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

[MrBurlesk]

Dear Mr Friedkin; I was so happy that CRUISING finally came out on DVD - with commentary. Thanks so much!

[Bitsko]

Shades of Counterattack, and other nefarious groups during the forties and fifties. Thanks for the creepy information.

[Nooneyouknow]

Well, Howie's letter is another stellar example of American wingnuttery; threats, bullying, paranoia, poor cognitive skills, poor impulse control (not thinking through the results of one's actions), etc. That people like Howie are able to so warp our government by application of their wealth is a prime argument for political funding reform. Howie's a loony; we need to keep people like him as far away from grown-up government as possible.

[TheHandyman]

Harumph! I say, harumph, I'm rich! I have nothing to fear except fear itself, and loosing in the stock market but my friends in Washington will take care of that for me. what are these cognitive skills you are talking about? Don't need em! I hire people for that. Don't need impulse control, I am rich enough to get whatever I want, boy! I'll have your phones tapped if you don't watch it. I have friends in low places to take care of my dirty laundry so watch it! Harumph!

[guajiro]

Seems like voter intimidation to me. I wonder if McCain will be all over it, talking about it on the next public appearance he makes? Surely Lou Dobbs, he who says he represents the independent voter, will have this subject on his next show. Yeah.....right.

[moonie1]

Hey, I donated to Obama's campaign too. Where is my threatening letter? I'll put it up on my wall as a badge of honor! Right next to the dartboard with a photo of Howie Rich taped to it. Thanks for sounding the voice or reason to these right-wing idiots, Mr. Friedkin.

[PackyJ]

Mr. Friedkin:
Kudos for an excellent post and even more excellent response to attempted intimidation.
I think I received a letter similar to yours a while back ( I contributed to Obama, and horrors! Democratic US House and Senate candidates as well).
The description of the envelope you gave makes me pretty darn sure.
But, alas, mine never made it out of the post office. I didn't even open it, I (correctly) assumed it was junk mail. and it was deposited the round file on my way out the door.
Now I'm kind of sorry I didn't open and read it.
Perhaps, if my name is published somewhere as being anti-American, we can join together in filing a lawsuit.
I'm not really worried about it, though.
I have far bigger fish to fry, closer to home.

[williamwilliam]

Nicely done indeed. I wasn't sure that vertebrates still walked this country.

On a different subject, Sorcerer rules, to completely understate the matter.
I have no idea how the chronology worked out in his last months,
but If he didn't see a rough cut, Clouzot would have tipped his hat very deep.

If he did and didn't, the best in him surely wanted to.

[Bitsko]

Check out Fifty Two Pick-Up, which has a terrific performance by Clarence Thomas III.

[Bitsko]

Either my Freudian slip is showing or I am plumb tuckered out, but of course I meant the wonderful but underrated actor Clarence Williams III, and not the x-rated Supreme Court Justice.

[backsassing]

I had read about this man and his orginization's intention to send these letters out about 3 weeks ago.
So oh goody, I am getting mail from the cook.

[mebble]

Put Howie on Bachmann's List of Un-American Americans to be Investigated!

[Mildmannered]

I was going to make a similar posting after reading Friedkin's article. You beat me to it, mebble (and others)

[Nickesq]

Yes! And put Bachmann on Howie's list so that they can just go at each other.

[CalifroniaMark]

OBAMA / BIDEN NOV. 4th - NOT FOR SOME OF AMERICA BUT FOR ALL OF AMERICA

[theactivist2015]

Mr. Friedkin, you're a good man.

[amoore503]

There seems to be a lot of McCarthyism from the Republicans. Just exactly what are they trying to say? While Barack will push America forward, McCain wants to send us back to an era where people spy and pit against each other. That's the kind of America he wants? Is that what you want?


Barack 08 and 12

[jacqmac]

Howie Rich, Michelle Bachman, and Voinovich are probably all members of the same organization.
I'd like to get one of these letters too. We probably ALL will Should the Rightwing agenda prevail and the Republicans manage to steal another election. We'll probably get these letters and then be forced to sign a loyalty oath in order to keep our below minimum wage jobs, IF we are so lucky to retain ANY type of employment whatsoever. AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION!! ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION????!!!!!

[KatiaK]

Time for us "pro-Americans" to take back our country. Get out the vote. Obama/Biden '08

[dennybop]

I'm sure "The Americans or Limited Government Foundation" looked into the legality of sending such letters, and found a way to skirt the law. Even so, this seems like out and out voter intimidation, which I thought was illegal in most jurisdictions. Likely a Federal crime. This is how scummy things have gotten. Decent citizens of all political persuassion should fear what fanatics have done to bring political discourse in the US to an all-time low.
I am frightened by the prospect of what the far-right will do when Mr. Obama is elected. Alot of folks have floated the notion that "blacks will riot" if Obama doesn't win the election. I think that's nonsense. I think that it is far more likely that right-wing demagogues will stir up hatred and make fanatics feel it is their right to take part in illegal, violent and anti-democratic activities against our nation. I am truly worried.

[guajiro]

My general experience with the likes of Howie Rich is that they send threatening letters but in the end do not commit any offense (generally speaking). The effect on innocent people is one where they tend to believe the threat is real and back off on their support for whatever position they were in. I've had letters sent to me by lawyers on behalf of criminals who had the chutzpah to attempt to intimidate me out of something they wanted. In the law profession, this tactic is used daily. For those who do receive such a letter I recommend making copies of it and taking a copy to your local judge to talk over.