Key Source For Suskind’s Book May Have Retracted Allegations To Preserve Intel Contracts
Key Source For Suskind’s Book May Have Retracted Allegations To Preserve Intel Contracts
Last night on MSNBC’s Countdown, host Keith Olbermann interviewed Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ron Suskind about the claims in his new book that the White House ordered the CIA to forge a letter linking Saddam Hussein to 9/11.
Olbermann reported that one of Suskind’s sources, Ron Richer, has now backed off his allegations. Contradicting the statements he made on tape to Suskind, Richer told MSNBC last night, “I never received direction from George Tenet or anyone else in my chain of command to fabricate a document from Habbush as outlined in Mr. Suskind’s book.”
Asked to respond to the retraction, Suskind suggested that Richer’s business interests pressured him to disavow his previous comments:
You know, I‘m sympathetic in a way to all these guys. They‘re under acute pressure. They‘re individuals. They‘ve got to feed their families. They really survive off the government, both of them, they‘re contractors and whatnot.. [...]
You know, these guys, though, are feeling now great pressure. … [T]hey can be brought into a moment of crisis by the government saying, “You‘ll never work again, you‘ll never earn a living.”
Watch it:
Richer’s business interests seem to have trumped his interest in defending the truth. His livelihood is dependent on maintaining strong but “discreet” relationships with the Bush administration and foreign governments.
After leaving the CIA, Richer “immediately” took a job with Blackwater USA as Vice President of Intelligence. In February 2007, Richer and Vice Chairman of Blackwater, Cofer Black, started a new company, Total Intelligence Solutions (TIS). That company reportedly operates “under the purview of its secretive founder” and Blackwater owner, Erik Prince.
To achieve success in their new venture, Richer and Black have depended heavily on their ties with the Bush administration. The Nation reported last June:
“Cofer can open doors,” Richer told the Washington Post in 2007. “I can open doors. We can generally get in to see who we need to see. … [W]e can deal with the right minister or person.” Black told the paper he and Richer spend a lot of their time traveling. “I am discreet in where I go and who I see. I spend most of my time dealing with senior people in governments, making connections.” But it is clear that the existing connections from the former spooks’ time at the agency have brought business to Total Intelligence.
Suskind said Richer’s change of heart was quite sudden. “He was fine with it this morning. He was fine with it at midday. Now, reporters actually called him. He said to me, ‘I‘ll tell them no comment because it‘s in the book, but Ron Suskind is a fine journalist. That will be my comment.’ He said, ‘It‘s fine, Ron.’”
Given Richer’s business dealings, it seems appropriate to ask whether the Bush administration or one of its key allies (Cofer Black or Erik Prince) compelled Richer into retracting his allegations by threatening him with his job.
** SPECIAL NOTE ** Despite media reports to the contrary, Mr. Richer departed Total Intelligence Solutions in February 2008. The TIS leadership team appreciates Mr. Richer's prior contributions to the company and the departure was amicable for all parties involved.
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36 Responses to “Key Source For Suskind’s Book May Have Retracted Allegations To Preserve Intel Contracts”
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If burning the book doesn't work, just castrate the author and threaten his sources! Adolf would have loved it!
August 6th, 2008 at 2:02 pmMaybe Richer needs a "consciousness surge."
August 6th, 2008 at 2:03 pmUm, but it's all on the record and on tape, right?
Mr. Suskind, ROLL TAPE!
PEACE
August 6th, 2008 at 2:03 pmdamn you liburls and yer liburl facts.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:08 pmIt looks like Ron Richer is discovering that it's harder to leave a criminal gang than it is to join.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:10 pm"If" Bushco threatened Suskind's sources? Threatening people is what Bushco does! They're kneecappers and legbreakers, goons of the first order. They're a criminal organization. Good thing Suskind's got it all on tape. Can't wait to hear Pelosi's (non)response to this one.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:12 pmIt's a good thing that we have laws to protect whistleblowers...
/snark
August 6th, 2008 at 2:13 pmIt never ceases to amaze me how people can spill their guts to authors for publication and then are shocked, feigned or not, when they see their words in print for all the world to see.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:14 pmPerhaps those gentlemen will commit suicide with Tylenol 3...
August 6th, 2008 at 2:14 pmI just hope Mr. Suskind has his tapes in a very secure place. and lots of duplicates likewise secured.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:14 pm.
Conyers needs to subpoena these interview tapes...
... Because interview tapes can't tell the Rule of Law to go get Cheney'd.
.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:20 pmCue the mysterious electrical fire at Suskind's house that will destroy those tapes. Or the ex-spooks that work for Blackwater will just ransack the place.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:28 pmSuskind....play the Richer tape....
August 6th, 2008 at 2:40 pmThemis Says:
You do know, there's no reward for supreme ignorance.
But keep trying, it is your strong suit.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:47 pmspencers mom Says:
Um, but it’s all on the record and on tape, right?
Mr. Suskind, ROLL TAPE!
I agree. Once a source says they didn't say something that a reporter has on tape, it seems to me they have released the reporter from it's obligation to shield the source.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:49 pmWow. I went to the trouble of following Themis's link (#14) about Suskind's "past credibility issues." There you'll find a 2004 blog post about Suskind's supposedly bad journlalism in which he had the audacity to run supposedly dubious quotes - how outrageous - of Bush. Guess what the quotes were? Bush saying in 2004 that, in 2005, he'd start off his 2nd term by privatizing social security. How outrageous! We all know he didn't do that, don't we!
August 6th, 2008 at 2:59 pmGiven Richer’s business dealings, it seems appropriate to ask whether the Bush administration or one of its key allies (Cofer Black or Erik Prince) compelled Richer into retracting his allegations by threatening him with his job.
Gee, I dunno, man...that'd be pretty bad...You RILLY think the Preznint would do sumpin like dat? Threaten a guy wit' losin' his job? oooooooh dat's cold, man...
August 6th, 2008 at 3:05 pmWhoa, Guido? You 'practice your love' out of a truck? gotcha a cozy examining room on the camper?
August 6th, 2008 at 3:08 pmThemis Says:
Given Suskind’s past credibility issues and Richer’s denial of statements that Suskind tried to attribute to him, it seems seems appropriate to ask whether Suskind once again fabricated facts to sell books and attempt to achieve political gain for the party of his choice.
August 6th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
______
Here, let me help you with that. You're gonna pull a muscle if you keep grasping like that.
August 6th, 2008 at 3:17 pmdennis Says:
If he blows the whistle off this successfully it would stand to reason he could make a whole lot more money that whatever his business interests would generate for him.
Wouldn’t it?
Or am I just being too logical?
August 6th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
______
I'm not sure what the moneymaking opportunities would be, but he could use it as a mitigating circumstance in his trial as an accessory to murder.
August 6th, 2008 at 3:21 pm2 scenarios:
Richer 'retires', for health reasons, or
Richer 'hangs himself' in his closet, with no chair in sight.
August 6th, 2008 at 3:23 pmToasty @#21! BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! Nice.
August 6th, 2008 at 3:25 pm18 Sponson
Yea, what a crazy thing for Suskind to write. Really incredible that his supposed "fabrication" played out pretty much as summarized by the quote in question.
Weak sauce Themis.
August 6th, 2008 at 3:25 pm21 Hussein
Haha, I bet Themis has a whole drawer full of zombie straws!
August 6th, 2008 at 3:27 pmDo Strawmen actually use straws?
August 6th, 2008 at 3:37 pmOlbermann reported that one of Suskind’s sources, Ron Richer, has now backed off his allegations. Contradicting the statements he made on tape to Suskind, Richer told MSNBC last night, “I never received direction from George Tenet or anyone else in my chain of command to fabricate a document from Habbush as outlined in Mr. Suskind’s book.”
"... it depends on what the meaning of "direction" is...."
Cheers,
August 6th, 2008 at 3:40 pm"... and 'fabricate'. And 'document'...."
Cheers,
August 6th, 2008 at 3:41 pmMaybe Richer just likes all ten of his fingers. Does he have family? Wife, children.
Shoulda thought of them a little sooner Richer.
August 6th, 2008 at 3:52 pm"Don't believe in anything until it is OFFICIALY denied!"
August 6th, 2008 at 3:52 pmYou folks are getting this all wrong.
Richer and Maguire were sources for the story that the Habbash letter was forged.
Richer is probably telling the truth when he says now that "I never received direction from George Tenet or anyone else in my chain of command to fabricate a document from Habbush as outlined in Mr. Suskind’s book."
Has it occurred to you that someone besides Richer may have conducted the black propaganda op? Thus Richer would never have been ordered to fabricate the document.
August 6th, 2008 at 5:32 pmWhat are we to infer from the update statement from Anne Tyrrell? What I infer is that Richer has been fired and threatened with worse than firing if he stands by what he told Suskind earlier. That is SOP with these people, right?
August 6th, 2008 at 5:45 pmRicher might want to give thought to the fact that Jan 20th is right around the corner I suspect there will be a changing of the guard and feeding his family might again be risky
August 6th, 2008 at 10:28 pmMemo to JohnKerryTroll
You are a complete and utter moron.
August 7th, 2008 at 2:10 amThemis
Wow. That is pure unadulterated and VINTAGE stupidity you got going there. So exactly what part of "Made to Suskind ON TAPE" is confusing you?
August 7th, 2008 at 2:11 amFabricated facts, no he has taped interviews with primary sources. We can doubt the veracity of these sources if we choose.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:27 pmI remember the right wing version of your "wacked out liberals" during the 2004 election. They called themselves Swiftboat Veterans For Truth. I didn't hear any peep from the right complaining about THEIR highly dubious claims. As a liberal, one of my strong points is to take every "fact" and explore the evidence of the truth. I explored the evidence regarding the Swift Boater's claims and concluded they were shills who never served directly with Kerry and they were denigrating the honorable service of a decorated Officer because they were angry with his reporting about Vietnam atrocities. They were funded by ultra conservative millionaires and their sole purpose appeared to be taking down Kerry and giving an incompetent, draft dodging liar another term in the White House.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:35 pm