In the spring of 2007, when Nancy Pelosi ‘took impeachment off the table’ and John Conyers did not follow through on his promise to hold impeachment hearings, I ‘saw’ that the first FISA violations were against Congress, and that the illegally gained information was being used to blackmail Congress. It was so obvious to me that I couldn’t understand why other people didn’t see it.
Each person to whom I said this, said, 'Of course! That makes so much sense!' Those people included Katrine van den Heuvel of "The Nation", whom I met at Princeton reunions, and with whom I spoke about my 'knowing'. But of course, she didn't really know me, so I didn't have much credibility.
In the spring of 2008, I had lunch with a friend, who is very well connected politically, and who told me that one of her contacts “deep in the bowels of Capitol Hill” told her that he had information that confirms the blackmail. According to my friend, her contact was willing to talk.
I wanted very badly to get this out to the media. Of course, I tried van den Heuvel, but I couldn't get past her gatekeeper. Then I tried a business school contact at TIME, to no avail. Then I tried a friend, who has been a statewide elected official in California, and knows absolutely everyone. He was gracious, but in the end, his press secretary said he could not be connected to this information in any way, as he was a co-chair of Obama's campaign. At this point, I was about out of options, and desperate.
A few days earlier, I had agreed to support a friend at a sales pitch for Humanity Unites Brilliance. I wasn't particularly interested, but just wanted to support my friend. She told me that the meeting was at the home of Barbara Marx Hubbard's sister, but that meant very little to me.
Turns out that BMH's sister is Patricia Marx Ellsberg, that is, she is married to whistle-blower extraordinaire, Daniel Ellsberg! So I wrote down everything I knew, hoping to speak with him, figuring that in the worst case, I could at least leave him my letter.
Patricia answered the door, welcomed my husband, Kosta, and me into her home, and poured us tea. As we stood in the kitchen, sipping mugs of steaming tea, Kosta somehow brought up what we'd been told. I asked if Dan might be around for me to talk with later, and as I did, he walked into the kitchen, and came straight over to us! At which point, I began my story again, asking him if he'd follow up.
He said he could see how desperate I was, said this was 'his beat', and promised not only to follow up, but to let me know when he had. And he was as good as his word. Unfortunately, the potential whistleblower lost his nerve, which is why you heard it here first (sadly). However, at a rally in Oakland some months later, Kosta heard Dan Ellsberg talk about this on stage to a few thousand people with some conviction.
So now, with a new administration, we should have a free Congress, who may have free congress, the ability to meet without being spied upon.
In the spring of 2008, I had lunch with a friend, who is very well connected politically, and who told me that one of her contacts “deep in the bowels of Capitol Hill” told her that he had information that confirms the blackmail. According to my friend, her contact was willing to talk.
I wanted very badly to get this out to the media. Of course, I tried van den Heuvel, but I couldn't get past her gatekeeper. Then I tried a business school contact at TIME, to no avail. Then I tried a friend, who has been a statewide elected official in California, and knows absolutely everyone. He was gracious, but in the end, his press secretary said he could not be connected to this information in any way, as he was a co-chair of Obama's campaign. At this point, I was about out of options, and desperate.
A few days earlier, I had agreed to support a friend at a sales pitch for Humanity Unites Brilliance. I wasn't particularly interested, but just wanted to support my friend. She told me that the meeting was at the home of Barbara Marx Hubbard's sister, but that meant very little to me.
Turns out that BMH's sister is Patricia Marx Ellsberg, that is, she is married to whistle-blower extraordinaire, Daniel Ellsberg! So I wrote down everything I knew, hoping to speak with him, figuring that in the worst case, I could at least leave him my letter.
Patricia answered the door, welcomed my husband, Kosta, and me into her home, and poured us tea. As we stood in the kitchen, sipping mugs of steaming tea, Kosta somehow brought up what we'd been told. I asked if Dan might be around for me to talk with later, and as I did, he walked into the kitchen, and came straight over to us! At which point, I began my story again, asking him if he'd follow up.
He said he could see how desperate I was, said this was 'his beat', and promised not only to follow up, but to let me know when he had. And he was as good as his word. Unfortunately, the potential whistleblower lost his nerve, which is why you heard it here first (sadly). However, at a rally in Oakland some months later, Kosta heard Dan Ellsberg talk about this on stage to a few thousand people with some conviction.
So now, with a new administration, we should have a free Congress, who may have free congress, the ability to meet without being spied upon.
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