Monday, July 18, 2011

Michael Isikoff, one of the early reporters interested in the Gunwalker Scandal without writing a word, finds more important stuff to occupy his time.



Probing Bachmann, Palin, and Gingrich, NBC's Investigative Unit Ignores Obama's ATF Debacle

The NBC News Investigative Unit has devoted considerable resources to uncovering "scandals" ranging from Marcus Bachmann's health clinic to Newt Gingrich's credit line at Tiffany to the Sarah Palin document dump, but continues to ignore a botched Justice Department operation that contributed to the death of a U.S. border agent.

Examining the trove of reports filed by NBC News national investigative correspondent Michael Isikoff over the last few months reveals a fixation on investigations involving Republican politicians and an aversion to probes concerning the Obama administration, even as other media outlets expose the controversial ATF practice of letting guns purchased in America slip across the U.S.-Mexico border in hopes the trail would lead federal agents to drug kingpins.

Just days before Rep. Darrell Issa's (R-Calif.) investigation into operation "Fast and Furious" went unreported on the NBC "Nightly News," Isikoff flew to Juneau, Alaska to aimlessly scour newly-released emails during Sarah Palin's time as governor. Even MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews described Isikoff as "feverishly pouring over those documents."

As it turned out, the documents produced no scandals, forcing Isikoff to admit his Al Capone's vault moment: "So far, I don't think anybody's found any bombshells here." So uninteresting, the Palin investigation never even made it into the correspondent's online archive, dubbed the "Isikoff Files."

Something else that won't be found in Isikoff's tome of probes is a thorough investigation into the role the ATF's gun-walking practices played in the slaying of U.S. Border Agent Brian Terry, who was killed in a firefight with Mexican drug cartel members in December. As CBS reported, two of the guns found at the crime scene were part of thousands the ATF allegedly allowed gunrunners to purchase and smuggle into Mexico.


It's not like Isikoff is unaware of the Gunwalker Scandal. In fact, he was one of the early "authorized journalists" who sought out the whistleblowers through David and me.

On 3 February, responding to my post entitled, "So where are the "authorized journalists" asking sharp questions of the State Dept. about the violation of treaty & protocol in Project Gunwalker?" I received the following email from Isikoff:

-----Original Message-----
From: Isikoff, Michael (NBC Universal) (NBC Universal)
To: georgemason1776
Sent: Thu, Feb 3, 2011 3:41 pm
Subject: RE: So where are the "authorized journalists" asking sharp questions of the State Dept. about the violation of treaty & protocol in Project Gunwalker?

so where are the whistleblowers I can talk to that can verify these claims? I am eager to talk to them, but I cant make accusations without evidence.


To which I replied:

-----Original Message-----
From: georgemason1776
To: Michael.Isikoff
Sent: Thu, Feb 3, 2011 3:55 pm
Subject: Re: So where are the "authorized journalists" asking sharp questions of the State Dept. about the violation of treaty & protocol in Project Gunwalker?

I will pass your request on. I am tempted to say that other reporters are managing to find some of their own, but then, you might take that as an insult, so I won't. If any of mine are willing to talk to you I will let you know soonest.

Mike Vanderboegh


Later that evening, after we spoke on the phone:

From: georgemason1776@aol.com [mailto:georgemason1776@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 6:06 PM
To: Isikoff, Michael (NBC Universal)
Subject: Whistleblowers and getting lucky..

I have been instructed to tell you to call (REDACTED). He represents at least one. Let me know how it comes out either way (on background, of course).


Isikoff fired back:

-----Original Message-----
From: Isikoff, Michael (NBC Universal) (NBC Universal)
To: georgemason1776
Sent: Thu, Feb 3, 2011 6:08 pm
Subject: RE: Whistleblowers and getting lucky..

sure you know where he is?


To which I replied:

No. But the clue is the clue. It is what he gave us. He's actually David Codrea's initial contact. I am copying David on this. We try to cooperate and it has worked real well so far.

Mike Vanderboegh


Ultimately Isikoff contacted at least one of the whistleblowers. Isikoff did not pursue the story and the whistleblower I talked to was, shall I paraphrase, unimpressed with Isikoff.

There were a number of "authorized journalists" who pursued this story early on, but who came to the story with the attitude of, "OK, the big boys are here now. You just give us the name of your whistleblowers and we'll decide if you're lying or not."

Isikoff was one of those.

Of course we could not. All we would promise is that we would forward their contact information to the whistleblowers, some of whom we had no idea exactly who they were, and that the whistleblowers, if they so chose, would get in touch with them.

Sharyl Attkisson of CBS on the other hand was not like that. She was experienced with the security concerns of whistleblowers, worked with them, etc. That is why she got the early scoops and guys like Isikoff did not.

Isikoff did not return to the story after these initial probes, and NBC has yet, to my knowledge, to do even one Gunwalker Scandal story.

Doesn't fit with the meme, don't you know?

NBC has been the most consistent black hole of Gunwalker News. It may get into their agenda-driven processes, but it doesn't get out.

Mike Vanderboegh

6 comments:

Dedicated_Dad said...

The New Barack Channel - Nothing But Crap - didn't want anything to do with a story that would make the chocolate-messiah look bad?

Say it ain't so!

Mark Matis said...

MSNBC has "tingly" Chris Matthews, so why should Isikoff's disinterest be any surprise? Apple and tree, or something like that...

Miles said...

Of course, they're a black hole.

This was done by a "D" administration.

If the letter was instead an "R", the MSM would be on it like stink on you know what.

The MSM will keep their collective noses stuck up the posteriors of their masters long after the rest of the country has accepted the truth.

All one has to do is look a Carter's term. They're still fawning over him. They'll slobber over obummer for the rest of their lives.

You do have to give them this; they stay bought.

Anonymous said...

I am eager to talk to [the ATF whistle blowers], but I cant make accusations without evidence. --Michael Isikoff

Making accusations without evidence has never hindered Isikoff before now. What do you suppose has changed all that? ;^)

The duplicity of "authorized journalists" such as Isikoff is why
there can never be another Democrat allowed to be elected as President of the United States--the watchdogs all fall silent when a fellow traveler gets elected.

When the full scope of this scandal is disclosed by bloggers like Mike and Dave, the journalists' guild will be forced to wear "Gunwalker" like a Scarlet Letter.

MALTHUS

WV: trumi--As an authorized journalist, I'm just so-o-o-o interested in discovering the real facts. Please--oh please, trumi.

Anonymous said...

NBC is a black hole because they are dedicated, to the destruction of America uh, I meant transformation, as we know it. They are propaganda pushers of the first order and Marxists too!

All that in one little scummy package!

Anonymous said...

To carry the "Lucy VanPelt/Charlie Brown/Football" analogy one step farther, these things happen because the Progressives think most Americans are "blockheads". And the depressing truth is that most Americans are determined to prove the Progressives are right.

The Progressives are a much more dangerous subset of those we sometimes call "Liberals". The dividing characteristic is that Progressives feel all non-Progressives aren't just mistaken. They're too stupid to get it right and must be coerced, lied to if necessary, to get them on the desired Progressive path. Think "We have to pass it so you can see what's in it" Pelosi for example.

Sooooo..... Anybody seen Casey Anthony lately?