Journalist Michael Hastings is dead at 33

[stillrobertpaulsen]

I notice that even amongst the alternative to the mainstream left(your Greenwalds, Cenks, Scahills, etc) that even hinting at foul play in accidents/suicides/etc is taboo.

I'm extremely disappointed in that development. Larisa Alexandrovna Horton, who while working at The Raw Story was bold enough to write pieces documenting attempts by Task Force 20 in Iraq to have WMDs planted for them to find, recently responded to the death of Michael Hastings on Facebook demanding "Internet loons" stop emailing theories of his death to her. She followed that up by stating, "In the U.S. journalists are not killed. They are discredited." Right. I'm sure that Jim Koethe and Bill Hunter, as well as Dorothy Kilgallen might beg to differ. Oh, but that was so long ago, that sort of thing can't happen in 21st century America, right?!

what you don't know is how spooked a given person may or may not be, it's easy to be brave when it's all an abstract unlikely possibility and/or you have no life at stake but ones own.

That's possible. Hastings was, by her own words, friends with her husband, Scott Horton. So that could be a factor. I'm not sure if her statements are a defense mechanism or if some annoying nut just got under their skins. But US journalists not killed here? Patent falsehood. And I'm not even one of those guys who thinks the CIA offed Gary Webb, I buy Michael Ruppert's explanation that it was indeed suicide. But I don't think the outfit that silenced the aforementioned Koethe, Hunter and Kilgallen just closed shop once the JFK case was swept under the rug.

[Wombaticus Rex]

Question re: the "accuracy" of Hastings article on McChrystal.

He wasn't fired because of the content of the article, he was fired because Barack Obama is surrounded by people who give him terrible fucking advice, yes? There was really nothing in the article that necessitated letting the man go -- it was Barry's discretion, and he believed he had to make an Alpha Male statement.

Please advise where my conception of that incident is not aligned with the facts.

[justdrew]

Koethe? I thought that was a typo, and Keith was meant. Also, Danny Casolaro... and, Steve Kangas (not to be forgotten).

[Wombaticus Rex]

....and cue a condescending essay from Natasha Lennard in 3, 2, 1....we have ignition:

The title -- I shit you not! -- is actually Stop Speculating About Hastings' Death

Thanks for your hard work policing the internet, Natasha! You're so dependable.

Looking forward to your next installation of I'm Right, You're Wrong.

[justdrew]

Question re: the "accuracy" of Hastings article on McChrystal.

He wasn't fired because of the content of the article, he was fired because Barack Obama is surrounded by people who give him terrible fucking advice, yes? There was really nothing in the article that necessitated letting the man go -- it was Barry's discretion, and he believed he had to make an Alpha Male statement.

Please advise where my conception of that incident is not aligned with the facts.

crystal boy DESERVED to be fired. and a situation was evolved that made it politically palatable to remove him. I'm predicting payback as imminent. The assumption has to be that this was a hit, because of what story would come next or simple revenge is the only question... It would be foolish to think otherwise. You think that quote about "we'll hunt you down and kill you" was a joke? Jokes are often used to convey that which can not be said.

Look back at what S.McC is doing today. an "Extreme" National Service program for youth. glory be. What a useful tool that could be turned into.

[Hunter]

So his fingerprints were not charred like the rest of his body? Interesting.

WTF? That makes no sense AT ALL. fingerprints? Total Bullshit

Yea at first sight I agree with you, unless we are missing something here that just doesnt seem right, it sounds as if they sent the fingerprints in to the FBI and the FBI said yeap its him, wtf? That doesnt make any sense when you have a body charred to the extent they cant even identify him. So his fingerprints were perfectly intact?

[Hunter]

ha ha ha fingerprints!!!

I was wondering why that one guy with <senior moment, cannot remember the name of the 'production company' that had the cameraman at the scene> anyway.. is there more footage from that source? it cut off at what, to me, seemed a strange moment. All along the fella was asking the people on the street if there was anyone in the car and he kept saying, "I hope not".. but he didn't stick around to find out, or...???

Yea what is up with that dashcam guy that caught the speeding car running the red light that they allege is Hastings, I understand it is a media company, so are they in the habit of just cruising around LA/Hollywood at 4 am with cam on randomly recording shit? I guess that would be understandable in a place liek Hollywood, I dont know...

[justdrew]

So his fingerprints were not charred like the rest of his body? Interesting.

WTF? That makes no sense AT ALL. fingerprints? Total Bullshit

Yea at first sight I agree with you, unless we are missing something here that just doesnt seem right, it sounds as if they sent the fingerprints in to the FBI and the FBI said yeap its him, wtf? That doesnt make any sense when you have a body charred to the extent they cant even identify him. So his fingerprints were perfectly intact?

no it sounds like the FBI had finger impressions on record and sent that data to the coroner. As barracuda points out, there are ways, despite burns, but... I would have expected that trick not to have enough to work with. I suspect a DNA sample was used, but that they won't say so.

[Hunter]

I notice that even amongst the alternative to the mainstream left(your Greenwalds, Cenks, Scahills, etc) that even hinting at foul play in accidents/suicides/etc is taboo.

I'm extremely disappointed in that development. Larisa Alexandrovna Horton, who while working at The Raw Story was bold enough to write pieces documenting attempts by Task Force 20 in Iraq to have WMDs planted for them to find, recently responded to the death of Michael Hastings on Facebook demanding "Internet loons" stop emailing theories of his death to her. She followed that up by stating, "In the U.S. journalists are not killed. They are discredited." Right. I'm sure that Jim Koethe and Bill Hunter, as well as Dorothy Kilgallen might beg to differ. Oh, but that was so long ago, that sort of thing can't happen in 21st century America, right?!

I am sure Gary Webb would take issue with that also unless people find that you can shoot yourself in the head TWICE when committing suicide.

From Wiki:

On December 10, 2004, Gary Webb was found dead from two gunshot wounds to the head...


It was ruled a suicide, while I am sure it is POSSIBLE you could shoot yourself in the head twice, it is very improbable and highly unlikely.


If some of you dont know who Gary Webb is, PLEASE take the time to learn about him, he was another Hastings.

[justdrew]

ha ha ha fingerprints!!!

I was wondering why that one guy with <senior moment, cannot remember the name of the 'production company' that had the cameraman at the scene> anyway.. is there more footage from that source? it cut off at what, to me, seemed a strange moment. All along the fella was asking the people on the street if there was anyone in the car and he kept saying, "I hope not".. but he didn't stick around to find out, or...???

Yea what is up with that dashcam guy that caught the speeding car running the red light that they allege is Hastings, I understand it is a media company, so are they in the habit of just cruising around LA/Hollywood at 4 am with cam on randomly recording shit? I guess that would be understandable in a place liek Hollywood, I dont know...

yeah, that's what they do.

They were 'in the area' after having been responding to a (false) tip that Justin Beiber had been in a wreck in the area. Wouldn't it be nice to know where that tip came from? Well, they can find out.

[Hunter]

Question re: the "accuracy" of Hastings article on McChrystal.

He wasn't fired because of the content of the article, he was fired because Barack Obama is surrounded by people who give him terrible fucking advice, yes? There was really nothing in the article that necessitated letting the man go -- it was Barry's discretion, and he believed he had to make an Alpha Male statement.

Please advise where my conception of that incident is not aligned with the facts.

My understanding is that Obama needed the least amount of attention possible on the wars because obviously he wanted, at first to end them, he and SM first clashed over the counter insurgency idea, which SM was a huge supporter of and which SM had called Obama out on, on several occasions in a very public way, putting Obama in a bad and uncomfortable position and which necessitated Obama telling him to quit drawing unnecessary attention to himself and when the article came out and Obama read it, seeing how he was still calling all kinds of attention to himself with his behavior, he did indeed have to make the Alpha Dog move as you describe it and forced his resignation. While the article itself wasnt the sole reason, it could be explained as the straw that broke the camel's back, they had a long and unhappy marriage and that was just the last straw. SM was continuously putting Obama in the position that if he said no to him he would be characterized as soft on terrorism and not supportive of the troops on the ground and their safety and needs and if he said yes to him he would be crucified by the anti war faction in his own party, which at the time was rather large and vocal.

[Hunter]

....and cue a condescending essay from Natasha Lennard in 3, 2, 1....we have ignition:

The title -- I shit you not! -- is actually Stop Speculating About Hastings' Death

Thanks for your hard work policing the internet, Natasha! You're so dependable.

Looking forward to your next installation of I'm Right, You're Wrong.

So the salon article, the lady says the same thoroughness should be applied to his death as he applied to his investigations. however, she or no one else to my knowledge, has stated they will be the ones to carry that torch and investigate his death.

Not a single one of them has the courage and tenacity of Hastings, if it were not him and one of his colleagues who died this way he would be ALL OVER IT like a pitbull.

[Hunter]

Ok I have read several times here on RI in this thread and on reddit that Hastings was with Scahill the night he died at a screening of DIRTY WARS, but I cant confirm if that is true, it is important that we find out if this is true or not so we/I can construct a timeline so would anyone be kind enough to help me, especially those of you who have posted that he was with JS that night/early morning, as several of you have posted that, can we get a link/source to confirm that please. I am working on a timeline and doing everything I am able to try and investigate what happened here as best I can and may end up driving the 7 hours to LA this weekend to nose around a bit, I have some media creds from a local rag I write an arts and culture column for now and then so I can at least flash that and get people's attention so that they will talk to me.

So please, anyone, help me confirm he was with Scahill because I cant find anything to confirm that but EVERYONE is saying it.

On the other hand Hastings last tweets are the 12th and in one of the he says:

"With Jeremy S. at sold out Dirty Wars screening https://vine.co/v/bldqqAiz3Jq"

So that at least confirms he was with him on the 12th but I dont see anything to suggest he was with him the nighty/morning of his death Tuesday the 17th.

Can anyone help me confirm he was with JS that night the 16th or morning of the 17th?

[justdrew]

The incident occurred on the 600 block of North Highland Avenue, just south of Melrose Avenue

the location is also... Spoiler:just NORTH of Clinton St.

from the loudlab dashcam video of the red light running car...

He mentioned to us in our meeting that he was close to the story because he was working a lead on the Justin Bieber crash on Sunset Blvd.

The lead turned out to be nothing

found the psychic sign on google maps. It's Madam Mazale

It's 623 North Highland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA

The Palm crashed into is directly across from the next door neighbor, at 621. It's either folks from the psychic house or the folks from 621 running the hose.

a tow truck made it to the scene ahead of the loudlab video guy and so did an ADT "security response" car.

I thought there was a fire hydrant hit in the green median, but there are no hyrdrants there. I'm assuming they have in-ground 'popup' sprinklers to keep the grass green? IS that right? Otherwise I have no idea what it is that's gushing water up from the ground just north of the wreck.


still trying to decide if I want to take apart the red-light running video to estimate speed. I do not want to. do not want to s ee this video any more.

[Hunter]

ha ha ha fingerprints!!!

I was wondering why that one guy with <senior moment, cannot remember the name of the 'production company' that had the cameraman at the scene> anyway.. is there more footage from that source? it cut off at what, to me, seemed a strange moment. All along the fella was asking the people on the street if there was anyone in the car and he kept saying, "I hope not".. but he didn't stick around to find out, or...???

Yea what is up with that dashcam guy that caught the speeding car running the red light that they allege is Hastings, I understand it is a media company, so are they in the habit of just cruising around LA/Hollywood at 4 am with cam on randomly recording shit? I guess that would be understandable in a place liek Hollywood, I dont know...

yeah, that's what they do.

They were 'in the area' after having been responding to a (false) tip that Justin Beiber had been in a wreck in the area. Wouldn't it be nice to know where that tip came from? Well, they can find out.

NO SHIT?!?! I didnt know about that Beiber connection, now that is interesting. THAT is the perfect way to tip someone off that there is gonna be a crash without tipping yourself off by using a real name, in this case Hastings, you get all your media coverage there claiming its Beiber and dont expose a possible conspiracy by telling them its Hastings.


You definitely want that FIREBALL video to be made to make a real impact statement to whomever you are sending a message to so you need media there immediately to get that coverage, so how do you do that without exposing a conspiracy? Simple, you leak a possible Beiber car accident, media shows up in the area and is there to record Hastings accident seconds after it happens complete with giant fireball and explosion, this is really starting to make sense to me.