Re: Seth Rich - Important Update on Ed Butowsky Lawsuits
Ed Butowsky has now revealed, in a lawsuit filing, that the source close to Assange who informed him that Seth and Aaron Rich provided the DNC emails to Wikileaks, is Ellen Ratner, sister of Julian's deceased former attorney Michael Ratner.
(Click the "2" to see the second page.)
Allegedly, Ellen had a long meeting with Julian at the Ecuadorian Embassy, and Julian asked her to convey to Seth's parents that he and Aaron had been his sources for the DNC material. He thought that they should know this in light of Seth's murder.
We only have Butowsky's word for this, but I don't know what his motive would be to make this up out of whole cloth. This new info is consistent with his previous statements.
Butowsky also indicates that, according to Ratner, she had also provided this info to Bill Shine and Malia Zimmerman at Fox News. Hence, Ratner may have been one of the sources for the highly controversial story which Fox News ran claiming that Seth had leaked the DNC emails - a story which the Murdochs ordered Fox to retract, as it was imperiling the success of on-going business negotiations in England. MSM chose to interpret the retraction of the story as evidence that the whole thing had been a hoax.
For background info, see this excellent interview of Butowski with Cassandra Fairbanks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qtkKX5HflM
and these essays regarding the slander lawsuits he is now pursuing:
https://caucus99percent.com/content/ed-butowsky%E2%80%99s-tale%E2%80%8A%...
https://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2019/04/fake-news-me...
The new info cited above is in this Amended Complaint:
http://lawflog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2019.07.15-Amended-complai...
This Amended Complaint also contains this bombshell statement:
57. The website DebunkingRodWheelersClaims.com (now at
DeBunkingRodWheelersClaims.net) was launched in November of 2017, and it
published texts, emails, audio, and video showing that Rod Wheeler had never been
misrepresented by Mr. Butowsky, Ms. Zimmerman, or Fox News, including the email
quoted above in Paragraph 51. The evidence on the website showed unequivocally that
Mr. Wheeler had lied to other media about them. The website also included audio of
famed journalist Seymour “Sy” Hersh stating that he had confirmed that Seth Rich was
responsible for leaking the DNC emails. According to Mr. Hersh, who was by no means a
Republican or a Trump supporter, he could not find a media outlet willing to publish the
Seth Rich story. In a separate phone call with Mr. Butowsky, Mr. Hersh said he obtained
his information about Seth Rich from Mr. McCabe, the deputy FBI director. Not later
than December of 2017, all of the Defendants in this lawsuit were aware of the contents
of DebunkingRodWheelersClaims.com
In other words, Butowsky alleges that top officials at the FBI - including then Deputy Director McCabe - were aware of compelling evidence that Seth was Wikileaks' source for the DNC emails, yet chose to keep this secret to keep alive the "Russia interfered" hoax crucial to the bogus "Trump colluded" allegation.
And here's another gem:
60. Under coercion from Mr. Bauman and the lawyer Defendants named in this
lawsuit, Joel Rich stopped speaking with Mr. Butowsky and the Rich family started
attacking Mr. Butowsky publicly (albeit not by name). Prior to the time of Mr. Bauman's
involvement, the Rich family acknowledged to friends and relatives that Seth and Aaron
were involved in the DNC email leak, but then they suddenly changed their story. On
information and belief, Mr. Butowksy alleges that Joel, Mary, and Aaron Rich were told
that Aaron could be charged with felony computer crimes if they did not cooperate with
their new handlers, i.e., Mr. Bauman and the lawyer Defendants.
In other words, Butowsky maintains that federal authorities coerced the Riches into denying that Seth had been the leaker.
With respect to Andrew Weissmann of Mueller's team:
The Plaintiff alleges that Mr. Weissman conspired with Mr. McCabe and DNC officials to maintain the false narrative that Russians were responsible for hacking the DNC, most recently by inserting false information into Mr. Mueller's report.
A large portion of the Amended Complaint details the multiple ways in which the various defendants stated that Butowsky's claims about Seth Rich were consciously concocted lies intended either to help the Trump administration or harm the Rich family. The Amended Complaint states:
7. As a result of the lies fabricated and perpetuated by the Defendants, Mr.
Butowsky and his family received death threats, he lost one third of his business clients,
rocks were thrown through the windows of his home, his automobiles were burglarized,
his computers were hacked, he lost friendships, and he lost the opportunity to host a
planned television program. Left-wing extremists even posted a clock on the internet
counting down the time until Mr. Butowsky's son would return for classes at Vanderbilt
University, implying that Mr. Butowsky's son would be harmed when he returned. As a
result, Mr. Butowsky had to hire a bodyguard for his son.
The entire Amended Complaint, drafted by Butowsky's lawyer, Ty Clevenger, makes for intriguing reading, and provides an overview of Clevenger's interpretation (reasonably credible, in my view) of the origins of the Russiagate hoax.
For what it's worth, I sense that Butowsky is on the level.
It was reasonable for journalists to disbelieve that Seth was the DNC leaker. But many journalists have gone out of their way to brand anyone who takes seriously that possibility as evil scum subjecting the Rich family to unspeakable psychic agony; and some of these "journalists" outright slandered Butowsky by claiming that he had made up his story out of whole cloth to help the Trump administration. (Butowsky maintains that he is not highly partisan, had not supported Trump in the 2016 primaries, and indeed had donated to Obama in 2007.) I hope that Butowsky's lawsuits bankrupt them.
For my own part, I suspect it was an essay I had written regarding Seth Rich that triggered the suspension of my entire body of work at Medium.com. The topic has become a Third Rail for the MSM and their toadies.
https://caucus99percent.com/content/my-e-mail-medium-after-having-my-ent...
Trent Lipinski's article regarding Seth Rich at Medium has also been suspended. I would link to his new article at Medium protesting this suspension, but - surprise! - it also has been suspended:
https://medium.com/@trentlapinski/medium-censors-seth-rich-stories-485ef...
For the record: I don't have a clue as to who murdered Seth. But I DO know who would have a strong motive to silence him - the creator of the Guccifer 2.0 hoax.
https://caucus99percent.com/content/crystal-clear-%E2%80%93-find-creator...
And the clues that Seth was indeed the leaker of the DNC emails are mounting:
https://caucus99percent.com/content/reasons-suspect-seth-rich-participat...
Comments
News of this might be hitting the presses
and that was why Isakoff dumped his turdish article on how it was Russia that helped create the Seth death scam. This news sure jumped in and out of the news cycle quickly didn't it?
Wikileaks has so many ways to be putting a hurt on the world if something happens to Assange. I'm wondering why they didn't show their hands when he was renditioned from the embassy? It might have gotten him some help sooner.
In case anyone isn't up on the Assange news, after the UN report came out describing Assange's torture the guy was hit hard by women who took him to task for how he wrote about the rape charges against him in Sweden. Suzi Dawson has been writing some incredible articles about both Assange and Professor of International Law and UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer.
Interesting news, Mark.
Off topic..Amal Clooney brought up Julian Assange today at the British conference on press freedoms. This is the first time his name has been mentioned since Hunt has started saying things about press freedoms. Yay!
The name
is Nils Melzer.
Professor Melzer is not just some guy who is speaking out on behalf of Julian Assange. He is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
Of course, to the Unites States, anyone who speaks out against our extreme rendition, torture, and war crimes is someone that must be smeared at all costs.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Yes I know that
Not one main stream media outlet published his torture report after he wrote it and contacted them. Dawson has taken a lot of crap from women who belong to a rape survivor group for defending his report and wrote an excellent article that told them off. They were brutal to her even after she explained what she went through.
Amal Clooney?
She and her husband threw a big successful fundraiser for Killiary in 2016. Wonder what she's up to by bringing him up?
Amal is a human rights lawyer and I've been waiting for
her to talk about Assange. The article explains who she is and why she spoke up today about him. Yes they are close friends with the Clintons.
From your link, here's what Amal said re Assange
I don't know what this is supposed to mean:
I tried to go to what I thought was a link to where the author found what she actually said, but it was a download prompt. Nope, not doing that on my phone. Too tired to go try and find it (in bed as try to get this posted before I nod off).
I don't trust the woman, but am curious as to what she said, and what she's up to.
'Night, snoop.
I assume
she's referring to things such as a journalist/publisher encouraging sources to provide leaked or hacked (in other words, stolen) documents for publication.
That's accepted, standard practice in the journalism business. In the US, per SCOTUS decisions such as the NY Times "Pentagon Papers" case, it is not illegal for journalists to do that. In fact, their right to do so is protected by the First Amendment. The purpose of "freedom of the press" is to serve the public interest.
However, at present, the US government and their British toadies are smearing Assange as a criminal by telling the public, "He published stolen documents and asked for more!"
Edited to add: The original statement quoted by Amal Clooney was made by WA Post editor Marty Baron after Assange's arrest, as reported in The Hill:
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/445426-washington-post-new-york-times...
"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi
"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone
Amal is calling out Hunt's hypocrisy
This is why Hunt is a f'cking hypocrite.
I don't recall the details off the top of my head, but after Assange's arrest and the US' extradition request Hunt said that journalists should be protected and the press needs to remain "free and independent." Amal has been defending journalists around the world who have been arrested after reporting on government's criminal behavior.
What she is saying is that Assange's arrest has made it look like governments are criminalizing because he exposed the crimes of governments in many places.
I had no option of Amal, but did wonder why she hadn't said anything about Assange and what is being done to him since she is a human rights lawyer. I appreciate her saying that especially after the hit job that CNN did on him today. The knives are coming out for Julian big time. The Ecuadorian embassy gave the media access to his personal affects that were left behind at the embassy after his arrest. Everything should have gone to his lawyer or his family. Instead Ecuador gave them to us.
I posted another tweet about this in tonight's EBs and I'm working on an essay about the hit job.
BTW. The link just went to her statement on journalists being persecuted and arrested. It's definitely worth a read.
@snoopydawg
Re: Britain is not granting its population the right of Free Speech. Think of Tommy Robinson.
May God protect him.
I wonder why Mr. Butowski
I wonder why Mr. Butowski didn't inform the Rich family like he was asked, I mean, not in a timely fashion? Or why didn't Mrs. Ratner do so (as discreetly as possible) like JA asked her to?
@zett Butowski didn't know the
Butowski didn't know the Riches, he had to track them down. He states that he was spurred into action by the bogus narrative of Russian hacking getting such traction in the media.
Mark F. McCarty
@veganmark Oh,okay, I'm getting my
Oh,okay, I'm getting my time frames mixed up. I was thinking Butowski knew them sooner.
I appreciate all the hard work you have put in on the Seth Rich story even though I don't always comment.
@veganmark I just heard CNN say
I just heard CNN say they are going to tell the details "you'll want to hear" on how Wikileaks got the DNC emails. Heh. Let's see what bullshit they come up with. I all ready told them Seth and Aaron got the emails to WL, but I bet they didn't hear me.
Zett, see my essay on the CNN hit job
Not one of them should ever be called a journalist again since they just took a giant dump on the principals of journalism. The only thing that they got right in their article is that Assange was in the Ecuadorian embassy for 7 years.
Thank you for
keeping up with this.
dfarrah
michael ratner
of CCR (center for constitutional rights) (RIPower) was not just 'one of assange's attorneys', but he, parry barlow (iirc), jen robinson, and julian assange created the freedom of the press foundation that the other members summarily tossed him out of. not one peep from the other members, but their excuse was that they were busy creating another platform for leaks: Secure Drop.
me, i think it was because wikileaks had published the CIA vaults 7 and 8. but i live in a time warp, so i could easily be wrong.
'Julian Assange Responds to the Freedom of the Press Foundation Cutting WL Loose', Posted on December 21, 2017 by wendyedavis (all on pastebin)
Thank you so much for this
very important information. Will respond later.
Lurking in the wings is Hillary, like some terrifying bat hanging by her feet in a cavern below the DNC. A bat with theropod instincts. -- Fred Reed https://tinyurl.com/vgvuhcl
i'm still not getting why
ellen ratner would have said all that to butowsky. craig murray had sad long ago (again, iirc) that he'd met with someone in london who had carried the USB stick or whatever to wikileaks, but that by then 'the leaks were already safe w/ wikileaks. i just checked his website and twitter account: he hasn't weighed in on this stuff, but may not.
Thanks for this and all the links, veganmark.
The recent assaults on Seth Rich and Julian Assange (uptick in smears as well as censorship and deletions on Medium.com and Twitter, the Unity4J site banned) raise questions about what's happening behind the scenes. I wonder if it's related to the take down of Epstein, an event that seems to have thrown the Deep State into a panic?
For years, Ellen Ratner made short newscast appearances on the Thom Hartman program (which I no longer listen to), and I came to associate her with decency, honesty, and progressive ideals. She also does news reports now for Fox News, which I believe is where she met Butowsky. Her acquaintance with Assange was most likely through her late brother who was on Assange's legal team. She apparently tried to handle Assange's request as discreetly as possible, and I'm wondering how she's taking this sudden exposure. Butowsky seems a tad flaky, but even flaky people can do good in the broad scheme of things.
Oh, and somewhere in the Epstein mess the Awan brothers were mentioned. Back in 2016 there were stories that on the night of his assassination, Seth Rich had visited a bar frequented by Imran Awan. Seems like a lot of truth is pushing to come out, Russiagate be damned.
Again, thanks for keeping tabs on the unfolding of this story.
Lurking in the wings is Hillary, like some terrifying bat hanging by her feet in a cavern below the DNC. A bat with theropod instincts. -- Fred Reed https://tinyurl.com/vgvuhcl