Sorry just getting ready for tomorrow!

[4 t 4]

A pre emptive asshole post. I know many of you out there will be pissed come tomorrow morning I just thought I would give you a head start



Special Report

A Death in the Congressman's Office
Does Anybody in the Press Care About Lori Klausutis?
By Denis Wright and Chris George

August 8, 2001 (APJP)

Northwest Florida Daily News Links:
7/22/2001: Klausutis Death Not Suspicious
7/23/2001: Obituary for Lori Klausutis
7/27/2001: Aide's Cause of Death Still Not Released
8/23/2001: Northwest Florida Daily News calls for release of Klausutis records
8/29/2001: Klausutis head injury more severe than previously reported
9/1/2001: Controversial autopsy report by "where's the brain section" Berkland raises more questions than it answers

Other Links:
Original AP story from July 21
AP via beachbrowser.com -- information on Michael Berkland's ME license suspension in 1999
The American Prospect -- Scarborough press secretary Mick Serrano tells caller of contemplated lawsuit against American Politics Journal (make sure to use the "More" link -- it gets even more bizarre)
Bergen Record: Word on the Klausutis story is filtering out -- skip down to the letter that begins 'News determined by who defines it'
Florida DOH: Berkland's physician profile, complete with two lies about the revocation of his Missouri medical license and chiropractic privileges
Healing Arts News -- page 15: Berkland's propensity for reaching conclusions based on autopsy tests he never did
Naples (Fla.) News -- June 21 article on Klausutis death
Online Journal -- "Protests are out and we will decide what you can investigate"
Moscow Times -- Russia's hottest pro-free-market, pro-capitalism paper picks up the story from APJ
Missouri v. Taylor -- complaint mentions Michael Berkland's "material false testimony"

Once upon a time, the phrase "investigative reporter" actually meant something. It usually involved hard work, possibly even mentation. Now, it seems, they just make stuff up. Especially on the Fox News Channel, where an uninitiated viewer could easily think she/he had tuned in Comedy Central. It's "Chandra-Chandra-Chandra" with the occasional "Condit is just like Clinton" thrown in. Given our media's 24/7 obsession with the Gary Condit "scandal", you might assume that there is a real dearth of hard news to pursue.
In reality, there is indeed a news story percolating out there. The story bears remarkable and ironic similarities to the Condit/Levy story. Both involve Congressmen, rumors of infidelity, and the fate of a younger female subordinate. The details are so similar as to remind one of two alternate universes. The difference between the two stories? First, in the Klausutis case as not in the Levy case, there is a real body, very dead. Second, the Klausutis case involves a Republican.

The story had a brief flutter in the Northwest Florida press, which ran a few very short stories on Lori's death. With the exception of the Northwest Florida Daily News, they were of the "Aw-what-a-shame/ nothing-to-see-here-move-along-now-folks" variety. But nationally, this mysterious death earned a mere one paragraph mention in The Washington Post's NATION IN BRIEF column:

"FORT WALTON BEACH, FL. - Lori Klausutis, a 28-year-old office worker for Rep. Joe Scarborough (R-Fl), was found dead in the congressman's district office. Police said preliminary findings from the medical examiner's office showed no foul play or any outward indication of suicide."

Unbelievably, that was it. The story was simply dropped. A young female employee of one of Florida's Congressmen had died unexpectedly in the Congressman's office. There were no witnesses to her death and the cause of death was not apparent. Klausutis' boss, Joe Scarborough had recently resigned from Congress prematurely and unexpectedly, amid rumors about his marital fidelity and soon after a divorce. He had also abruptly resigned as publisher of the Independent Florida Sun, claiming that resigning from Congress and as publisher was necessary to spend more time with his sons.

Edited to conform to DU's fairuse policy for copyrighted material
Lithos
DU moderator
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This report was made possible by devoted citizens who are determined to bring Lori's story to the light of day. Their contributions in research and insight are more appreciated than we can say. Thank you from both of us to each and every one of you.


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Copyright © 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, American Politics Journal Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved. Read our privacy policy. Contact us.
ISSN No. 1523-1690

[Mike 03]

1. Thank you. I'm glad somebody cares. Or even remembers.

Thank you.

[cbayer]

2. 4 t 4

Please review DU's rules concerning posting copyrighted material. In general, copyrighted material should be limited to four paragraphs or less with a link to the original source.

Thanks,
cbayer
DU Moderator

[4 t 4]

8. I'm sorry

won't happen again

[angrycarpenter]

3. ME lying in a case is not unheard of in N Fla.

Remember Martin Lee Anderson?

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. What's up with tomorrow?

:shrug:

[tom_paine]

5. Joey likely didn't kill her himself, I bet. Hired hitter or perhaps an amibitious Young Republican.

I'll bet that Young Republican's "meteoric rise" in the BushCommie Party Infrastructure is astonishing in it's speed!

Oh my yes, his efforts, if this speculation is the actual case or something like it, are being paid back handsomely.

[babylonsister]

6. Yawn. Again? He's a dirtbag of the highest order, even w/o this. nt

[tavalon]

7. Joe Scarborough

Killtern is my nickname for him. I didn't think that was the name of the intern though, but my memory might be faulty on that.

[pacalo]

9. 4 to 4...

What do you mean by "just getting ready for tomorrow" as your subject line; &

what does this sentence mean: I know many of you out there will be pissed come tomorrow morning I just thought I would give you a head start.

Have I missed something; is something going to happen tomorrow that I don't know about?

TIA