What motivated man accused of sending threats [Olbermann launches on right-wing blogs re: Castagana]

MSNBC ^ | Nov 14, 2006 | By Keith Olbermann

[Jim Robinson]

Over the weekend, authorities arrested 39-year-old Chad Castagana on suspicion of sending threatening letters to media outlets and the homes of several public figures including "Countdown" host Keith Olbermann.

On Tuesday, Olbermann spoke to Radar Online senior writer John Cook who has been covering the story. Cook said Castagana appeared to be admirers of conservative pundits Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin and Laura Ingraham.

"Ann Coulter and Malkin...sort of present a kind of rhetorical world view where they have their troops out there," Cook said, "and I think he thought of himself as one of their troops and wanted to live up to their standards."

~~snip~~

Castagana has also been identified as a gushing online admirer of Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin and Laura Ingraham. And the Web site RawStory reports that many bloggers believe he is also a contributor, under a different name, to the conservative Web site FreeRepublic. In fact, the name used is supposed to be Marc Costanzo.

~~snip~~

COOK: Well, we should point out the evidence is not conclusive, but—it’s circumstantial, but it’s good evidence. It appears that Mr. Castagana was a poster to the FreeRepublic, which, as you know, is an online library of some of the most thoughtful right-wing thinkers out there. And his—the Marc Costanzo alias that he used, his profile said, “Ann Coulter is a goddess and I idolize Malkin and Ingraham.” And there are a lot of posts that suggest that he’s a big fan of Malkin and Coulter.

~~snip~~

OLBERMANN: Until it, you know, bursts into gunfire. Nobody wants to see that in any direction. It’s madness.

~~snip~~

[Jim Robinson]

Unfortunately, looks like this guy did have an FR account. And even more unfortunately, we had not caught him yet. Chasing down Marc Costanzo's IP address and other Internet footprints, looks like he had at least four earlier FR accounts, each of which had been banned. He was a "retread troll." It happens.

[kinoxi]

Thanks for posting.

[Paleo Conservative]

Unfortunately, looks like this guy did have an FR account. And even more unfortunately, we had not caught him yet.

Aren't there over 200,000 Freeper accounts now? There's bound to be a few bad apples in any group that size.

[KoRn]

Interesting. It has to be difficult being on lookout for the nuts who are out there.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

There has been a lot of call here for a probationary period before new accounts can post on FR.

Maybe the time has come to look into that.

My .02

[SoDak]

It wasn't TLBSHOW was it?

[Just Lori]

We know you'll do whatever you can to help track the bum down.

[daybreakcoming]

Yes, it happens. There are no mental clarity tests given in cyberspace. And there are nuts among us wherever we go. Good riddance to the freak.

banned from FR at least four previous times needs to be repeated.

[KoRn]

Your tag line makes me want to shoot at people.....

;^)

[fatima]

(((Hugs)))

[Just Lori]

Hard to spot a troll until you see his posts.

[TAdams8591]

"Well, I mean, if he is idolizing them, that sounds like hero worship to me. I mean, I think, you know, these, Ann Coulter and Malkin, you know, they sort of present a kind of rhetorical world view where they have their troops out there, and I think he thought of himself as one of their troops and wanted to live up to their standards.

And I mean, I don’t think we can always hold these people responsible for the actions of the least hinged of their followers, but I think it is clear that he was an acolyte of the Coulters and the Malkins, and I think that they clearly enjoy having acolytes, and they clearly sort of issue calls to action -- not necessarily to send threatening powder-filled envelopes to you in so many words, but they certainly exhort their followers to let themselves be known."

Cooks really not blaming Ann Coulter or anything..../sarcasm

[GoLightly]

I'm shocked to see MSNBC called Free Republic "some of the most thoughtful right-wing thinkers out there", instead of far right wingnuts.

[Vinny]

"FreeRepublic, which, as you know, is an online library of some of the most thoughtful right-wing thinkers"

______________________

At least he thinks we're thoughtful.

[finnman69]

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=+tlbshow++ann+coulter&btnG=Search

[nevergore]

Open public forum...even with moderators there is only so much you can do....

Keep up the good work!

[umgud]

Sorry to hear he posted here. We all know that the odd nut doesn't characterize FR, but outsiders will surely zero in on these exceptions. I'm here for the long haul and am proud of it.

[CindyDawg]

I could be wrong but I don't think it was meant as a compliment:')

[claudiustg]

I see his post on the powder is still linked back to FR through DU

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1727261/posts?page=215#215

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2704188

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Correct.

However, on average, trolls begin posting 4.5 seconds after enrolling. An embargo would dissuade many of them.

[sedwards1]

Hmm no terror attacks since 9/11 on Bushes watch huh? Oh wait there was the anthrax...then the ricin attack in my home state and now this.

Its kind of funny there are no terror attacks in the United States as long as they are not directed to anyone on the left.

Good Job guys.

[LibWhacker]

He also had an account at DU, didn't he? Wonder if they EVER banned him? Plenty of kooks to go around, that's for sure.

Remember that USENET democrat kook who tried to kill Richard Mellon Scaife several years ago, but ended up committing suicide instead in the bathroom of Scaife headquarters?

Kooks on both sides and they have a heck of a lot more of them than we do.

[SpaceBar]

The story behind the story is the red meat the liberal media now have to suggest legislation "limiting" various forms of online political speech, you know, for the kids.

[Enterprise]

"Castagana has also been identified as a gushing online admirer of Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin and Laura Ingraham."

What do you want to bet that none of these ladies would share the same feelings for him?

[kinoxi]

"fairness doctrine"

[Vinny]

I know, I was just being sarcastic. ;_)

didn't work I guess.

[IslandJeff]

CyberWar, with only us having the ethics. For shame.

Thanks, Boss. This was an intriguing story.

[SoDak]

Most certainly, looks like the left-wing blogosphere is squeezing all the mileage they can from it.

[CindyDawg]

:')

[SmithL]

I read earlier that he also posted on DU. I wonder why Olbermann didn't mention that?

[SpaceBar]

"fairness doctrine"

I fear this is just the opening salvo. The individual nutbag is inconsequential in the larger scheme of things. One person holds up a liquor store and next thing you know they're confiscating guns from law abiding citizens. The slippery slope some mock as the invention of a paranoid mind really exists imho.

[Nasty McPhilthy]

Welcome to FR, I think.

[SoDak]

The left knows well how to take one tragic event and turn it into a nationwide crisis. That's their stock in trade.

[fatima]

Heehee:)Hi FBI.

[opinionator]

"and I think he thought of himself as one of their troops and wanted to live up to their standards."

Nonsense! Ann Coulter would never condone sending fake anthrax.

[icwhatudo]

Lets all keep saying this:

banned from FR at least four previous times

banned from FR at least four previous times

banned from FR at least four previous times

banned from FR at least four previous times

[MarkeyD]

It would be interesting to see what had got him banned in the past.

[STARWISE]

Exactly!

[Just Lori]

True, I suppose it might dissuade some of them.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Nice catch, Nasty!

[TBP]

Cook said Castagana appeared to be admirers of conservative pundits Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin and Laura Ingraham.

Aren't we all?

Now to expose MD4Bush.

[TBP]

I read earlier that he also posted on DU. I wonder why Olbermann didn't mention that?

Gee, I wonder.

Olbermann should never have left "Sports Center."

[TBP]

Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin and Laura Ingraham

You know the (unwritten) rule. Pictures, please.

[Brad's Gramma]

Bump for tomorrow!

[Tamzee]

What also needs to be pointed out is how often rabid left-wingers create accounts here and post in their warped ideal of a "lunatic right-winger" to put Free Republic in a bad light...

Who is to say whether this freakshow really leaned left or right personally and how much he posted was real and fiction?

If he was BANNED FOUR TIMES FROM THIS SITE IN THE PAST then he obviously was trying to exploit your site for some frothing, rabid personal agenda that he knew was against your policies.

.

[NickatNite2003]

Oh Hell...They're prolly looking
at me too, after nthat nastypost
I made about Sandra Day O'Conner.

Just my luck to have used a final
line similar to this idiot.

*My* line was referring to state
sanctioned redress, not vigilantism.

[Dallas59]

He's a dip. It's not unlike the DU or DK populace that would like to nuke Washington and supports the destruction of the United States.

[rusureitflies?]

Won't defend the guy. FR is still the best reading I've had. I "feel" good when I get my FR fix. Keep up the great work!

[GoLightly]

I've told the Admin here to report a poster to the FBI & sent the link to their site as I did it. It's an open forum, so kooks will show up from time to time. When we police our own, the FBI has no need to wade through all of our gibberish.

[Liberty Valance]

Thanks for the update Jim.