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Friday, December 17, 2004
The Death of Gary WebbMarc Cooper eulogizes the man who broke the Contra-cocaine scandal in The San Jose Mercury News eight years ago, won an award from his fellow reporters, then found his editorial support yanked after a campaign of intimidation by the LA Times, which was embarrassed by the scoop and pissy about it right to the end. His good name was lacerated not just by the Times and other embarrassed major newspapers but by a withering layer of cover fire laid down by the right-wing legions of the self-convinced ("The CIA, truck with drug dealers? Nonsense!"); but the CIA's own internal investigation has vindicated the outline of his story. Webb's work has inspired at least one novel, which I shamefully never sent him. He committed suicide last weekend with his father's .38.
posted by Michael Scott Moore |
6:22 AM
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