Debbie Nathan

Eichenwald, New York Magazine, and NPR Redux

I’m still out of town and busy, so for several more days there’ll be no wordy blogging.

Meanwhile, check out David France’s piece in the latest issue of New York Magazine, “Saving Justin Berry” for — finally! — some actual reporting by someone other than I, about Kurt Eichenwald (click here)

There’s a lot missing from the piece (wonder if Eichenwald’s lawyers had a hand in that?). Still, it’s a great supplement to the one I wrote several months ago for Counterpunch (click here:“The World of Justin Berry”).

The New York piece makes it clear that Eichenwald is a mad hatter and moral crusader whom the Times – because of its own issues, which need much further exploration – failed to control as a an employee with emotional (and hubrism!) problems that seriously intruded on his work and caused him to violate the ethical rules of journalism. (Earth to NPR: No, it’s not OK, ever, to write a news story that’s factually seriously flawed, about people with whom you previously had “only a personal relationship” – especially not after you’ve given them lots of money, joined and played around on their illegal child porn website, and discussed with them the possibility of making Hollywood movies.)

It’s also very clear that Eichenwald is a martinet with deep pockets. He has a history of harassing editors and publishers that predates his tirades against Salon and me. Using tons of billable attorney hours and persistent threats of a lawsuit (he even had a press release drawn up) he pressured Salon into removing my op-ed piece from its site. In response to articles he hasn’t liked — or hasn’t thought he’d like, even before they came out — he has continually threatened to sue me and venues I’ve written for. He’s been involved in libel threats and lawyer pressure against at least one other publisher, as well (see this Village Voice piece).

He’s used ad hominem, McCarthyist language to discredit me personally and professionally. His cuckoo playbook reads this way: Child Porn!!@! Justin, innocent victim of evil pervs! Kurt, good! Seriously broke the rules but who cares – rescued a “child” (age almost 19)! From Child Porn!!@! (Um, epilepsy…so sad!) Debbie says rules seriously broken. Debbie ruined good Kurt’s life! Bad Debbie! Must have secret porn agenda! Must work for evil pervo conspiracy!” This is his basic line, repeated ad hypnotium on blogs and to reporters. It’s dirty pool and it’s smart. He marginalizes my investigative work into him by making me a central part of the story. He’s knows I won’t sue because I don’t believe in suing people for what they write. He’s unprincipled and he’s a bully.

But he finds takers for his spin doctoring — see the shameful fluff produced by NPR last week and — here’s the real “sad” — Brian Lehrer’s show on WNYC. Eichenwald actually appeared there yesterday to prop himself up and trash me … with NPR’s “media reporter” David Folkenflik (see previous post) helping him out and Lehrer nodding in the background.

For more, see my earlier post below.