Missing White Billionaire! Blood on the Boat! The Aspens are Turning!

[blogslut]

I tried to bump this absolutely tasty thread - originally posted by KoKo01:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1402002

Phillip Merrill, Prominent Publisher & Bush Diplomat Missing from Yacht

Edited on Sun Jun-11-06 09:16 AM by KoKo01
Philip Merrill's boat was found around 7 p.m. Saturday, authorities said. Merrill was still missing early Sunday, said Tom Marquardt of The Capital, which is part of Merrill's publishing company.

The 72-year-old publisher had been sailing alone on a breezy day, Marquardt said in a telephone interview. He said he did not know what happened to him...

Alas, no love. Now I'm giving it a new thread because the outlying details about this case are just too juicy!

Phillip Merrill - Mega-wealthy publisher. Rich enough (donation!) to have the University of Maryland name a School of Journalism after him. Avid sailor. Long-time friend of Dick Cheney. Appointed/served as chairman of the Ex-Im Bank (2002-2005) by George W. Bush. Former assistant secretary @ NATO. Medal of Distinguished Service winner 1988. On the Board of trustees for the Aspen Institute (Scooter!). Member of the Atlantic Council along with Judy Miller!

On Saturday, June 10, appx 7:00 PM, two jetskiers discover an abandoned Bristol 88, in shallow water with sails up, engine off and no apparent captain or crew. One of the jet-skiing witnesses claims that he boarded the boat and turned on the engine with intent to return the Bristol to a nearby port. That's when the witness saw blood...

The original rescue operation to find the missing Mr. Merrill has now been designated a recovery effort to locate his body.

Out West, where you vacation, the aspens will already be turning. They turn in clusters, because their roots connect them.
- excerpt from letter written by I. Lewis Libby, addressed to Judith Miller in jail.

Sources:

Intial Missing Rich White Guy Story - http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1795001,00.html

Link to pics and specs of a 1988 Bristol - http://www.urifoundation.org/uriboats/boatsforsale/picture.pl?boat_id=18309&return=class_search.pl%3Fboat_type%3Dsail

Link to Aspen Institute Trustee page, citing Merrill - http://www.aspeninstitute.org/site/c.huLWJeMRKpH/b.612749/k.9FA2/Philip_Merrill.htm

Link to article mentioning Merrill's long-standing friendship with Cheney - http://www.worldtrademag.com/CDA/Articles/Banking_and_Trade_Finance/46c082712aaf7010VgnVCM100000f932a8c0____

Atlantic Council member's page with Merrill and Judy Miller - http://www.acus.org/about-people-board.asp

Letter from 30 year, ex-Merrill employee, Kitty Kelly, condemning her former boss for firing her in retaliation for her authoring a Bush Family biography (scroll down) - http://poynter.org/forum/default.asp?id=32365&DGPCrSrt=&DGPCrPg=8

Link to article written by one of Merrill's own staff reporters, detailing the witness' blood account as well as Merrill's well-known sailing skills, the arguably non-threatening weather and the regularity of his route - http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2006/06_12-44/TOP

Conspiracy Theories Rule! :tinfoilhat:

[Sequoia]

1. Are we sure Cheney wasn't on the boat quail, I mean fish, hunting?

[idgiehkt]

2. holy crap.

between Ann Coulter's inane ramblings and the Leopold clusterfuck they might have invaded iran and cured cancer for all we know.

thanks for posting.

a friend of Cheney's disappeared?

[SoCalDem]

3. Maybe he's in Cabo, having drinks with Olivia's ex-lover

:)

Quick.. call Dog, the bounty hunter

[blogslut]

5. Maybe they know where Hoffa's buried

:)

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

4. I'm Sorry To Hear He May Have Met This Fate.

My thoughts go out to his family.

[Skink]

6. Probably distraught over the inheritance tax.

[LeftCoast]

7. Locking

Please keep thread discussions in a single thread. Thanks.