Sandbagged! Whistle-Blowers Beware http://www.almartinraw.com/column30.html Here's what happens to guests on the Expert Witness Radio Show, hosted by Michael Levine and broadcast on WBAI in New York and KPFK in Los Angeles, A brief history is in order. First, Mr. Levine postponed the show several times. Then his producer said that she would formulate questions to be asked about the new book, "The Conspirators: Secrets of an Iran Contra Insider." None of the questions were asked. Both his producer Kristina Borjesson and the host Mike Levine had received review copies of the book. There had been substantial discussions with the show's producer Kristina Borjesson but it became clear that Mr. Levine had not read the book and was not familiar with the material. He kept flipping through it, naming chapter titles, but you could tell he hadn't even bothered to read the book. Then Levine brings on his buddies, former DEA agents who are now private investigators, as is Levine himself. Essentially they did not refer to the book either. They asked no real questions about the content of the book, and they only mentioned the name of the book once. Also they kept using the word "alleged" -- as "I have alleged this" and "I have alleged that." I told them that the book was autobiographical in nature and it was simply the story of what I had done, i.e., my own role in Iran-Contra and other circumstances of my life. Since there was no second or third party information in the book, it wasn't really necessary to say "alleged" incessantly. Then they kept pressing me on how many documents I had and how much of this I could "prove in a court of law." I maintained that this was a radio show and not a court of law, that I was an author and not a prosecutor, and that these men were in fact radio talk show hosts and were not themselves prosecutors, and that they have no mandate from any government agency to be prosecutors. They were simply trying to pump me for information -- for their own ends. They have formed their own private investigative agency, according to information they posted on their website. Mr. Levine had said on his show that they had gotten "thousands of people indicted that should have been indicted, but weren't before for political reasons." I'm sure the public would be interested in seeing a list of the "thousands" of people that Mr. Levine et al have gotten indicted -- posted on Mr. Levine's website. Furthermore, they attempted to get me to reveal sensitive documents and file numbers on the public airwaves - without having any understanding whatsoever of my position -- that in fact, it is my holding of these documents and the fact that those who could be hurt by these documents do not know exactly what I do or do not possess. This has kept me alive and at large through these years. It's hard to believe that Mr. Levine did not understand this -- that by the incessant questioning of my criminal history (which I freely admitted and elaborated in detail) and the documents, which I may have, he has jeopardized me. Whistle-blowers then should beware -- because Mr. Levine has acted quite unprofessionally on this show. It was obvious that Ms. Borjesson was the tail wagging the dog. As producer of this show and its co-host, she asked me no direct questions during the show, and, on two occasions, had even attempted to tell her fellow co-hosts to move on. It was obvious from her tone that she was embarrassed by this shoddy display of unprofessionalism by Mr. Levine and his co-hosts. These former DEA agents were courteous, but they were incessant in asking the same question over and over again - questions regarding my criminal history and questions regarding the veracity of my information. I kept repeating that I am an author, that I'm not a prosecutor, that I'm not a witness, and that I don't intend to be a witness. I'm just telling my story. It was obvious by the line of questioning that Mr. Levine and Company have their own agenda - an agenda which goes far beyond being talk show radio hosts. That agenda appears to be to garner information from people like me in order to gain prosecutorial interest in others and thereby to gain potentially fee-paying clients for their new enterprise. Meanwhile they lead me to believe that this show was being publicly broadcast live, when in fact it was being recorded. I was not told until the end of the show that it was actually being taped for later broadcast. In other words, I didn't have the opportunity to fully defend myself from their badgering questions. They were able to steamroll me by making me believe that this was a live show. They obviously had no idea of who I am. It was also obvious that they did not understand the "complex quid pro quos" people like me have to enter into, in order to stay alive and get a book published. They asked me if I had any previous agreement with the government and I said no. I published as much as I felt I could publish. They accused me of withholding information to which I responded by saying that "I enjoy breathing." This show of Mike Levine's was a total sandbagging. We also have statements from others regarding Ms. Borjesson's credibility as a journalist, which she continues to tout. If Ms. Borjesson is the almighty "journalist" she claims to be, why is she no longer employed by one of the major media outlets, which had employed her previously? She is attempting to garner information and sensitive documents in an effort to get herself back into the big leagues again. It has been noted that Ms. Borjesson has attempted to poison the well with others. She touts her great journalistic credentials. But if this is the case -- what is she doing on the Mike Levine Show? And why would she be so desperate to attempt to get "smoking gun" documents from her guest? It may be simply an effort to springboard herself back into mainstream media and ingratiate herself with future editors. These people's contention was that I was in league with the government. Their contention was that this book was published and then the government would use my own criminal history against me to discredit what I had said - with my cooperation - thus protecting certain individuals. That's what they kept accusing me of. And I told them that I have been very explicit with my own criminal history (if they had bothered to read the book). They kept trying to compare me incessantly with the late J.H. Hatfield, author of "Fortunate Son," who had served time in prison. I told them I plead guilty to an "E" felony. It's like a bad check charge. Ten years before it would have been a misdemeanor. This whole Hatfield situation must have gotten in their craw. They got burned because of it and they took it out on me. They had touted Hatfield's book and his credibility. Then when Hatfield's criminal background became publicly known, all the truthful information in his book was discredited, and Mike Levine wound up with egg on his face. From now on, they said they would scrutinize people like me. But "scrutinize" and "sandbag" should be two different things. "Scrutinize" doesn't mean you ask somebody the same question fifty times. During the show, Mr. Levine said "we're all shaking our heads because we know these names," names like Tom Cash, the former head of the Miami DEA office, George Weiss the former head of Customs. Then when I mentioned Steve Dinnerstein (these guys touted themselves as having all sorts of credentials in important DEA investigations), they didn't know his name. They even said they were court investigators for the DEA during their careers. And I couldn't believe that being involved in New York and Miami cases, they didn't know the name of the famed private investigator Steve Dinnerstein, one of the stars of the Knapp Commission. We would like to extend our apologies to Mr. Levine's listeners. According to Mr. Levine's website, he provides a service that is supposed to be interesting and informative discourse between radio talk show hosts and authors. That is not what this broadcast was about. We apologize to his listeners for Mr. Levine's shoddy unprofessionalism. (By the way, this story could also be called -- Low Level DEA Employees Desperately Seeking Taxpayer Funded Condos in St. Lucia) AL MARTIN is America's foremost whistle-blower on government fraud and corruption. A retired US Navy Lt. Commander and former officer in the Office of Naval Intelligence, he has testified before Congress (the Kerry Committee and the Alexander Committee) regarding Iran-Contra. Al Martin is the author of "The Conspirators: Secrets of an Iran Contra Insider" (2001, National Liberty Press, $14.95; order line: 1-866-317-1390.) He lives at an undisclosed location, since the criminals named in his book have been returned to national power and prominence. His column "Behind the Scenes in the Beltway" is published regularly on Al Martin Raw: Criminal Govt Conspiracy (www.almartinraw.com). Previous Columns: What will it be like with George Bush Jr. as president? 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