate.com
7. Matt Orfalea (social media influencer): mattorfalea@gmail.com
8. David Meiswinkle (social media influencer): davidmeiswinkle@gmail.com
9. John Hankey (social media influencer): johnhankey@yahoo.com
10. Anderson Cooper (CNN): anderson.cooper@cnn.com
11. Peter Baker (The New York Times): peter.baker@nytimes.com
12. Philip Rucker (The Washington Post): philip.rucker@washpost.com
13. Cynthia McFadden (NBC News): cynthia.mcfadden@nbcuni.com
14. David Muir (ABC News): david.muir@abc.com
15. Scott Pelley (CBS News): scott.pelley@cbs.com
16. Bret Baier (Fox News): bret.baier@foxnews.com

Sometimes you get the phone number and call directly but an email inquiry at first is better, so you get your pitch down. They don't have a lot of time for detailed discussions on the kickoff over the phone. Remember you're trying to develop a champion to take the story into Brett at the morning conference so treat everyone including the assistants like they're important. They are.

Edited March 20, 2023 by Bob Ness

[Leslie Sharp]

Min. 4.
It's astonishing, and we wonder why Americans believe conspiracy theories. — Chuck Todd

Well, there are some conspiracies out there ... — Rep. Carlos Carbelo (R- FL)

an opportune moment if anyone can get thru to "Meet the Press" producer.

[Paul Brancato]

1 hour ago, Benjamin Cole said:

Great sentiments Paul. 

Yes, some people cannot get past the blue-red pissing wars---but we need to.  The kool-aid contests are diversions. 

If someone wants to author an article entitled "Why Did Biden Deep-Six the JFK Records in Perpetuity?" I would contribute to that, and perhaps we could get The Hill or Breaking Points to cover, and get an interview on air. Small odds. 

We need a hook to get the general public or media interested. 

The odds of The Atlantic publishing such an article are minute. 

Maybe MFF needs a press office, and that sends out releases "on letterhead" so to speak. 

 

 

 

 

 

Did Biden deep-six the JFK records in perpetuity? 

[Benjamin Cole]

10 minutes ago, Paul Brancato said:

Did Biden deep-six the JFK records in perpetuity? 

That's my understanding, but I defer to Larry S.

President Biden says a president has unilateral right to keep any document secret---in perpetuity. Future presidents also have this unilateral authority, according to the Biden administration.  There is no deadline to release JFK records, in other words.

There will never come a day in which a US President says, "Under law I am compelled to release these records."

The MFF is contesting this...but can the MFF prevail? 

Notably, no major media companies have joined MFF in the principled position that government records belong to the public, and that transparency trumps other considerations, except in cases of clear and present danger. 

You wonder why the public no longer trusts anything the M$M puts forward?

Why would you believe anything you read or see? The M$M evidently abides by overt censorship.

That is where we are. 

[Leslie Sharp]

transferring this comment to an appropriate thread.

Edited March 20, 2023 by Leslie Sharp

[Benjamin Cole]

1 hour ago, Leslie Sharp said:

 

 

@Benjamin Cole writes, . . . except in cases of clear and present danger. 

I wonder if anyone else has contemplated the possibility that included in the last batch of withheld records is information so explosive it could damage relations with our most valued allies since the Cold War for decades to come? It seems a logical question to me.

LS--

But the onus should be on those who want to keep secret records owned by the public. 

I wonder what 60-year-old records could be so explosive---please elaborate. 

And even if relations with valued allies are stressed, does that trump the public's right to know? 

We dropped a-bombs on Japan, and they are friendly now. If Tokyo can overlook a couple nukes, maybe our valued allies can overlook some 60-year-old documents? 

If Naazis and their ideological descendants are running the US, I want to know (I don't think so , but I will read what is offered). 

 

 

[Leslie Sharp]

2 hours ago, Benjamin Cole said:

LS--

But the onus should be on those who want to keep secret records owned by the public. 

I wonder what 60-year-old records could be so explosive---please elaborate. 

And even if relations with valued allies are stressed, does that trump the public's right to know? 

We dropped a-bombs on Japan, and they are friendly now. If Tokyo can overlook a couple nukes, maybe our valued allies can overlook some 60-year-old documents? 

If Naazis and their ideological descendants are running the US, I want to know (I don't think so , but I will read what is offered). 

 

 

Ben, I mistakenly posted my comment on this thread in error.  I hope you will choose to delete your response/move it to the "inevitable" thread as well.

[Leslie Sharp]

 

Further to media coverage and failure to comply, this might be a chance convergence.

 

@Paul Brancato,  perhaps Philip Shenon would take a call or read an email?

His pursuit of the Charles Thomas angle of the investigation made it to The Guardian in 2018. Might he consider approaching his broadcast media contacts in light of Thomas, a subject I'll be adding to our "failure to comply" in a day or two.

 

Hank Albarelli writes extensively about Charles WilliamThomas, "The Strange and Sad Saga of Charles William Thomas," in A Secret Order. Thomas was among the earliest to confirm LHO attended a party in MC where he engaged with among others, Elena Garro.

Excerpt ... [Charles] Thomas did not note in his July 1969 letter to Secretary of State Rogers concerning Elena Garro Paz and Lee Harvey Oswald that he was also an employee of the CIA's Branch 4, Covert Action staff.  Hired by the CIA in early 1952, following service in the U. S. Navy as an ensign assigned to still-secret intelligence matters, Thomas had already covertly served the Agency at several posts, including Monrovia, Liberia; Sierra Leone; Accra, Ghana; and Tangier, Morocco.  We can only guess Secretary Rogers was aware of Thomas' dual employment and covert role with the CIA.

The "matter," explained Thomas ... concerned "Lee Harvey Oswald, the presumed assassin of President Kennedy, [who was] allegedly present at a party given by a Mexican communist sympathizer ... continued Thomas, "There are allegations that the Mexican Government may have been aware of Oswald's presence at that party and that the Cuban government may have tried to intimidate others who saw him there.
 

[Caveat. I'm personally aware that Albarelli differed with Shenon on certain aspects of the investigation, but on the question of Thomas he was on board with drawing attention to a man he described as covertly serving the Agency at several posts . . .’ A Secret Order, Trine Day, 2013.] 

@Benjamin Cole

JFK documents could show the truth about a diplomat's death 47 years ago

Philip Shenon

April 2018, The Guardian

Family of Charles Thomas are pleading with Trump to release papers they say show his 1971 suicide stemmed from officials wanting to shut down effort to reopen JFK investigation

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/apr/22/jfk-documents-could-show-the-truth-about-a-diplomats-death-47-years-a