Ten Questions for Brandon Darby

Posted on | July 1, 2012 | 53 Comments

BRANDON DARBY (photo by Todd Wiseman/Texas Tribune)

(If Brandon Darby isn’t No. 1 on the radical Left’s hate list, it’s only because they hate so many people they can’t keep track anymore. In 2008, Darby worked undercover with the FBI to foil a planned domestic terrorist attack on the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. Since then, Darby has become a columnist for Breitbart.com. His courage was praised by the late Andrew Breitbart, and Darby spoke movingly of his friendship with Andrew at a March memorial service. In recent weeks, Darby has been paying close attention to the story surrounding Brett Kimberlin, Neal Rauhauser and the harassment of conservatives. He agreed to the following e-mail interview about the story. — RSM)

1. How long have you been following the Brett Kimberlin story, and how did you become interested in it?

The Kimberlin/Rauhuaser issue isn’t unique to Kimberlin and Rauhuaser. The details and specifics are, but the gist of it is prevalent in the American Left. The gist is that the people we call “far Left crazies” are actually very well organized and calculated and they operate on behalf of, with the support of, and to the benefit of more mainstream and moderate left-of-center political players.
My interest in this particular issue came up because I began to realize that they acted like bullies. They exhibited a tendency to go after people who were quite innocent of anything other than simply voicing their political concerns and addressing what seemed to be a criminal enterprise operating with mainstream Democratic Party funding and interests.
People I cared for like Mandy Nagy have been being harassed by this network for a long time. My only regret is that I didn’t start taking arrows for my friends on this sooner.

2. What is the most interesting aspect of the story to you?

The most interesting aspect is in watching the Right finally wake up and realize that ignoring “the crazies” isn’t actually ignoring crazy fringes, per se. It’s actually ignoring well funded and organized shock troops whose goal is to destroy anyone who challenges their masters.

3. How does Neal Rauhauser fit into the story?

Rauhuaser seems to be employed or brought in by Kimberlin as an operative. He also seems to be brought in by another similiar network in Florida that created the faux public outrage against Rush Limbaugh in the Stop Rush campaign.

4. A lot of people are focused on the SWATting aspect of this story: First, Mike Stack, then Patterico, then Erick Erickson, and now Aaron Walker. How much do we definitely know about who is behind these dangerous hoaxes and why they’re happening?

It seems to me that the issue is simply this: There exists a group or loosely affiliated entity that receives funding through a front group nonprofit from mainstream left-of-center interests. That group defends the mainstream interests by engaging in campaigns of deception and destruction. They utilize blackhat Anonymous hackers, fake personas, lawfare, and engage in deep intel operations and attention shifting against their funders foes. Some in the Right blogosphere began to catch on, and consequently they were SWATed. Others began to catch on, and they were SWATed. Then the story received more attention than the dirty tricks entity wanted to receive.

5. Recently, some people have actually tried to claim that you were responsible for SWATtings. What is that all about? Why you?

Let’s be clear: By some, you mean the Kimberlin/Rauhauser network and another network who is directly tied to them from Florida, the Matt Edelstein/Matt Osborne network.
The issue seems clear to me. Some parts of this network never intended to receive this much attention. Now they are realizing they are likely going to face justice and get caught. It seems they are now engaging in a preemptive defense strategy where they are making public allegations focusing on someone connected to the FBI, so that when they get busted they can claim that they were close to “uncovering the truth” and their charges are nothing more than political retribution from the FBI or an effort from the FBI to silence them for “getting too close” to the truth. Like it or not, that’s something the New York Times and their ideological Middle Eastern counterpart, Al Jazeera, would eat up. They might even nullify a jury with such a scheme, because it only takes one for them to get off.

6. You’ve worked with the FBI before. I know that some people are frustrated at the slow pace of the investigation. Members of Congress have asked the Attorney General to make the SWATting investigation a priority. Is the FBI incompetent? Do they not care if people get SWATted? Or is SWATting a difficult crime to solve?

Let’s make a distinction between the devoted men and women who bust their ass in the FBI and the organization’s politically appointed leadership and their appointed executive managers. The FBI is the most competent investigative force in the world — when they focus. The issue is in getting them to focus. The men and women can’t focus without the approval of their leadership. It’s that simple. As a citizenry, we have to understand this and focus our attention and efforts on that leadership.
Though I can’t or won’t get into specifics, I can discuss the historical issues I’ve seen that seems to be similiar to what we are seeing in this case. It seems likely that their are indeed many Special Agents who care abut this SWATing threat and how it pertains to an effort to silence free speech. It also seems likely that the leadership of the FBI and DOJ as a whole isn’t assigning resources as the Special Agents are likely requesting.
The centralization of resources and decision making has been centralized in an unprecedented manner since Eric Holder took over the Justice Department. The focus on what appears to be a point-based system of promotion within the FBI also seems to be at fault here. This simply results in executive management focusing on quick and simple cases that result in quickly resolved prosecutions. It’s the same reason we didn’t see civil rights charges against the “RNC Welcoming Committee,” the 2008 manifestation of the groups we now call Occupy that set out with the stated goal of “shutting the RNC down by any means necessary.” It would’ve been a politically charged prosecution, Holder didn’t want it. There are easier ways for his appointees to “earn points.”

7. People have told me that, for a long time, Andrew Breitbart didn’t seem to “get” the importance of the Kimberlin story, or understand why Rauhauser’s involvement was newsworthy. But I understand that, in the last week or so of his life, Breitbart became very interested in the story. Can you explain what happened there?

I think people forget to look at the issues Andrew was covering. It’s easy to say someone should’ve done this or should’ve done that. But we have to consider that there’s only so much time in the day. He was focused on other aspects and cases of this common manifestation I spoke of earlier. He was focused on other instances of the mainstream Left using shock troops. . . .
He did realize that he was a target of what I call the Kimberlin/Rauhauser network. I think he didn’t realize until that point that they were so organized and calculated.

8. Back in February, Neal Rauhauser published a paper that claimed there was this vast conspiracy involving a lot of people: Breitbart, Mike Stack, Mandy Nagy, “Zapem,” James O’Keefe and even the security firm HBGary. Do you think Rauhauser actually believes that stuff? Was there ever any kind of conspiracy like that?

There was and is no conspiracy like that. The simple facts are these: People have a right to look at and report on networks of criminals. People have an obligation to report criminals to law enforcement when there are victims involved. The fact that the mainstream Left chooses to employ convicted bombers and other criminals is their own choice.

9. Why haven’t the major media gotten involved in covering this story? I mean, Walker’s SWATting happened in the Virginia suburbs of D.C., so that’s right in the Washington Post’s backyard and – nothing. Same thing with Patterico and the L.A. Times. Same thing with Mike Stack and the New York Times – I mean, Stack lives in New Jersey and he helped bring down Anthony Weiner, so he’s kind of local news for them. Is this about bias? Or is it just that the story is so complicated?

The story seems complicated until you put it into the historical perspective it exists within. Then it is quite simple. Left media doesn’t cover the story because many of them are involved with the networks of operatives we are discussing.

10. How would you summarize this story in a nutshell? What’s the one thing that people really need to understand about all this?

Just remember, the Right calls out, marginalizes, and rejects their “crazies.” The Right’s “crazies” are an anomaly. The Left embraces, defends, and supports their “crazies.” In fact, the Left’s crazies are vital and needed components to the dehumanization and deceptive methodology leftist thought depends upon. This is why the Left historically minimizes the crimes of their “crazies” and engages in a whore-defense against the victims of the Left’s crazies.

Update (Smitty): welcome, Instapundit readers!

Category: Andrew Breitbart, Brandon Darby, Terrorism, The Kimberlin Files

Comments

53 Responses to “Ten Questions for Brandon Darby”

Answers From Brandon Darby « That Mr. G Guy's Blog
July 1st, 2012 @ 2:11 pm

[…] Stacy McCain gets an exclusive interview with Brandon Darby of Breitbart.com. Here’s an excerpt of the interview; (If Brandon Darby isn’t No. 1 on the radical Left’s hate list, it’s only because they hate so many people they can’t keep track anymore. In 2008, Darby worked undercover with the FBI to foil a planned domestic terrorist attack on the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. Since then, Darby has become a columnist for Breitbart.com, whose courage was praised by the late Andrew Breitbart, and who spoke movingly of his friendship with Andrew at a March memorial service. In recent weeks, Darby has been paying close attention to the story surrounding Brett Kimberlin, Neal Rauhauser and the harassment of conservatives. He agreed to the following e-mail interview about the story. — RSM) […]
Meet the man the Left hates most « The Daley Gator
July 1st, 2012 @ 2:22 pm

[…] that is what Stacy McCain thinks Brandon Darby may well be. Stacy posts an interview with Darby, and offers some background on the man (If Brandon Darby isn’t No. 1 on the radical Left’s hate list, it’s only because they hate so […]
The Monster
July 1st, 2012 @ 2:54 pm

Grammar Nazi here:

“Since then, Darby has become a columnist for Breitbart.com, whose courage was praised by the late Andrew Breitbart, and who spoke movingly of his friendship with Andrew at a March memorial service”

“whose” would refer to the word immediately preceding it, as if the courage of “Breitbart.com” had been praised by Andrew Breitbart, which sounds awfully self-serving on behalf of Andrew if you ask me.

Suggested rewrite:
“Since then, Darby has become a columnist for Breitbart.com. His courage was praised by the late Andrew Breitbart, and he spoke movingly of his friendship with Andrew at a March memorial service.”

Alternatively, make the period I’ve inserted a semicolon, and lower the case of “His”.
MrPaulRevere
July 1st, 2012 @ 3:10 pm

“A shadowy conservative group had contacted Andrew and emailed him about this network. I felt that it appeared to be an opportunistic effort resembling a protection racket of some sort.” I had seen this hinted about on various twitter feeds, but before today I’ve never seen it said explicity. I would suggest this could be a very big piece of the puzzle. Hopefully Brandon and/or others have documentation that can be explored further.
Stogie Chomper
July 1st, 2012 @ 3:18 pm

Fascinating. As more information comes out, we see that Kimberlin/Rauhauser are more than just loose cannons on the left; they are the shock troops of a calculated strategy by mainstream Democrats and “progressives.”
Dianna Deeley
July 1st, 2012 @ 4:06 pm

So, when one reads “shadowy conservative group”, does one automatically substitute the phrase “disinformation campaign”, or is that just me? It seems to me that operating in the shadows is a waste of time.

Of course, I’m the bull who likes china, and can never figure out why everyone else in the shop is so very upset.
Adjoran
July 1st, 2012 @ 4:55 pm

Or he could just eliminate the comma after “Breitbart.com” instead.
JeffS
July 1st, 2012 @ 5:12 pm

It’s a waste of time if and only if there is no threat facing the country from “non conservatives” who are not above breaking laws and using violence.

As there is such a threat, operating under the radar is a good idea. Communists and socialists love to keep lists of names.

No doubt mine is on those lists many times over. So, more power to this “shadowy conservative group”.
robertstacymccain
July 1st, 2012 @ 5:39 pm

Good God: First, terrorized by Brett Kimberlin, now it’s an attack by the Strunk & White Grammar Militia.

I’m a victim!
crosspatch
July 1st, 2012 @ 6:22 pm

If you simply look at how the “non-crazy” left works, that is scary enough. You have Tides Foundation that allows laundering of funds, you have Fenton Communications that not only keep everyone on message but also does things like starting astroturf groups, dumps stories pre-written into the laps of “sympathetic journalists”, and acts to coordinate funding to causes, it is no wonder. The entire THING is a “vast left wing conspiracy” and they make no effort to hide that, in fact, they BRAG about it.

The “legitimate” left wing is based on deception and coordination giving the illusion that things are bigger than they appear. The right would never be allowed to do things that the left does as a matter of course. Heck, the right takes flack when a private citizen provides funding for something they believe in with their own money completely above board.

The political left in this country is completely unhinged and only exists at all through deception and coordination.
Bob Belvedere
July 1st, 2012 @ 6:24 pm

…and a raaaaacist!
Bob Belvedere
July 1st, 2012 @ 6:25 pm

Sounds like another assignment for The Army Of Davids.
Bob Belvedere
July 1st, 2012 @ 6:26 pm

The question is: which one is the modern version of Ernst Rohm?
Bob Belvedere
July 1st, 2012 @ 6:27 pm

Stay that way, Dianna.
Bob Belvedere
July 1st, 2012 @ 6:28 pm

More power to them, but they need to be vetted because they could be working for the Enemy.

We have to be careful.
Connecting Some of the Dots | hogewash
July 1st, 2012 @ 6:32 pm

[…] Some of the Dots Posted on 1 July, 2012 by wjjhoge Stacy McCain has published an interview with Brandon Darby about the connections between Brett Kimberlin Lord […]
DonaldDouglas
July 1st, 2012 @ 6:44 pm

Robert, I posted on the accusers’ strategy, ICYMI: “‘Accuse the Accusers’: How It Works”.
Beto_Ochoa
July 1st, 2012 @ 6:55 pm

Last week I commented to Stacy that it appears these guys are being run. That means real intelligence operatives are using them as assets. That means involvement of US resources to organize these different groups. They have too much access to intelligence networks and the data therein for them not to be connected.
But they make unprofessional, asset level mistakes and they will be found out. The handlers will melt away and new dogs will be employed. I reckon those machinations are already engaged in this case. They have no want of willing dupes.
Beto_Ochoa
July 1st, 2012 @ 7:04 pm

I like the way you talk. UmmHunh
Swatting update « Newsbeat1
July 1st, 2012 @ 7:26 pm

[…] “the people we call “far Left crazies” are actually very well organized and calculated and they operate on behalf of, with the support of, and to the benefit of more mainstream and moderate left-of-center political players.”- the Other McCain […]
The #BrettKimberlin Report D+37: The Kimberlin/Rauhauser Cell « The Camp Of The Saints
July 1st, 2012 @ 8:11 pm

[…] Do take the time to click here and read the whole interview – there’s much to be learned from it. […]
Dianna Deeley
July 1st, 2012 @ 8:36 pm

That is complicating the situation beyond reason. I see no – and I mean zero, zilch, zip and nada – evidence of any access to intelligence sources and methods beyond what any half-employed nerd with a burning envy of the exploits of the NSA or other three-letter agency could acquire from dedicated reading.

Or that which could be simulated by a half-way decent novelist.
JeffS
July 1st, 2012 @ 9:26 pm

Are you aware that there are private corporations which provide intelligence services? And not small ones, either. Take a gander at Blackwater. And it doesn’t have to be for political reasons — industrial espionage is a major problem across the world. Those can and do have “real intelligence operatives”.

Now, I’m not saying that there ARE private corporations providing intelligence services (collection, collation, analyzing, and dissemination, amongst others) to political groups within the United States. I’m pointing out that this is in the realm of possibility.

What has been brought up is speculation, an unconfirmed assumption based on known operating principles and guidelines for HUMINT and disinformation. It’s offered as a hypothesis, which must then be proven or dis-proven.

And while there is no direct evidence of such an operation, there are indicators of some degree of cooperation and coordination. Whether it’s a bunch of cranks with computers, “Journolist”, or a Stasi level of organization remains to be seen.

What complicates this is when people confuse “hypothesis” with “confirmed facts”. In this, real journalism (like what Stacy does) has much in common with intelligence gathering. You have to keep these categories firmly in mind all the time.

In that sense, what Beta_Ocha offers is valid.
JeffS
July 1st, 2012 @ 9:27 pm

The nature of this beast — if it actually exists, I concede — is that we won’t know until we need to know. Or they are dragged into the open, a la’ Team Kimberlin.
zen
July 1st, 2012 @ 10:14 pm

A really fine series of questions, RSM. I say more interviews.
SPQR
July 1st, 2012 @ 10:26 pm

” the Kimberlin/Rauhauser network” should be better known as “the Brett Kimberlin crime family”.
Bob Belvedere
July 1st, 2012 @ 10:52 pm

I’ve been calling them ‘La Cosa Kimberlin’, but I came up with a new one today that I might start using instead: the Kimberlin/Rauhauser Cell.

I think it fits more because they’re operating like the Communist cells of old.

I’m open, however, to suggestions.
Pittman Ken
July 1st, 2012 @ 11:09 pm

just as Bryan said I’m shocked that any one can earn $5316 in four weeks on the computer. have you read this site makecash16com
Pittman Ken
July 1st, 2012 @ 11:17 pm

like Andrew said I am startled that a student can profit $5397 in 1 month on the computer. did you look at this link makecash16com
motion view
July 1st, 2012 @ 11:19 pm

How does the guy with the upside down flag fit in?
Noctis Lucis Caelum
July 2nd, 2012 @ 5:22 am

I giggled IRL.
brooksbayne
July 2nd, 2012 @ 5:54 am

lmao -> “A shadowy conservative group had contacted Andrew and emailed him about this network. I felt that it appeared to be an opportunistic effort resembling a protection racket of some sort.”

we’ve seen the emails, and this characterization is more bullshit from this group that acts like they’re hard-charging for the finish line on this story. it’s utter nonsense.

srsly, enough with the stupid.
brooksbayne
July 2nd, 2012 @ 5:59 am

it’s total bullshit. our team have seen the emails. more disinfo from barby.
brooksbayne
July 2nd, 2012 @ 6:00 am

this is the best comment in this thread.
brooksbayne
July 2nd, 2012 @ 6:02 am

stay tuned. Jesus would like it.
brooksbayne
July 2nd, 2012 @ 6:03 am

right?!
teapartydoc
July 2nd, 2012 @ 7:02 am

The answer to that last question is something I’ve been trying to get average folks to acknowledge for some time. Thanks.
Rob Crawford
July 2nd, 2012 @ 7:24 am

Except we’ve been told over and over this isn’t a partisan issue!

(Frankly, I think the “this isn’t partisan” is one reason there appears to be so little progress on this. It plays into the “it’s just a blog feud” line, and helps bury how well-connected and important these thugs are. Darby has it precisely correct: the right marginalizes crazies; the left wallows in them.)
Rob Crawford
July 2nd, 2012 @ 7:28 am

The problem for your “team” is you. Sorry, but I’ve never been impressed with anything I’ve seen with your name attached; it always seems superficial, adds nothing new, and to be unnecessarily hostile towards anyone you haven’t blessed as one of the “in” group.
Rob Crawford
July 2nd, 2012 @ 7:29 am

And you make my point…
brooksbayne
July 2nd, 2012 @ 7:31 am

nothing new? lol. what planet are you on, sugar?

sure, we break the stories. and why? go on. guess. i’ve seen the emails. have you? nope. keep crying, rob. Jesus just shed a single tear for you.
brooksbayne
July 2nd, 2012 @ 7:34 am

that you don’t know what you’re talking about? i know.

btw, rob, what have you done of note? we’re all ears. please regale us with your tales of “war”. i’m sure we’ll all be fascinated!
Morning Coffee Links | Liberty News Network
July 2nd, 2012 @ 8:40 am

[…] The Other McCain: Ten Questions for Brandon Darby […]
JeffS
July 2nd, 2012 @ 9:24 am

Such constructive criticism! No doubt people take you very seriously.

Not “srsly”, “seriously”.
More Internet Pogroms
July 2nd, 2012 @ 10:02 am

[…] Last night, on Twitter, after having flaunted my sorry excuse for a social life by watching Italy have its collective pantalone kicked by Spain, I got to witness the reaction what was characterized as a Brooks Bayne attack on Brandon Darby. Apparently, Brandon Darby had criticized Bayne (for goodness only knows what), and Bayne posted Darby's cell phone number. If I have this right, this was revealed in an audio file, but I could be wrong, since I arrived in medias res. Darby, as you may recall, is despised by the left for having ratted out to the FBI 'activists' who were plotting to blow sh*t up at the Democrat Convention in 2008. He knows a thing or two about the activist left—though whether he's talking through his hat and to what extent if he is I leave to your judgments—and he shares some of his insights in this interview of ten questions with Stacy. […]
Cmehusk
July 2nd, 2012 @ 11:41 am

Good going rob! His team is all this toes and his other little things, if you know what I mean I HAVE SEEN THE EMAILS, try reading and understand them sugarplum
Followup On Domestic Terrorist Brett Kimberlin « Tai-Chi Policy
July 2nd, 2012 @ 11:52 pm

[…] claim that he’s a nobody who conservatives are victimizing who never meant anything to them, as they always do. Meanwhile, it’s become a more vicious and twisted farce and travesty of justice. While more […]
Brooks Bayne targets conservatives with Brett Kimberlin-style tactics | Twitchy
July 3rd, 2012 @ 7:33 am

[…] – Brandon Darby […]
Brooks Bayne targets conservatives with Brett Kimberlin-style tactics | Iron Mill News Service
July 3rd, 2012 @ 9:10 am

[…] “crazies” are an anomaly. The Left embraces, defends, and supports their “crazies.”– Brandon DarbyBrandon Darby is a freedom fighter, a former leftist activist who went undercover for the FBI to […]
Brandon Darby accused of SWAT-ting by Brett Kimberlin crony; National Bloggers Club pledges support | Twitchy
July 3rd, 2012 @ 12:41 pm

[…] “accuse the accuser” strategy Patterico and Stacy McCain have written about. More from McCain’s recent interview with Darby. 5. Recently, some people have actually tried to claim that you were responsible for SWATtings. […]