Who Killed Liberal Web Warrior Steve Kangas?

Is nothing in this world free of the murky waters of conspiracy? Just how free are we to research the government, speak our minds and be political activists these days?

One would think the Internet offers a bit of security for even the most brazen of rantastic web warriors, but Steve Kangas got two slugs in the head for his trouble.


I learned this after e-mailing his (apparently posthumously monitored) web war zone the Liberal FAQ and getting a very disturbing response:

Steve Kangas sadly was killed in unknown circumstances in 1999. His death has left many people confused and wondering about what exactly happened.

Me and some of my colleagues have kept his memory alive though by keeping up versions of his website and even researching and writing new articles.

[contact info withheld]

If you have any questions feel free to answer, as Steve's representatives we pretty much have read through his work multiple times...

Thank you again for your support, and I'd love to hear from you again

Confirming the story isn't hard. Google Steve Kangas for links to both the offical "suicide" story and the conspiracy theories credited here:Who Killed Steve Kangas?

The Case

Steve Kangas was found dead on the 39th floor of his politcal enemy's doorstep at 11:30 PM on February 8 1999. His body was in the bathroom of the offices of Richard Mellon Scaife, 2000 miles from home, -- in Pittsburgh PA. Shot in the head. Due to obstructions of justice, local police investigating the wrong circumstances quickly ruled it a suicide. There were thousands of heated Usenet posts on this topic, dated just days after his death. How did he die? (paraphrased)

How does an ex army intelligence 90's webmaster of a respected "one stop shop" for debunking Conservative myths end up dead on the doorsteps of bored billionaire propagandist Richard Mellon Scaife shortly before the publication of his book exposing right wing liars (that never happened) and the 2000 election?

According to the May 3 Washington Post, Scaife "has given at least $340 million to fund a `war of ideas' against American liberalism." That is, he finances propaganda and propaganda mills.

Himself a master conspiracy theorist, Scaife is widely considered responsible for originally floating the "Vince Foster Murder" story and backing the Ken Lay led Republican group-think of the Clinton era.

When Hillary says "vast right wing conspiracy" she means Scaife.

Murder or not, what the hell happened here? And just how safe are we even discussing it? I, for one, will not go quietly.

I had no idea when writing my most recent rant (largely inspired by the work of Kangas I just discovered), that I'd be waking to his death announcement by e-mail rather than a new pen pal.

In that spirit I dedicate Read Every Damn Word of This if You Hate "Welfare" to the memory of Steve Kangas without apology for the unyielding spirit of exposing Conservative fallacy as I'm sure he'd approve.

Hi Rant:

(the gong show guy is gone? )

Thanks for bringing Steve Kangas to my attention I bookmarked the site for future reading. Sounds like he got too close to the real powers that be. Sad story.

I also thoroughly enjoyed and agree with your welfare rant. I heard many of those arguments before but never put together quite so succinctly.

A quick question. How does one link to a specific post within a thread like that? The need has arisen for me more than once and I assumed it could not be done.

Another resource profiling the circumstances of Steve's death and summarizing several sources: The Strange Death of Steve Kangas

Answered you U2U Gools.