Democrats.com Strikes a Blow against Bush Nazi-Style Assault against Liberal Intelligenstia! The Dian Hardison Saga Continues

By Cheryl Seal

Thank heavens ONE arm of the American press - namely the Internet - is doing its job. If Democrats.com had not run the story on the plight of former-NASA scientist Dian Hardison last Friday night, her case very likely may have been used by the Bushes (both George and Jeb) and John Ashcroft as a spring board to begin a purge of America's liberal intelligentsia (see original story http://democrats.com/view.cfm?id=7647).

Thanks to Bush operatives, when Dian emerged from jail Thursday (before the Democrats.com story had a chance to get the word out), a swarm of apparently hostile reporters greeted her to get a look at the "blond terrorist"!! Unbelievable!

A trumped up, outrageously slanted story had already been planted in "Florida Today" (Floridaytoday.com), a publication associated with NASA, and thus controlled by the Bush administration. Another totally false story had been planted in the local FOX TV station WKMG: see http://www.mycfnow.com/orlpn/news/stories/news-148684320020530-050554.html. You'll notice how this outrageous article says she send an envelope FILLED with foot powder (it was an accidental sprinkling) and that it had no return address - Dian says it did. Nowhere does it mention that she is a former NASA scientist! I knew that this was FOX the minute I read the story, even though the affiliation was not on the site. I plugged in WKMG FOX into google and sure enough! The Bush mouthpiece was revealed.

In short, Dian had been set up, dragged in, and they were getting the lynch mob ready.

Now, thanks to the outcry being precipitated by the Democrats.com story, Dian may get a chance at a fair hearing by the public and the legal system. Here are the latest correspondances from Warren, her gallant pal who alerted us to Dian's plight, and Dian herself:

Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2002
4:20 PM
Subject: Re: I've Been Arrested

To Warren:

Out on $5000 bond, court date for June 28, after nine hours sitting on a concrete floor in 45 F air conditioning. What really pissed me off is the media circus they made of it when I was escorted out of the building -- 14 news cameras shoving mics and cameras in my face wanting a statement from the "blond terrorist." Dammit, if I'd known the damn cops were calling the media I'd've prepared something clever to say! (I'd've washed my hair this morning, too.) As it is, this is probably not going to do my job searching any good. The cops are in hog heaven with AssKKKro$$'s suspension of the Constitution. The other five women in the cell with me were "entertainers" from an "escort service" (they busted all the men, too). Thing is, that club has been in business for 15 years with no hassles. Now Jebbie boy is getting desperate about his chances at re-election and pulling rightwingnut publicity stunts so he can claim he's cracking down on "crime." I hope we can make enough noise to make it backfire on him. Big time.

Dian

Democrats.com NOTE: Warren wrote to me (Cheryl) on Friday evening about Dian's arrest. I wrote up a quick story, and thanks to Bob Fertik's rapid action, the story went up Friday night. However, Warren's first note to me acknowledging the Dems.com posting never got to me - Carnivores on the prowl?

I also found it VERY interesting that the article in floridaytoday.com Warren refers to in his letter below, with the outrageously slanted statement condemning Dian has completely disappeared as of this morning (6/3) ! Scrubbed from the site, sans a trace!

WARREN'S RESPONSE TO DIAN, SUNDAY JUNE 2

Dian,

Excerpt from the Florida Today article: "Hardison put foot powder in her January bill payment, knowing city employees would fear it might be anthrax." http://www.floridatoday.com/topstories/053002powder.htm

This whole article sucks big time. Fair and balanced reporting? LOL!!!!!!

I think the critical element here is "knowing. " They have to prove "intent" to make this charge stick.

Any lawyer, even a half-assed one, ought to be able to get this intent charge dropped. How in the hell are they going to prove intent? My guess - if they're really hell bent on destroying you - is that they're going to try and use some of your comments from your writing and attempt to prove you had some sort of motive. They'll take things out of context and distort and twist them around to try and build a contrived case against you.

Unfortunately for you, the public and media have been caught up in a frenzy of paranoia fueled by the goverment's politically motivated 24/7 terrorist alerts, and the government's own politically motivated anthrax mailings against "rat" Democrats. So it's difficult to predict the outcome of how well their intent charge will hold water in today's politically charged environment.

We all know which way the political winds are blowing nowadays, and not only do we know which way they're blowing, we know how foul these winds smell! They'll undoubtably try to paint you as being a radical leftwing extremist and imply you're an unpatriotic traitor working for the terrorists or some other equally ridiculous nonsense allegation. And sadly many unquestioning people will believe these perpetrated rightwing lies, just like they believe all the other rightwing propaganda like how it's unpatriotic to question anything the Moron from Crawford Texas does.

While the media should be focusing on the REAL perpetrators behind the REAL anthrax mailings, they're actually in collusion with them by not conducting thorough investigations. Instead of doing their jobs in a responsible and credible manner, they're all jumping on the bandwagon to persecute a politcal dissident, such as yourself. This article is just another smoke screen to divert the public's attention away from our illegal government's appalling criminal activities.

Your case has all the classic hallmark characteristics a conspiracy - just like when Hillary Clinton said she and Bill were victims of a "vast rightwing conspiracy." It's also weirdly reminiscent of the Salem witch burning trials. Obviously, they're trying to smear your reputation and persecute you on fabricated charges.

Granted, the water department employees may have become genuinely frightened, but did you do this intentionally? Was this premeditated? This is what they have to unequivocally prove. That you "knowingly, willfully, unlawfully, and intentionally" mailed this powder in order to terrorize some one. (That's the exact wording they used when I went to court back in 70's on intent to distribute charges).

The real question is - how can this case be turned around to prove it's a politically motivated smear campaign and there's absolutely no credibility, substance or merit to any of their phony charges?

It would be wonderful to get some high-profile junkyard dog attorneys interested and involved in your case and make it a political embarrassment for the powers that be. Wouldn't it be great to counter attack and get a large settlement for harrassment, intimidation and loss of income for all the abuses of power you've been subjected to?

Warren

WARREN'S SECOND NOTE TO CHERYL, JUNE

Cheryl,

Thank you so very much for your write up on Dian and getting it posted on Democrats.com. I saw your article on Friday as that's a website I frequently visit, and what a most unexpected and pleasant surprise it was to see it posted there! :<) I responded to you shortly after seeing it and was somewhat puzzled by your late Saturday reply saying it might not not get posted until Satuday but, oh well, what's the difference? My many thanks to you again for your concern and support in helping Dian out.

I think Dian is a little overwhelmed by all the attention. She wrote and said her lawyer told her to keep quiet about it, but she told him she wasn't the one who called out the media stampede.

I also wrote Meria Heller in Phoenix and she's very interested in interviewing Dian on her radio show. If you're not familair with Meria, here is her radio show archive link so you can give her a listen. http://www.meria.net/Archives.html I think Meria is just fabulous - I listen to her program every day.

Below [above in this case] is what Dian wrote after being released from the Brevard County jail, and below that is a link to the Cocoa news article on Dian's arrest along with my comments about their fair and unbiased reporting and what I think about the whole stinking mess.

Sincerely,

Warren Gammel
Ocala Florida

STAY TUNED FOR THE CONTINUING SAGA......