Right-Wing Intimidation Hits Home

Let me share with you a letter I received at home, Tuesday, September 30th. At the time, I knew nothing about the sender or the organization of which he's Chairman. Now, thanks to the Internet, I know a good deal more about him. This letter arrived in a large, thin cardboard envelope, labeled "UPS Expedited Mail." The envelope also proclaimed that this was "Expedited Mail by UPS Mail Innovations" and it was "Time Sensitive Material." I don't remember ever getting "Time Sensitive Material, Expedited by UPS Mail Innovations." Here is the letter accompanied by a legal memorandum from the sender's attorney:

Click on image for pdf.

Here is my OPEN LETTER in response to Howard Rich, Chairman, Americans for Limited Government Foundation:

Dear Howie,

Thanks for your time-sensitive, expedited letter, undated. Let me call you Howie since you have my home address, something only my friends and business associates have, and since there are almost four million internet entries about you, many of which refer to you as Howie. Do you like being called Howie? Probably as much as I like to get threatening letters from people such as you. I'm sure you really don't know anything about me, let alone my political leanings. How is it then that you have my name and address and threaten to "publicize my involvement in leftist organizations in my local community?"

Let me tell you about my local community. I live and work in Hollywood, where if you publicize someone's involvement with the Left, a thunderous yawn will likely arise over the basin. Unlike you, people out here don't care what organizations a person belongs to. You must have gotten my name as a result of sloppy work by a lazy hired hand because in my case, you got the wrong guy. I wonder how many of the other 11,000 or more identical letters you sent went to people you've wrongly identified as "belonging to the radical agenda of the left."

You see, I'm not a member of any political organization - left, right or center. I gave a donation to Barack Obama, but not to any PAC's or any other candidates. I once gave a donation to our local Sheriff, but I have no idea what party he belongs to. I am a member of two prominent social clubs, both of which could be called conservative. You might enjoy them as much as I do. So what am I doing in your database?

As I mentioned, there are almost four million internet entries that reference you and your organization. Some of them refer to you as a "wealthy, New York developer." Like a lot of stuff that gets written about people, one can't always verify the truth, but here are a few random entries: a posting by a Robert W. Dalton claims you're "one of the most despised figures in South Carolina politics." Mr. Dalton's posting goes on to quote the Spartanburg (SC) Democratic Chairman who calls you "A disaster waiting to happen." The Democratic Public Information Officer for the Union County Schools in South Carolina says you're "pouring money into candidates who are willing to sell their souls to get elected."

On the other hand, prominent Republicans like the State GOP Party Chairman, the Spartanburg GOP County Chairman, and Governor Mark Sandford (R) have nothing but good things to say about you. It seems the dispute along party lines is over your desire to create a private school system funded by taxpayers. You seem to be a big spender and you put your money behind your beliefs. Nothing wrong with that, nothing that should cause anyone to send you a threatening letter. But again at random, a website called STOP BALLOT FRAUD says you "subsidize voter fraud." By the way, nice picture of you on that website.

Surely my small donation to the Democratic candidate for President can't be what offends you, so I invite you to lay out publicly exactly what it is you consider to be my radical agenda. I'm sharing this note with the public because it demands wider circulation. What you're expediting is Un-American. False accusations. Threats. Attempts to suppress speech. As Joseph Welch, long ago lamented to Senator Joe McCarthy, "Sir, have you no shame?"

Sincerely,
William Friedkin

P. S. Enclosed is a letter to you from my lawyer, Eric George, sent by regular mail.

Click on image for pdf.

Comments

[BigHeadTodd]

Way to slam these jackasses in the head with a 2-by-4, Mr. Friedkin. Fear, intimidation and corrupt "pro America" behavior is trying to rear its ugly head again. These people are the charlatans whose only blood-lust is for ill-gotten money and perverted power.

[Andrea1010]

This is one of the scariest things I have seen on Huffingtonpost! Thank you for posting and for standing up to evil.

[Nazan]

Mr. Friedkin,
I applaud your decision to make this letter public. I only wish that the MSM would pick up on your story and stories like it. I am disheartened by the fact that the MSM seens to ignore situations like this. If only more recipients of these types of indimidation letters would speak up in protest and voice their concerns, then perhaps the issue would attract enough popularity to warrant circulation or ratings. In my humble opinion, there couldn't be a greater assault to our democracy than this. Keep up your good work!

[Donns]

Hey, I donated $25.00 to somebody, a Libritarian I think it was, I want my letter too.

[lewes17266]

Mr. Friedkin, Thank you for this. I wish you would read my profile. It is all true.

[ToonMoene]

> So what am I doing in your database?

Ohhh, I sense a new meme coming up:

"What does a nice guy like you doing in a database like this ?"

:-)

[bertkamp16]

Good for you, Mr. Friedkin! Seems to a lot of this McCarthyistic non-sense going around these days....

[dcinroc]

Perhaps Howie and Michele Bachmann should get married.

[JNagarya]

Damn! I hope I receive one of those letters: I could use the millions in settlement.

And I would act without hesitation on a letter which on its face is essentially blackmail, and therefore in itself actionable, even if the underlying threat isn't effectuated.

[likeicare]

This must be what Sarah The Witch of the West calls "pro-Ameri­canism."

And we thought political witch hunts like this ended when Joe McCarthy died in '57!

[Oldbuck]

What really scary is these type people have taken over the Republican party most are simply mined and are truly Un American if we let these type get away with this type thing we will lose our Country if we have not already done so.

[tedeger]

Howie? or Howdy Doody? Sounds like a Rovian Puppet.

[ContraEgoiste]

Didn't this kind of intimidation happen in Nazi Germany?? And then again with fascist McCarthy??

Is this what Neocons mean by their "New World Order"??

And this tidbit jumped out at me.

"It seems the dispute along party lines is over your desire to create a private school system funded by taxpayers.­"

So, a school only those who can afford it will attend, but built and paid with the public's money??

[booksnmore4you]

This needs to hit Olbermann's Worst person in the World....

[Bitsko]

From Wikipedia:

"Rich has financed numerous initiatives since 1992.

"2006 has been called a "breakout year" for Rich's financial involvement in states' initiative processes; Rich spent over $15 million to back measures in 14 states in 2006. Of the 35 measures he backed, only one passed.

'Nuff said. Great reply to this nefarious character, Mr. Friedkin.

[SurrealPumpkin]

What a track record. ROFL maybe he should develop a new hobby.