Rathergate: much more than meets the EYE

[kpete]

Rathergate: much more than meets the EYE
by markthshark
Sun Nov 25, 2007 at 11:20:27 AM PST

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Earlier this month (Nov. 20) the New York Observer ran a story highlighting Rather’s travails in redeeming his good name, and proving once and for all that the story that got him fired was indeed true after all.

More than two years earlier, in the aftermath of what would become known as Rathergate, CBS had hired Mr. Rigler, a former Navy aviator and F.B.I. agent, in part to get to the bottom of the controversial documents at the heart of the affair. Where had the documents come from? Was the content accurate if not authentic? Who was the source?

For reasons that remain unclear, CBS eventually curtailed Mr. Rigler’s investigation. His findings were never made public. Nor, as it turns out, were they made available to Mr. Rather—a fact that years later, continued to stick in the anchorman’s craw.

According to Mr. Gold, this past summer when he reached Mr. Rigler, the investigator said he would be happy to talk but first had to run it by CBS. Weeks later, Mr. Gold hadn’t heard back. He called again. Shortly thereafter, according to Mr. Gold, he received a letter from the legal department at CBS telling him to stop harassing their client. A volley of contentious communications ensued and on Sept. 19, Mr. Rather officially gave up on phone calls and letters—he filed a $70 million civil lawsuit against his former bosses at CBS and Viacom, including Les Moonves, Sumner Redstone and Andrew Heyward.

"I tried to talk to Rigler and CBS shut me down," said Mr. Gold.

much more here:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/11/25/133550/27