Channel 6 Investigative Reporter On Michael Hastings. Police and Fire told NOT to comment

reply to post by MindBodySpiritComplex


First of all: I am so impressed with all the work you guys have done on this thread. The contributions of all that have participated are so awesome.

I am not good with images and tech stuff. But, I am so grateful to the people that have kept this issue alive.

There is something very sinister that has happened. I am not sure if the purpose was to silence Michael or/and give investigative journalists a dose of real fear.

If the "Fourth Column" has been neutralized, well then, the freakin internet was in vain.

WTF?. What is the connection between Hasting and Snowden???

You know what I think. I think that Michael is the one that had the goods all along, and Snowden was used as a limited hang-out.

OMG. Just think about that for a minute.

The implications are frightening

Originally posted by GrantedBail
reply to post by MindBodySpiritComplex

 

...First of all: I am so impressed with all the work you guys have done on this thread. The contributions of all that have participated are so awesome.
...I am not good with images and tech stuff. But, I am so grateful to the people that have kept this issue alive.
...There is something very sinister that has happened. I am not sure if the purpose was to silence Michael or/and give investigative journalists a dose of real fear.
...If the "Fourth Column" has been neutralized, well then, the freakin internet was in vain.
...WTF?. What is the connection between Hasting and Snowden???
...You know what I think. I think that Michael is the one that had the goods all along, and Snowden was used as a limited hang-out.
...OMG. Just think about that for a minute.
...The implications are frightening

Interesting bits of info MindBodySpiritComplex came up with...believing (I'm guessing - because of the timing) that Snowden and "the Hastings accident" were connected.
Another bit that came of the RT segment from Sgt. Biggs has not received enough airplay, in my mind.
If the "anonymous email" he received, that stated that the LAPD were out to Michael Hastings' house/residence prior to the night of his accident (meaning, presumably - the 17th)...is true --- such involvements of law enforcement require (in most communities) a report.
First - there would be "the complaint", and then, there would be "the response" and then, "the report".
There should be a record.
If there is...the whole immediate & continued response of "no foul play" is laughable.
Likewise - (again realizing that we don't know if the email was truthful) - if we could determine the time of day the complaint was lodged...we could get a better indication of his level of urgency to get under the radar.
If he was still at the house after sending the email...he wasn't as urgent as the email suggested.
If he was not still at the house after sending the email - chances are that he was, indeed, shooting straight.

I don't know enough about Snowden to make any kinds of guesses to your last suggestion...but, Sgt. Biggs was convinced something was terribly amiss...when Hastings didn't answer or return his phone call/s or text/s shortly after sending the email. I inferred from his language and mannerisms...that he fully expected Hastings to answer his phone call. And if you consider that there was probably a short-list of recipients on the SEND TO list, it isn't hard to imagine that his (Biggs') expectations were well within the norms.

Originally posted by MindBodySpiritComplex
reply to post by MindBodySpiritComplex

 

...And here it is: NEW 3 min video from San Diego 6:
...Some snippets:
- spoke with some very close friends of the family
- did not confirm this with Michael Hastings' wife but close family friend said Michael's body was cremated and sent home in urn against family wishes, if there was any evidence in his body that evidence is gone
- according to family members Hastings did not have a drink in five years
- was possibly working on a CIA/NSA story, did not give details to family in order to protect them, spoke with an attorney who now has all of the information on the story
- wife hired a private investigator to look into the matter (cremated body? accident?)
- getting new leads every day
- was threatened this week

Don't even need the video ---- you extracted everything of import in it...
If what she says is correct -- (that his body was cremated without the consent of the family) -- -- ------ well, honestly, I don't know what to do with that bit. In part, you go - "It was almost there, anyway.". But...should anyone ever care to check/recheck the findings of the official report (toxicology, etc...), tough luck.

Reportedly "no drink in 5 years"...puts a dent in the explanation offered by the KISS = "driving like an irresponsible maniac" pundits.
Looks like she may be passing the same information "Biggs" had put forth when asked about Michael Hastings contacting the Wikileaks attorney...and he said that he knew nothing of that...but knew that Michael had contacted an attorney.
She says she was threatened... I would like to know - how the threat came (arrived)... Was it legitimate? Is this the last we can expect to hear from her?
Anyhoot!
Off to race another rat or two.

reply to post by GrantedBail


@ Granted Bail -

Thank you!
Just yesterday I was wondering to myself if we had moved in, set up shop and thread jacked you.
Your right, it is scary to think about....and down right disgusting as well!

@ MindBody -

Most Excellent indeed!! Keep the info coming!
MindBody do you still have a pic/screenshot of that email that is in your signature line? I really would like to take a closer look at it... I can't seem to find it anywhere online. (hmmmm)

@ WanDash -

I have some thoughts about that "anonymous" email Biggs was speaking of, but need to look at it a little closer before I weigh in. The body being cremated I think really speaks volumes to the LAPD's intention of a deeper investigation or ever re-opening the case. While the media is not saying it, or is Bigggs. .....WE do know that He either met in person or via video conference with attorney Jennifer Robinson (Human rights attorney extraordinaire) the week before. Could there been another attorney involved (local) he met with as well....it is possible.

Back the hamster wheel.....

reply to post by miner49r

.
Timeline Update 3.1 to 3.2 - adding some pics, adding better links (to be continued...)

A Timeline of Hastings NSA Snowden Related Events v. 3.2

May 20 - Hastings states on TV: "...government, 'we declare war on you'..."




May 20 - Snowden arrives in Hong Kong with 4 laptops giving him access to top-classified US secrets

Jun 5 - Greenwald breaks the NSA story in an exclusive on the Guardian




Jun 7 - Hastings LAST article: Why Democrats Love To Spy On Americans - LAST SENTENCE of this article is:

Perhaps more information will soon be forthcoming.

Jun 8 - "Intelligence officials overheard joking about how NSA leaker should be 'disappeared' after handing classified documents to press"




Jun 9 - Snowden is identified as the NSA-whistleblower behind Glenn Greenwald's story in the Guardian




Jun 12 - Hastings twitter feed goes silent



Jun 17 - Snowden: "Government is not going to be able to cover this up by jailing or murdering me. Truth is coming, and it cannot be stopped."

Jun 17 - Hastings mails a friend: "I'm on a big story, and need to go off the radar for a bit"



Jun 18 - Hastings contacted WikiLeaks lawyer Robinson, saying that the FBI was investigating him.



Jun 18 - Michael Hastings dies disappears in car accident

Originally posted by miner49r
reply to post by WanDash

 

...The sheared engine mount definitely looks like lateral shear. The mount it's self just plainly tore away. It is interesting that the aluminum mount points on the tranny are still intact.
...

The aluminum mount points on the tranny --- do the bolts that go in these transect the width of the transmission body (in other words - only 2 long bolts)...or, are there four bolts (with appropriate locking devices/nuts)?

As you say - that seems interesting!

Originally posted by MindBodySpiritComplex
reply to post by miner49r

 

...
Timeline Update 3.1 to 3.2 - adding some pics, adding better links (to be continued...)
...Jun 18 - Hastings contacted WikiLeaks lawyer Robinson, saying that the FBI was investigating him.

...

Thanks again M.B.S.C.
Do you know if a "time" has been given for "when" Hastings contacted the WikiLeaks lawyer?
Just trying to work out or more microcosmic time-line for my own inquisition...

reply to post by MindBodySpiritComplex


Thanks for posting the email. I am still sifting through it. I will post up in a while what I have found once I am finished with it.

Here is something for your possible consideration in the time line. It looks like Jen Robinson was in touch with Hastings the week previous to the crash...the same week His Twitter feed went silent. The "see" part I construe as either in person or video conference

(This isn't a circulated pic...I pulled right from Her feed myself)

.

reply to post by WanDash


My image enlargement software was unable to drill down and find anything of note about the mounts on the other side. There was too much glare and the angle was wrong.

I can say there were to points in the enlargement opposite and in line with the two mounting points we could see. I would say yes there were 4 bolting points two on each side of the transmission. Looking at the transmission from the front they would be around the 10 and 2 o'clock position.

Originally posted by miner49r
reply to post by WanDash

 

...My image enlargement software was unable to drill down and find anything of note about the mounts on the other side. There was too much glare and the angle was wrong.
...I can say there were to points in the enlargement opposite and in line with the two mounting points we could see. I would say yes there were 4 bolting points two on each side of the transmission. Looking at the transmission from the front they would be around the 10 and 2 o'clock position.

You have enlargement software?
I'm jealous!
Regarding the two mounting points - would you say it appears that the bolt heads sheared...or what?

reply to post by WanDash


I can share!! It is open source freeware. It is on the "featureless side" but does work quite well. One of these days when I can afford it I will upgrade to the "good stuff". I will send you a U2U if I can track down where I found it...I still have the setup as well.

I will go back and take look and see. From what I remember the enlargement of that area was inconclusive at best.



I don't think the reports that Hastings sent an "anonymous" email are correct. Joe Biggs did say "anonymous" initially in a an interview. I believe the correct terminology would be "Blind Copy"

Looking at the email Hastings name is on it, as well as the three recipients ..Joe Biggs as well as presumably a few others also recieved it. This would be a "Blind Copy" in that the three recipients shown, do not see Joe and the others who also received it.I believe the Huntington Post got it right in this write up.

Michael Hastings Sent Email About FBI Probe Hours Before Death (UPDATE)


To further decode the email I have been interested in the "BuzzFeed GQ," er HQ line.

First, I don't think this is a spelling error or correction. If we look at the email it's self there are no other spelling errors, the punctuation is correct..to even include hyphenation.

Buzzfeed opened a branch in the UK around around April 2013 or just before. It seems that Buzzfeed UK was gaining momentum and taking storm over GQ-UK. Buzzfeed even "reported extensively on GQ magazine covers" which helped it to gain momentum... nice tactic.

WTF? Inside the launch of Buzzfeed UK

GQ versus BuzzFeed

I think the "BuzzFeed GQ," er HQ line. is one of two things:

1. A bit of tongue in cheek humor poking fun at GQ-magazine in the UK.
2. It may have also been a que and heads up about investigation to the UK Buzzfeed office as well.


Secondly,

Considering proper spelling, punctuation, hyphenation through out the this email (much better than mine). The line which says

"Also: I'm onto a big story, and need to go off the radat [radar] for a bit.

I don't believe "radat" to be a misspelling either.

I think He was poking fun at the NSA here as well. If the surveillance programs are radar for data then "radat" is what the T**y are up to.

Thoughts....

If I am correct, then Hastings would seemed to have been concerned and was going off the "radat" but... He also seems to have the capacity for humor in light of the seriousness of the situation. Otherwise...I don't see a man who was totally freaked out, panicked and "running". The blind copy to Biggs and the others was definitely an insurance policy in the event something happened to Him. He knew Bigss was meat eater and a friend who would not sit quietly.

I tried my image enlargement software on the email and was able to pull out a few letter groupings in the redacted areas, but nothing substantial at this time.


Here is a video with Alex Jones ( I know "Alex"...lol). He gives Joe Biggs plenty of mike time and is a fairly long discussion.





I keep thinking as we research this deeper... ya this is real...and about some real world players as Alex impressed after the interview.

Originally posted by miner49r
reply to post by WanDash

 

...I can share!! It is open source freeware. ...

Just kidding. Thanks for the info, though!

...I don't think the reports that Hastings sent an "anonymous" email are correct. Joe Biggs did say "anonymous" initially in a an interview. I believe the correct terminology would be "Blind Copy"
...
Looking at the email Hastings name is on it, as well as the three recipients ..Joe Biggs as well as presumably a few others also recieved it. This would be a "Blind Copy" in that the three recipients shown, do not see Joe and the others who also received it.I believe the Huntington Post got it right in this write up.

Actually - Biggs was referring to another email that had been sent anonymously...after Hastings' death.

...I think the "BuzzFeed GQ," er HQ line. is one of two things:

1. A bit of tongue in cheek humor poking fun at GQ-magazine in the UK.
2. It may have also been a que and heads up about investigation to the UK Buzzfeed office as well.

You could be right - I'm not hip enough, yet... May take some looking into.

...Secondly,
...Considering proper spelling, punctuation, hyphenation through out the this email (much better than mine). The line which says
... "Also: I'm onto a big story, and need to go off the radat [radar] for a bit.
...I don't believe "radat" to be a misspelling either.
...I think He was poking fun at the NSA here as well. If the surveillance programs are radar for data then "radat" is what the T**y are up to.
...Thoughts....

Again - you might have hit the nail on the proverbial head.

...If I am correct, then Hastings would seemed to have been concerned and was going off the "radat" but... He also seems to have the capacity for humor in light of the seriousness of the situation. Otherwise...I don't see a man who was totally freaked out, panicked and "running". The blind copy to Biggs and the others was definitely an insurance policy in the event something happened to Him. He knew Bigss was meat eater and a friend who would not sit quietly. ...

Seems he included Biggs in quite a few discussions regarding his work... Friendship would be one explanation - another might be that Biggs really impressed him (intellectually) during their time/s together...

...will give the Biggs' interview a listen...
Thanks!

reply to post by WanDash


I wasn't aware of another anon. email after his death. Now that would be suspicious to say the least.

I could be way off on my interpretation of the email, but seems he liked to poke fun and chides at the T**m.

Personally, I think he knew He was in the deep end of the pool....but He didn't know deep it really was.

Originally posted by miner49r
reply to post by WanDash

 

...I wasn't aware of another anon. email after his death. Now that would be suspicious to say the least.

Biggs talked about it in the 15 minute segment put out by RT (that also included an interview with Kimberly Dvorak).
That (anonymous email) is where he apparently received the news that the LAPD had been to Hastings' house the same day he sent the email you've spent some time combing through for detail...
It is, likewise, where he received the report that Hastings was seen that day (presumably, if all was in the same context) looking under his car.

...Personally, I think he knew He was in the deep end of the pool....but He didn't know deep it really was.

I think you're right. Having lived & survived through war-zone investigative correspondence, he was no newbie to "the deep end". He probably took earlier threats seriously enough to have developed and employed some precautionary safety measures into his routine.
This time - I don't think they were enough.

reply to post by miner49r


I went back and watched the RT vid. I do stand corrected. The anonymous email post was and did pertain to the LAPD and Him looking under the car.

reply to post by MindBodySpiritComplex



Another update from Channel 6. They changed the headline and added text (before it was vid only)

Michael Hastings’ Ashes Sent Home for Burial
(Updated: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 12:17:15 PST)


I am quoting only the part that I feel adds to my former summary of the video - If you have the time read the whole thing!

“Family members did not want Michael’s body cremated.”

This revelation provides another wrinkle in the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) handling of a case they labeled “no foul play” only hours after the writer’s death.

Nevertheless LA County assistant corner, Ed Winter, said it took two days to identify the burned-beyond recognition body of Hastings. Officials also confirmed that an autopsy has been performed, but the cause of death is still pending. Unfortunately the family will have to wait for cause of death answers as LAPD media spokesperson Lieutenant Andrew Neiman indicateedd, “It will take several weeks to get the toxicology results.”

Despite the LAPD's categorization of the Hasting fatal accident as a "no (evidence of) foul play,” LAPD continues to ignore FOIA (CPRA in Calif.) requests made by San Diego 6 News for the police report, 9/11 call, autopsy, bomb squad and toxicology reports, or make the Mercedes available for inspection which only fuels conjecture.

@WanDash

Michael Hasting´s car may indeed have been swapped for a more assassination friendly version - Lightsquared or not.

Where do I see a possible Snowden Hastings connection? Well to begin with there is the closely related timing of events as shown in my timeline.

Michael Hastings was (is?) one of a very few journalists that had the balls and reputation to potentially tackle a topic like the Snowden/NSA story. Snowden leaked to Glenn Greenwald through Lauren Poitras but he may have leaked material also to other journalists. Actually he did try with the Washington Post first - to no avail.

Snowden (30) and Hastings (33) belong(ed) to the same generation. That could have meant something to a young whistleblower too...

My main suspicion however is, and please keep in mind that this is highly speculative, that Greenwald (46) may have been knowing/suspecting what Hastings was working on. So Snowden/Greenwald may have given Hastings access to specific documents and he may have had additional knowledge to - for lack of a better term - weaponize this data.

According to Hasting's wife Elise Jordan he was working on a story/book about John O. Brennan. Could it have been NSA data about CIA Brennan? Potentially with further implications like the administration being blackmailed by NSA/CIA data?

Regarding the role of Booz Allen: Snowden took a job with them because he knew it would give him access to the NSA files he meant to copy for his whistleblowing.

You have enlargement software? I'm jealous!

Nearly snorted coffee all over my keyboard


@miner49r

It looks like Jen Robinson was in touch with Hastings the week previous to the crash

That could however refer to the wikileaks tweet saying he contacted her mere hours before the car crash. That would be on the 17th or 18th. Depends on how you use the term "last week". For some it is a 7 day period before any given moment for others it means a 7 day period always ending with a sunday before a given moment...

Originally posted by miner49r
reply to post by WanDash

 

...To further decode the email I have been interested in the "BuzzFeed GQ," er HQ line.
...

After a little digestion, with this running around like a family of mice in the back of my mind...an idea popped in to say 'hello', and... ... ...anyway...
GQ could likewise stand for "General Quarters"...which, in naval terms, means "prepare for battle".
HQ stands for Head Quarters (headquarters)...and, as you say - a little tongue-in-cheek...that still gets the message across.
In any case - there could be recent history (like what you proposed) that makes it only identifiable to "insiders".

Originally posted by MindBodySpiritComplex
reply to post by MindBodySpiritComplex

 

...

“Family members did not want Michael’s body cremated.” ...

That's pretty creepy. That's VERY creepy.
I don't know - maybe no mortuaries were willing to handle, or capable-of handling the body after the burn and autopsy... I don't know...

...

Despite the LAPD's categorization of the Hasting fatal accident as a "no (evidence of) foul play,” LAPD continues to ignore FOIA (CPRA in Calif.) requests made by San Diego 6 News for the police report, 9/11 call, autopsy, bomb squad and toxicology reports, or make the Mercedes available for inspection which only fuels conjecture.

Why? Because they're waiting for the toxicology reports? Are they saying - "nothing to see here", but still waiting to be certain the toxicology doesn't make them into clowns?
How far do you think they went with the toxicology request? It seems that I've heard/read/etc that such "tests" can vary from very specific to broad-ranging...and that some substances (or traces thereof) will not be detected unless specifically-tested-for.

Michael Hasting´s car may indeed have been swapped for a more assassination friendly version - Lightsquared or not. ...

Is this "speculation" on your part...or have you seen/found other information that gives the idea some bite?

...According to Hasting's wife Elise Jordan he was working on a story/book about John O. Brennan. Could it have been NSA data about CIA Brennan? Potentially with further implications like the administration being blackmailed by NSA/CIA data?
...Regarding the role of Booz Allen: Snowden took a job with them because he knew it would give him access to the NSA files he meant to copy for his whistleblowing. ...

...Had something to say about the CIA/NSA angle/s...but, will keep that to myself.
Are you saying that Snowden was actively engaged in looking for information...and it wasn't a matter of merely "working there...and stumbling across the data"?
If so - how was he "tipped off" to what he was looking for...-then-...where he would need to go, to find it...?

Looks like he might have opened a Pandora's box for all interested parties (himself, included).

reply to post by WanDash


I thought about it being "general quarters" as well. The problem is the quotation marks around the "BuzzfeedGQ" and not the er hq part,. that was intentional.

Looking at the writing style, the email is full of punctuation. I don't think that he would have corrected himself without back spacing and clearing the error.


In that tweet I am taking " last week" to simply mean sometime the week previous without specifically mentioning a date.

That could however refer to the wikileaks tweet saying he contacted her mere hours before the car crash.

Mere hours compared to a week?..... I don't think so. I don't think the Wikkileaks tweet is referring to the same time reference as Robinsions tweet. If it is then then the wikkileaks is really stretching the truth on that one.

Nearly snorted coffee all over my keyboard

Fine, ... no software for you then

Originally posted by miner49r
reply to post by WanDash

 

...I thought about it being "general quarters" as well. The problem is the quotation marks around the "BuzzfeedGQ" and not the er hq part,. that was intentional.
...Looking at the writing style, the email is full of punctuation. I don't think that he would have corrected himself without back spacing and clearing the error.

The odds are probably more in favor of your interpretation than mine, on this...
But - that doesn't preclude the possibility of 'double entendre'.

...In that tweet I am taking " last week" to simply mean sometime the week previous without specifically mentioning a date. ...

I'm with you on this...though, we surely don't know, as the "news" that she'd been contacted by Mr. Hastings mere hours before the crash...came from Wikileaks...

Back to another tidbit...
- The passenger-side-view mirror being folded forward -
Some people will fold their side-view mirrors when having to park in tight spaces.
I wonder if these were "power adjust", such that they could be manipulated from the driver's seat...?
Or - with the "anonymous" news that he had been seen looking under his car...might this have been a step in his process of "inspecting the car", that he forgot to correct after the inspection?
I use my side-view mirrors...and they are especially useful in multi-lane traffic. Maybe they were not as important to him... Or - maybe it was a "mistake" by others involved...that he didn't notice until driving... ? ...