Michael Hastings’ Death … A Year Later … Anything New?

originally posted by: WanDash
a reply to: OpinionatedB
ShadellacZumbrum, the author of the thread you pointed to, was deeply involved in a thread I have referenced in this thread...which, I was both the author and primary contributor too... After discussion of the Barrett Brown controversy, and some delving therein-to...Shadellac' started the thread you have pointed to...

I had attempted to contact Shadellac' in the weeks that preceded authoring this thread...but, have received no response...and, see that, as of tonight...he has not logged-on to ATS since Sept of 2013...

Yes I noticed the same thing about Shadellac'. Too bad.

I wasn't realizing that you had close involvement with Shadellac though, I skimmed more than anything and had seen no mention of Barret and I feel this connection is too important not to mention. I did notice you seem to have gotten all the other major points, but with no mention in this particular thread of that relevant piece of info I simply assumed you must have overlooked it somehow.

When I am puzzling something out, much like you, I keep some things close until I have them more sorted out...As you do the same... Barret must be that something you don't know where the proper place is.

Keep sorting in your mind, I'm sure you will put that piece of the puzzle in its proper place in time.

Barrett Brown is currently imprisoned in very brutal conditions in Segoville (south east Dallas). The govt dropped the charges against him that concerned posting a link to material that was stolen by an anon hacking.
Barrett has pleaded guilty to other charges. He still faces serious amount of prison time, primarily for threats he posted on line while in a very intoxicated condition. He is being imprisoned in an unairconditioned cell. The afternoon temps regularly exceed 100 degrees from now through Late September. His sentencing hearing has been postponed until October 6th.

While it is possible MH death was related to Barrett Brown's imprisonment or work, I doubt if it was directly.
I do feel it is likely MH was assassinated. I believe he got caught up in the Feds panic after the SNOWDEN disclosure. In this past year it becomes more apparent that MH was most likely an early recipient of info from this whistleblower. Glen Greenwald has established the Intercept at First Look News. One of his first hires was Jeremy Scahill who was in LA visiting MH twice in the last few weeks of his life. He told Ben Smith that MH would have been one of the first hires at the Intercept. MH told his wife that he was working on a NSA story in his last days. I think MH was becoming increasingly involved with this type of colleagues. I respect Barrett Brown, but I do not feel he is presently at the professional level as these men. However I feel that the same type of political/economic forces are involved in the demise of both journalist. Messages are being sent with the treatment of both. I suspect other journalist have been victims of economic/career/psychological etc type attacks that have not been reported. I myself, only occasionally comment on and contribute financially to causes questioning the honesty and authority of our Feds. I have experienced economic harassment from the IRS for the past 2 tax years for the first time in my life. I wonder if others who have sent funds for the defense of BB have had similar problems? Barrett is not a very sympathetic character and an easy target. I think MH was a journalist that was a threat to the power elite.

I recently discussed a book release of "the Last Magazine." It occurred on 6/18/14 at the Union Square Barnes & Noble in NYC. It was assembled by Elise Jordan. All of the panel participants were friends and colleagues of MH. Most of the guest speakers were as well. John Avlon was the only speaker I associate as being closer to EJ than MH. I found an hour long video of this event on C-Span. I found it fascinating. Elise is still an enigma to me. She said very little, but looked impeccable as always. I would have loved to have attended this event and watched the post panel discussions and socializing. I particularly would have watched Elise. Most participants were interesting. Scahill was the only one who referred to MH death as anything other than an accident. He also set closest to Elise. I recommend viewing. I got to the feed by google search cs.pn/1nb8wZE

Participants included: Elise Jordan, Jeremy Scahill, John Avlon, Marisa Buchanan, Dave Cullen, Matt Farwell, Alexis Gelbert, Ali Gharib, John Ness, Jack Gray, Ben Smith, John Avlon. It was nice putting a face and voice to these journalist. Thank you C Span.

I got this link from EJ twitter postings.

Glenn Greenwald wrote an article recently on the Intercept. It shows evidence of high level Fed emails referencing the destruction of computers at the Guardian. You may recall British govt officials destroyed computers containing info on the Snowden leak on 6/20/13. It appears General Keith Alexander and Richard Ledgett, and other NSA people were informed of this destruction on the 19th. Most info is redacted as usual. If this type of attack on journalism was being condoned at the highest level, IMO it is not unreasonable to question if others would not murder a dangerous reporter. RIP MH, but I am still alive and have doubts about the official story of your demise.

I just read today that a new S65 will be added to the S-Class line-up in 2015

MBrace has a LOT more control over the new S-Class:

www.carsguide.com.au...

Ya gotta test your tech somewhere?

too soon?

We’ve visited this, before…but, thought it might deserve another…look…

Detective Connie White, LAPD West Bureau Traffic Division…(October, 2013)
“…I haven’t finished with Hastings’ final report…” …and… “…No one is going to have access to that, anyway…”

There are, essentially, two perspectives this statement can be viewed from…
1. No need of adding insult to injury… MH has already been thoroughly debased by the little information we’ve already provided to the public… OR
2. We found something that points at something/someone we…can’t…tackle.

Their investigation should have been able to tell us ‘when’ MH’s vehicle left the apartment complex. (I lived in an quasi-low-income apartment complex in North Houston, 20 years ago, that had security cameras throughout the complex…and at the entry/exit-gates - - - and-------/-------but this was upscale Hollywood - 2013)…

Their investigation should have been able to tell us…at least, approximately…WHEN…the vehicle began to accelerate… Meaning – between which intersections along North Highland Ave…

…should have been able to tell us Where the Mercedes came onto North Highlands’…

…should have been able to tell us…How they knew he was going to Las Vegas, that morning.

…should have been able to tell us…What…items were found in the burned Mercedes…

…should have been able to tell us…What items were found in the debris field…

…should have been able to…IMMEDIATELY & EASILY determine if the two-empty beer bottles found north of the crash-site could have contributed to the crash… (rather than leaving the possibility open that – “Hey – could have been…drinking…”)

…should have been able to tell us if…indeed…the younger brother had a flight booked for L.A. …for later on the day of the crash… … …

If they did not pursue ANY/EVERY-Stinking-One of these questions… THEY DID NOT INVESTIGATE!

…PERIOD… .

If they did…and are choosing to withhold the answers from the public… …There are no acceptable words for my disdain & disgust… … …for them.

If they were told…by Big Brother…to put a zip on it… then … … …I have…run…before… … …too.
…not proud of it… but… … … I can understand.

If that’s the case… … …just wish they’d find a way of letting us know…

ETA: Regarding Det. Connie White’s last sage quip on the matter…
“…in the contest between car and tree… the tree wins…”
One has to wonder at what intelligence was attributed to the driver… … … … …?
If she is intelligent enough to know this…then…to consider that MH was not…as well…tells just a bit of what kind/s of condescending idiocy must pervade the expert ranks of this nation’s/world’s Investigatory professionals.
It deals…not an ounce with… “Why?”
And – to leave off “Why?”, means - no consideration was EVER GIVEN to another answer than – ‘goofball going too fast – & got what was deserved’.

I suspect there are a lot of people who are "running" on this one WanDash. Honestly, I was surprised that as much info was disclosed in the autopsy. I was also shocked at all of the speculation and innuendo in that report. I need to research what CA requirements are on police report disclosure.

IMO it is likely his car was captured on camera at several points on its final trip. I am surprised other security tapes from businesses on North Highland have not surfaced. It makes me wonder if these businesses were visited by LE. It was only a couple miles from his apartment. Speculating that he left the apt and was driving toward the office, the most normal scenario, he would have traversed this path in less than 5 minutes. IMO it is most likely the interview with Thigpen was the source of Las Vegas info. When MH asked for her car, I imagine she asked him " where are you going". He was definitely not in his pro reporter dress. I am amazed nobody has disclosed if he had a suitcase with him.

I hope you take the time to find and view that C-Span taping of book release. Watching the body language and emotions of his friends is very revealing. I wished I had a friend who was a pro in reading body language. I have been trying to research Elise Jordan. I will be writing some of my findings soon. I find her very perplexing. I think she is basically what she portrays, but I have reservations and many questions. She was visually to me the least emotional of all in that hour on tape. I think she just holds her emotions in as a defense. She seems to relate socially in a very superficial way. I would be surprised if she did not leave soon after the cameras were off. If anybody attended, I would love to know.

a reply to: barabajagal
Thanks - barabajagal - I will certainly look into the video...
Probably, tomorrow.
Appreciate your continued thoughts and insights...
Hope to be back within the next couple of days.
Be Well.

a reply to: barabajagal
For anyone wanting to watch &/or listen to the panel referred to in barabajagal's post, and for as long as it is available at its present location, you can click this link, and it should take you there.

I guess I was most moved by Jeremy Scahill’s, Jack Gray’s and Matthew Farwell’s comments. I was, likewise, moved by Ali Gharib and Dave Cullen’s remembrances.

Of them all, it seemed that Scahill is still…pissed.
He did not hold back – was passionate – and remarkably eloquent.
Interesting that he noted precisely what we noted at the start of this thread...about MH's concern about the FBI's interest in him &/or his journalistic practices... ... ...
Scahill's ‘testimony’ further reinforces my belief that MH was not in the kind of spiral (Bi-Polar or otherwise) that could have resulted in the assessment made/given by the elder brother, only a few days later.

MH had an exceptionally sharp mind & wit…

Thanks again for finding the video, barabajagal.

originally posted by: WanDash
...There are, essentially, two perspectives this statement can be viewed from…
1. No need of adding insult to injury… MH has already been thoroughly debased by the little information we’ve already provided to the public… OR
2. We found something that points at something/someone we…can’t…tackle.

...

Need to correct this...
It was meant to read something a little more like...
There are, essentially, two perspectives this statement can be viewed from...that allows room for the possibility that the LAPD are being honest - or, somewhat honest...

Sorry for the interruption.

a reply to: RifRAAF
From what I understand, with one asterisk of qualification, the C-Class MH was driving was equipped with every component-system needed to cyber-jack the vehicle in a manner that could be consistent with the video evidence available.
That asterisk has to do with whether said Mercedes was equipped for hands-free parking.

Thanks for the info on the new S-Class advancements...

a reply to: WanDash
In trying to find more info on Elise Jordan I discovered that I was wrong in assuming John Avlon was probably the only speaker in her camp of friends and contacts. I made this connection based on her appearances on his cable news show. I think her first, or certainly one of her earliest TV analyst appearances was with John in 2011. I believe a friendship she made with Margaret Hoover ( yes from that Hoover lineage & John Avlon's wife) during her White House years was probably a factor in getting on his show.

The moderator and former Buzz Feed boss of MH seems to be connected with Elise. They both are from Yale. They both wrote for the student paper. Smith graduated in '99 and EJ started in 2000, but I suspect the student paper connection was enough. When Ben was writing for the New York Observer in 2004 he covered a party that the Bush twins attended when the Republican convention was held in NYC. He made a point of noting that Elise Jordan, who was a writer at the White House, was part of the entourage. How does a history major become a writer for the White House immediately upon on graduation? I suppose by being a graduated of the Presidents U and friend of his daughter, Barbara who graduated from Yale in 2004 along with Elise.

I am making some speculations off of known facts. I never had suspected a possible EJ and Ben Smith connection before though. This troubles me a bit. Who else to put in as a moderator of the book release event than a trusted friend? Elise had to be nervous about what some of MH colleagues would decide to discuss. EJ has been portrayed, New York Mag article in fall '13, as being upset at MH taking a job in LA and abandoning her. If Ben Smith and EJ are friends and colleagues, that is probably how MH ended up working for BuzzFeed and Ben. Would not MH and EJ have known that Ben wanted him to go and help launch their LA office. (Side note: could the GQ er HQ remark in infamous MH email have been inter office slang for the LA office?) Now admitted MH first assignment with BuzzFeed was covering the Obama campaign. IMO it is possible EJ wanted to move to LA with her husband, but this probable Ben Smith connection makes me uneasy. Could this help explain MH sending a copy of warning e-mail to Biggs. Did he suspect his employer did not have his back?

a reply to: barabajagal
Will consider the rest of your post, tomorrow...but...for the moment...an off the wall...question...
Why would MH consider & accept the offer to go with BuzzFeed?
Money?
Hollywood? (didn't he start in their NYC office?)
Hoping to get away from the former intensity/stress (but - couldn't let it go...)...?

This question has pestered me for quite a while...

A reply to: WanDash

I have not looked into MH motivation to work at BuzzFeed. I doubt if there is much helpful info available, but it would be interesting to try. I am under the impression that MH was primarily drawn to BF do to Ben Smith. I believe he was impressed with his writing at Politico. Ben is credited with being an industry leader in fostering a community of people who comment on political articles. Liberal Dems felt he was a republican. Conservative Republicans think he is soft on Obama. IMO MH felt BF offered a blank slate in investigative journalism, yet was popular enough to provide him access and support. I think he was disappointed with RS. Not sure of all the reasons. I am sure money was a major factor, it always is. MH obviously liked to live a lifestyle requiring considerable income. IMO he had concluded there was greater income potential in books. I do not think he ever worried about money though. His parents should be very well off. His father is a cardiologist. His mother is a eye doctor specializing in cancerous tumors I believe. The medical industry in those professions are very well compensated. Almost as out of disconnect with most economies as the military/security industries. He did not want to be dependent on his parents, but that option is liberating.

Why did MH want to go to Hollywood? All his friends and family are east coasters. He had no experience with that industry to my knowledge. IMO he was interested in developing a TV personality. He did seem to enjoy fame. It must have been important to his ego. He may have felt fame would provide wealth, power, access, and possibly protection from enemies. Would that be the reason for interest in Hollywood? NY seems a better market for political journalism than LA. Why go to LA without Elise? Was he not happy in this marriage?

Most friends felt they had a good marriage. Only the New York magazine article quoted unidentified sources that through a cloud on that depiction. They claimed he was in a cycle of messing up, asking EJ for forgiveness, repeating. Were they talking affairs? IMO they were insinuating drug and alcohol abuse, but were just planting seeds in the public persona of MH. why didn't EJ call them out for disparaging her husband like she did NYT and Jeraldo? Biggs was upset. In the comment section he called them out for BS of not revealing their source of these quotes. Could they have come from EJ herself?

Many people felt MH and EJ were political opposites like James Carville and Mary Matalin. I do not think so. I am sure both were raised in solid Republican households. Both seem to have developed Libertarian philosophies. Both were supporting Ron Paul in 2012 election. I do believe MH voted for Obama in '08. They never had any children though. It is always difficult to keep a marriage working. Children are often the glue of a successful marriage in the early years. I wonder if they had any desire for kids? I wonder if there were health problems?

a reply to: barabajagal
Not much I can add to your thoughts… Very well thunk-through and stated!

I can only speculate on the clouded comments regarding the cycle of ‘messing up’…‘apologizing’… 'wash-rinse-spin-repeat'…

Maybe he felt ‘out-classed’…by her immediate accomplishment/s right out of college… … …?
It’s difficult for me to imagine a ‘well-to-do’ family from up-state New York having an inferiority complex when dealing with a family from Mississippi…but…I’m sure there can be all kinds of storylines that might make that perfectly reasonable…

As you have noted…better than my past comments in these regards – her ‘rise to stardom’ was noteworthy – at least.

And – it’s not like she had one shot, then fizzled…or misfired a couple of times between 'hits'...

Every-step has been just one more into the spot/lime-light…and…ALL of them…in and among the fiery stones of power.

So – while it is admittedly-queer to note…even MH’s death took her one step further…in the same...direction ...

One might wonder if she isn’t one of the chosen/selected…for grooming… … …
… … … …

a reply to: WanDash

Do you really think of Elise as being highly successful? I do not. I think she has engratiated herself to some powerful and connected people, but what has she accomplished? She is not a great in depth political strategist. Most of her articles are brief 200 word (more or less) articles. Her TV appearances have been brief commentary on cable news. Now that she is not on a govt payroll,how does she survive financially? I have read that these small articles from independent journalist do not pay very well. She has not put out a lot of them. After Obama took over White House in '09 she began writing for the Daily Beast. Her first published article was 10/21/09. Her 5th article was 12/13/09. Since then she has had 4 in 2010, none in 2011, 2 in 2012, 1 in 2013, and 2 so far in 2014. That I have discovered.

I understand that appearing on cable news shows as a guest or panelist does not pay at all in the US. In Europe their is a scale wage that is applied to those type of news shows. I did discover that a couple years ago she was listed as Creative director for Plated.com Inc. They provide a delivery service, a box, of food ingredients that come with chef curated recipes. I understand they have not been real successful and are looking for venture capital. They are headquartered in NY. I am not sure if she is still with them. Could this be her primary source of income? It is very expensive to live in NYC.

originally posted by: barabajagal
a reply to: WanDash

Do you really think of Elise as being highly successful? I do not. I think she has engratiated herself to some powerful and connected people, but what has she accomplished? She is not a great in depth political strategist. Most of her articles are brief 200 word (more or less) articles. Her TV appearances have been brief commentary on cable news. Now that she is not on a govt payroll,how does she survive financially? I have read that these small articles from independent journalist do not pay very well. She has not put out a lot of them. After Obama took over White House in '09 she began writing for the Daily Beast. Her first published article was 10/21/09. Her 5th article was 12/13/09. Since then she has had 4 in 2010, none in 2011, 2 in 2012, 1 in 2013, and 2 so far in 2014. That I have discovered.

I understand that appearing on cable news shows as a guest or panelist does not pay at all in the US. In Europe their is a scale wage that is applied to those type of news shows. I did discover that a couple years ago she was listed as Creative director for Plated.com Inc. They provide a delivery service, a box, of food ingredients that come with chef curated recipes. I understand they have not been real successful and are looking for venture capital. They are headquartered in NY. I am not sure if she is still with them. Could this be her primary source of income? It is very expensive to live in NYC.

Guess I was going more from a 'feely' standpoint, than 'factual'.
Good reprise

As any-&-every-one-else interested in this story, I am frustrated with the lack of information, and thus, unable to comfortably settle my conclusion/s at any distance from the fence.

If Michael Hastings’ death was simply ‘an accident’…everyone on both sides of the fence…lost.
If malfeasance was involved…we will probably never know.

From my recollection, the possible explanations for this story fall under three general categories…
1. No Foul Play ; 2. The Gray between Foul & No-Foul Play ; and, 3. Foul Play … as follows:

Cases for No Foul Play
LAPD – “In a contest between car and tree ----- tree wins.”
Jonathan Hastings – Drug-inspired/induced Insanity (bi-polar, manic/depressive)
Coroner – Fleeing in/from Terror (hysterical terror)

Cases for the Gray Area between Foul & No-Foul Play
Ron Brynaert – Spooked by a bogus source
A theory of mine – Introduction of a mind/reality altering substance (ingested, injected, or otherwise)
Another theory of mine – Magic, Witchcraft, Voodoo, etc…

Cases for Foul Play
(Too many to detail…but, here are a few)
“McChrystal got him.”
CIA/FBI/NSA-or-SomeoneElse…assassination…by drone…
CIA/FBI/NSA-or-SomeoneElse…assassination…by cyber-jack…(with &/or without explosives onboard)

As I have opined many times – “No Foul Play” is the easiest answer…for those preferring to shave with Occam’s Razor.
Whether siding with “Driving like an idiot, and got what he deserved”, or “In the depths (or – at the peak ----- by the way…which was it?) of a drug-inspired manic-depressive episode”, or “Fleeing some perceived-or-real terror/threat” …there are numerous stepping stones not in evidence – that demand as many leaps of faith…to get to the other side of the story…as any/every other explanation.

The Gray-Area…is that area where…someone steps out of the shadows, says “BOO!”, and you jerk and splash a scalding cup of McDonalds’ coffee straight into your face.
No-one touched you…
No-one-else threw/splashed scalding coffee in your face…
But…you probably would not have thrown the coffee in your face…without said inspiration… … …
So – in this mystery – someone said “BOO!”…and MH crashed into a tree…at 100mph +/-.

As with the two previous categories…any of the Foul Play theories have numerous hurdles to clear.
I won’t detail them, here… I believe they have been examined before, either in this thread or others. If you care to deal with (or question, or explore) any of them, let me know, and I will gladly engage.

Otherwise – until something more/else surfaces in my head, or yours, or in the media regarding this matter…I’ll just leave off with something I find strange.

It is known that MH was a great fan of the author, Hunter S. Thompson.
The one Hunter S. Thompson work I am familiar with, is “Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas”.
LAPD says that MH was heading/destined for Las Vegas on the morning of his demise.
If he was in control of the car and its doings…it would further seem that “Terror” is the most likely explanation for his motivation (&/or rationale)…
So – I don’t know…would you call it – irony…or synchronicity…or…emulation…that would find him exiting this life…in fear & loathing…heading for Las Vegas…?

Until Next Time…

Hi WanDash,

Sorry if you already re-examined & I missed it...but what about
MH's car being looked at by a gov official or whoever that someone
was in MH's driveway prior to the crash that could have done something
so that his car could be controlled by an outsider?

Also I am not sure if you looked into his wife maybe having sexual
ties with any of his friends or business partners.
I apologize if that was already mentioned. Thank you so much for
all of your extensive work on this thread...you have been great!

Cheers
Ektar

a reply to: Ektar
Hey Ektar,
Thanks for joining the campfire… We’re just about out of wieners, but there’s still plenty of buns, mustard, ketchup, mosquitos and marshmallows…(and a couple of prowling bears & Feds)… So – enjoy, if you can.

The interesting thing about the car is – that information has really only come from two sources…with neither being an eye-witness.
SSgt Biggs and the PI in up-state New York – Hagmann.
Biggs says that he was contacted ‘anonymously’ by someone claiming to be an investigator (or – an investigative group) in L.A. …stating that LAPD (presumably) had been out to MH’s residence (which, again, is an apartment complex in the vicinity of the Hollywood hills) sometime in the week that preceded the tragedy, and were seen looking at his car.
One would think that this suggests that MH had called in a ‘complaint’…if this is true.
I have seen no journalists confirm or debunk this information.
I believe that Biggs also said that MH was seen looking under his car within the last couple-or-so days, before the end.
I believe this information was also attributed to the ‘anonymous’ investigator/investigative-group.

Hagmann seemed to corroborate the information…though, the name of the Private Investigator he was working with, from L.A., was never revealed…and thus, we are left with ‘unnamed sources’ and an inability to place any more value on their claims or integrity…since Hagmann has not followed through on promises to update his story, claiming that he, as a multi-decade investigator, was convinced MH was murdered.
Hagmann appeals to a fairly religious audience, and it could be that once he found/heard that MH might not have been as squeaky-clean as his audience might like…he dropped the story.
Could be otherwise – I’m just trying to understand why such a loud and clear broadcast, early on…and then, nothing…!

Others have suggested the possibility of marital infidelity on either or both coasts…as possibilities, and, while that must always be considered – I don’t see the translation… Sure – I guess she might have been in a position to “call in” favors from her various former employers…but, what a favor (operation)…? The kind you’ll never be able to pay off… Unless, of course, she was holding something even bigger over their heads.
Nonetheless – she and MH dined with a friend (Ali Gharib) the previous weekend, and it appears that no evidence or suspicions arose, then. Meaning – she had to make the trip to LA…and, at least, pretend that everything was still on the up & up…

Sorry – I haven’t added much of anything – or answered your questions very well…but – such is the nature of this beast (imo).

Looking forward to any further thoughts, rebuttals or other breakthroughs…when they bubble to the surface.