That report about Seth Rich, the slain DNC staffer, is hot hunk of hokum

Washington Examiner ^ | | May 16, 2017,4:05 PM | Updated May 16, 2017, 9:30 PM | by Becket Adams

[ckilmer]

That report about Seth Rich, the slain DNC staffer, is hot hunk of hokum

by Becket Adams | May 16, 2017, 4:05 PM | Updated May 16, 2017, 9:30 PM

The only thing that has been accomplished with this latest story is that the people involved have angered a still-grieving family. (Twitter)
The only thing that has been accomplished with this latest story is that the people involved have angered a still-grieving family. (Twitter)

Recommended for You

One last time: That Seth Rich story is garbage

Trump 'furious' at Guilfoyle's bid for Spicer's job, 'She's using us'

GOP fears Trump will take the Republican Party down with him

DNC blames Trump's backing of Erdogan for attack outside DC embassy

Camille Paglia: Democrats are colluding with the media to create chaos

Most Read Articles

FEC boss who tried to muzzle Drudge now on Soros payroll

Trump 'furious' at Guilfoyle's bid for Spicer's job, 'She's using us'

GOP fears Trump will take the Republican Party down with him

Anderson Cooper to Jeffrey Lord: You'd defend Trump if he 'took a dump on his desk'

Camille Paglia: Democrats are colluding with the media to create chaos
That new report alleging collusion between WikiLeaks and Seth Rich, the Democratic National Committee staffer who was murdered near his home in Washington, D.C., last year, isn't what you think it is.

At least, that's what Rich's family and law enforcement officials said Tuesday. Also, that's basically what the source of the report's biggest claim said after he recanted most of his story.

Susan Ferrechio interviews Senator Rob Portman
Watch Full Screen
In short, the report is a hot hunk of hokum.

"We are a family who is committed to facts, not fake evidence that surfaces every few months to fill the void and distract law enforcement and the general public from finding Seth's murderers," the Rich family said through spokesman Brad Bauman.

Bauman, whose body of work includes consultation services to Democratic candidates, said separately in a comment to Business Insider: "It's sad but unsurprising that a group of media outlets who have repeatedly lied to the American people would try and manipulate the legacy of a murder victim in order to forward their own political agenda."

"I think there is a special place in hell for people like that," he added.

The young DNC staffer was murdered on July 10. His death has not yet been solved, and law enforcement officials say they have no promising leads.

This iteration of the Seth Rich news cycle begins with Rod Wheeler, an ex-D.C. homicide detective who works now as a private investigator and occasional Fox News contributor.

Wheeler told Washington, D.C., Fox News affiliate Fox 5 that he had information showing the slain DNC data analyst was in contact with WikiLeaks prior to his murder.

WikiLeaks, of course, published thousands of stolen emails in 2016 that had been pilfered from accounts belonging to Democratic National Committee staffers and failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta.

Asked whether his sources have said Rich was tied directly to WikiLeaks, Wheeler told Fox 5, "Absolutely. Yeah. That's confirmed."

Wheeler also said he believed local authorities were conducting a cover-up.

Law enforcement officials, who maintain Rich was the victim of a botched robbery, denied this charge (again).

FoxNews.com reported separately Tuesday that the murdered staffer was in contact with WikiLeaks via the late journalist Gavin MacFadyen. Rich reportedly handed over 44,053 emails and 17,761 attachments belonging to top DNC staffers to MacFadyen before May 21, FoxNews.com reported, citing a nameless federal official.

The FBI conducted a forensic report on Rich's laptop within 96 hours of his death, the anonymous official reported said.

This is where everything falls apart for the Fox reporters.

Wheeler recanted most of his story Tuesday evening. He told CNN he had no proof that Rich was ever in contact with WikiLeaks.

CNN reported:

Wheeler instead said he only learned about the possible existence of such evidence through the reporter he spoke to for the FoxNews.com story. He explained that the comments he made to WTTG-TV were intended to simply preview Fox News' Tuesday story.
[…]
Asked about a quote attributed to him in the Fox News story in which he said his "investigation up to this point shows there was some degree of email exchange between Seth Rich and Wikileaks," Wheeler said he was referring to information that had already been reported in the media.

"I only got that [information] from the reporter at Fox News," Wheeler told CNN.

The family spokesman stressed Wheeler had never actually seen Rich's laptop.

NBC News also reported Tuesday that separate FBI sources contradict everything in the Fox 5 and FoxNews.com stories.

"[A] current FBI official and a former one completely discount the Fox News claim that an FBI analysis of a computer belonging to Rich contained thousands of e-mails to and from WikiLeaks," the report read. "Local police in Washington, D.C., never even gave the FBI Rich's laptop to analyze after his murder."

Simply put, in regards to Rich's laptop, "It never contained any e-mails related to WikiLeaks, and the FBI never had it," a former law enforcement official with direct knowledge of the case said.

Lastly, the Rich family itself has been loudest and most vocal in disputing what they say are "unsubstantiated" garbage reports.

"We see no facts, we have seen no evidence, we have been approached with no emails and only learned about this when contacted by the press," the statement added. "Even if tomorrow an email was found, it is not a high enough bar of evidence to prove any interactions as emails can be altered, and we've seen that those interested in pushing conspiracies will stop at nothing to do so."

The family's statement added:

The services of the private investigator who spoke to press was offered to the Rich family and paid for by a third party, and contractually was barred from speaking to press or anyone outside of law enforcement or the family unless explicitly authorized by the family.

The "third party" mentioned in the statement is financial adviser and Fox News contributor Ed Butowsky, Bauman told NBC News Tuesday.

However, Butowsky has denied any part in Wheeler's investigation of Rich's death.

"I'm not involved with any of what you said," he told NBC.

Butowsky declined to respond when he was asked if he was in contact with the Rich family.

"This can't possibly go well," he said. "I didn't pay anybody. I didn't hire anybody."

He then referred all questions to Wheeler.

Bauman tells a different story.

Not only did Butowsky connect the Rich family to Wheeler, but he also offered to pay the private investigator's fees, according to Bauman.

Though the family's initial response to the Fox 5 report declined to mention Butowsky by name, Bauman told NBC News he felt compelled to reveal the Dallas-based financial adviser's role as the "third party" after he denied involvement in the story.

"He's the one who paid for it," Bauman said.

To sum things up: The supposed bombshell reports this week are trash.

They have done nothing to answer some of the conspiracies surrounding Rich's unsolved murder. They have, however, done a great job of infuriating the victim's still-grieving family.

Great work all around, fellas.

—

This story, which warned from the outset that the two Fox reports didn't add up, has been updated to include Wheeler's admission to CNN.

[ckilmer]

I'm generally familiar enough with the story to take note of it but I'm not well enough versed to argue its merits. The washington examiner is a generally conservative newspaper. So when they call the seth rich story hokem--its important to take notice. What's to notice? I would like people who are knowledgeable about the seth rich to carefully rebut the washington examiner point by point-- in a way that everyone will understand. (no flames please)

[Hostage]

Follow George Webb on Youtube and don’t read the lazy fools of the ‘Washington Examiner’.

[BenLurkin]

Last I heard, Wikileaks is still offering a reward for finding the killer.

[a fool in paradise]

‘The only thing that has been accomplished with this latest story is that the people involved have angered a still-grieving family.’

Much as the late Mary Jo would be thanking dead red Ted Kennedy from her watery grave.

[Diogenesis]

The surgical resident stated Rich would have lived,
if not murdered overnight by the Pizzagate-compromised
LEO and the DNC.

Surgical residents OBEY their attendings,
and did so in this case - shutting up and letting
them murder the witness.

==> SETH RICH WAS MURDERED like the so many,
and all have been ignored because
of the PizzaGATE-compromised LEO.

[txhurl]

Proof will be given Tues. by Kim Dotcom.

[ladyjane]

the people involved have angered a still-grieving family.

The grieving family doesn't want to know who killed their son? That makes sense. Not.

[glasseye]

Wikileaks is offering $20,000 for information.
I trust Wikileaks more than any American newspaper.
Time will tell.

[ForYourChildren]

Well shoot ...

"CNN reported:.."

That takes care of it. Nothing to see here. CNN has spoken. Move on.

[ncalburt]

The Wash Examiner is a Never Trump rag run by the Uniparty crowd in DC .Mostly Bushbots spouting talking points .

it's not conservative by any means .

The family spokesman is not there spokesman .
He is a DNC dirty tricks operative from a Dem DC tricky tricks PR firm .
He is astroturfing for the DNC so there is more to the story .

The real parents have made a Video thanking everyone looking into there son death .

Please don't spread Dem - uniparty in here .

Nice Try at throwing water on the subject like the Uniparty wants .

[LS]

Well, remember the Lewinsky family stood by Slick after he abused their daughter?

[CivilWarBrewing]

Becket Adams wouldn't know a 'hot hunk of hokum' if it was staring him right in the face..

OH WAIT..

[Nifster]

The examiner is an outlet for the DC political class....hardly a conservative paper

[Fantasywriter]

Reporters these days don't even attempt to find the truth.

"Whistle-blowers go to significant efforts to get us material and often very significant risks," Assange said. "As a 27-year-old, works for the DNC, was shot in the back, murdered just a few weeks ago for unknown reasons as he was walking down the street in Washington."

When the interviewer interjected that the murder may have been a robbery, Assange pushed back.

"No," he said. "There’s no finding. So… I’m suggesting that our sources take risks."

Then there's the reward Wikileaks is offering for info that nails Rich's killer. No reason to do that unless Rich was an informant.

WikiLeaks

✔@wikileaks

ANNOUNCE: WikiLeaks has decided to issue a US$20k reward for information leading to conviction for the murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich.

11:58 AM - 9 Aug 2016

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/08/10/assange-implies-murdered-dnc-staffer-was-wikileaks-source.html 

[CondorFlight]

Everyone in the establishment is eager to squelch the Seth Rich story.

Odd that the DNC won’t even offer a reward.

But apparently there is a lot more to come in the next few days.

Among other things, it would kill the “Russian” hacker meme; and also, maybe shed a flashlight on the roaches at the DNC.

[cgbg]

The Democrats (and their Intelligence Community allies) have a clear M.O. on how to handle sensitive families (examples include the families of Vince Foster, Mary Jo Kopechne and Lee Harvey Oswald, but there are many others):

(1) Pay for a family attorney to keep everyone talking the official line.

(2) Deposit lots of cash into the relevant accounts.

(3) The stick--remind the families that what happened to the dead family member could happen to them.

(4) Have the attorney yell "grieving family is being harassed" whenever any investigators question the family.

(5) Publish articles/books attacking the "conspiracy theories" in mainstream publications quoting said family members.

They stick to these tactics because _they work_.

[Fantasywriter]

A working link:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/08/10/assange-implies-murdered-dnc-staffer-was-wikileaks-source.html

[DoughtyOne]

FReepers, it's time to get serious about retiring this FReep-a-thon.


Free Republic, the Home of the Eternal FReeper, Conservatism's Finest  (timely thoughts on the FReeper dynamic and Free Republic)

Ramirez political cartoon: Try it! Single Payer... LARGE VERSION 05/08/2017: LINK  LINK to regular sized versions of his political cartoons (archive).

Please join the monthlies, an automated way to help support Free Republic.

If you are not opting to join the automated monthly support program, please consider joining the One One Done project.  LINK

FReepers, 53.38% of the Second Quarter FReep-a-thon goal has been met.  Click above and pencil in your donation now.  Please folks, lets end this FReepathon.  Thank you!
...this is a general all-purpose message, and should not be seen as targeting any individual I am responding to...

[smalltownslick]

“[A] current FBI official and a former one completely discount the Fox News claim that an FBI analysis of a computer belonging to Rich contained thousands of e-mails to and from WikiLeaks,” the report read. “Local police in Washington, D.C., never even gave the FBI Rich’s laptop to analyze after his murder.”

Simply put, in regards to Rich’s laptop, “It never contained any e-mails related to WikiLeaks, and the FBI never had it,” a former law enforcement official with direct knowledge of the case said.

So the FBI never had the laptop, but are very certain what’s not on it.

[JohnyBoy]

> I’m generally familiar enough with the story to take note of it but I’m not well enough versed to argue its merits. The washington examiner is a generally conservative newspaper. So when they call the seth rich story hokem—its important to take notice. What’s to notice? I would like people who are knowledgeable about the seth rich to carefully rebut the washington examiner point by point— in a way that everyone will understand. (no flames please)

Wikileaks have all but confirmed that Seth was the leaker. He was murdered with multiple guns shot to the back and nothing was taken which rules out robbery. This is a long term trend for people who cross the Clintons.