Debbie Nathan

The New York Times yesterday finally took hold of the “New Dirt on Eichenwald and Justin Berry” story, after being scooped days ago by Counterpunch. That publication sent me to cover the hearing in Nashville last week, where a judge rejected Kurt Eichenwald’s motion to quash subpoenas. They seek evidence that Eichenwald paid additional monies to Justin Berry besides the $2,000 check that surfaced months ago. During the Nashville hearing, discussion ensued in open court about PayPal payments apparently made to Berry in summer 2005. The New York Times estimated they totaled $1,100 — no small sum. The Times didn’t say what Eichenwald was spending the money on, this time around.

Just after the hearing, the judge ordered Eichenwald to go through all the voluminous, sealed filings he’s been making since early July, and let her know which parts contain his credit card numbers, home address, and other, similar personal information. The judge said she would redact that data, then quickly unseal the Eichenwald material and defense responses. They would then be available to the public on the federal PACER court documents system under the case name Timothy Ryan Richards. Eichenwald was supposed to comply by Friday, August 3.

August 3 came and went, and the documents still have not been unsealed. But PACER has since been inundated with new filings — also sealed.