The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

‘Anonymous’ Spokesman Barrett Brown Arrested After Bizarre Video Meltdown

Posted on | September 16, 2012 | 35 Comments

Barrett Brown calmly explains why he’s going to ‘destroy’ an FBI agent

“In an interview with Defense Technology International [March 1], prominent Anonymous front man Barrett Brown alluded to the significance of the HB Gary hacking in the movement.”
— Mandy Nagy (aka “Liberty Chick”), Breitbart.com, “FBI Bust, Aided by ‘Anonymous’ Snitch, Reveals Left-Hacker Alliance,” March 9, 2012

“I got to find out, thanks to a hack — thanks to another f–king stroke of luck, thank God — that HB Gary, since mid-February, had hired an FBI informant . . . making up reasons to raid Barrett Brown and get his information.”
— Barrett Brown, “Why I’m Going to Destroy FBI Agent Robert Smith Part Three,” YouTube.com, Sept. 12, 2012

“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
— II Thessalonians, 2:11-12 (KJV)

* WARNING: INTENSIVE WEIRDNESS! *
Do Not Read This If You Can’t Handle
Full-Strength Industrial-Grade Crazy

The latest bizarre turn in the strange saga of Barrett Brown came to my attention Wednesday evening while I was on the phone with a friend talking about the (equally bizarre) attacks against me by Larry Sinclair, notorious for his claim of having once been Barack Obama’s gay lover.

Damn, I get some of the weirdest enemies, don’t I?

So I was on the phone talking about this and related stuff, and I’m not quite sure how the name Barrett Brown came up, but my friend said, “Have you seen his latest videos?”

When I said I had not, my friend said, “Oh, man, you’ve got to go check it out. It’s funny as hell. He’s talking all kinds of crazy stuff about the FBI and HBGary. It’s hilarious.”

This aroused my curiosity. When last I encountered Brown, it was Tuesday, Sept. 4, and I’d just gotten a call from Charlotte, informing me that they were waiting for me to come pick up my media credentials for the Democratic National Convention. The day before, Brown had gotten up in my face on Twitter, threatening to sue me for having reported the widespread suspicion that he was cooperating with authorities investigating the “Anonymous” hacker conspiracy.

Now, this is simply a fact: A lot of the Anonymous people never trusted Barrett Brown, regarding him as an untrustworthy egomaniacal fame-seeker trying to cash in. He did a TV interview with Michael Isikoff of NBC and announced a book deal with Gregg Housh, and did all of this while promoting himself as the official spokesman for Anonymous, whose members are . . . well, anonymous, and with good reason, because the cops would very much like to put a lot of them in prison.

After the FBI raided — but did not arrest — Brown in March, he became completely radioactive, especially after court documents in the “LulzSec” case (a rogue splinter of Anonymous) showed the feds were getting information from “unindicted co-conspirators.”

Hackers are generally smart enough to add 2 + 2, and if Brown’s get-out-of-jail-free card was contingent on him becoming an FBI informant, he had a serious problem, because none of his hacker buddies trusted him as far as they could throw him.

All of this was just plain fact, and when Brown threatened to sue me for having reported it, I laughed off his threat as absurd. I sent him an e-mail reply that ended with this advice:

You don’t need a lawyer, Barrett. You need a psychiatrist, or perhaps a priest to exorcise your demons. You are traveling a road to destruction, as harmful to yourself as to any of your chosen enemies. Get help.

Evidently, Brown refused to heed this advice. And so Wednesday when my friend told me about Barrett’s latest “hilarious” video, I was curious — and shocked by what I saw when I clicked on his YouTube channel. Are you sure you can handle the intense craziness? Because this is 13 minutes of absolute 100% bugfucking nuts:

Somebody should transcribe that before it’s deleted. You may not get all the references — HB Gary is the security firm that got hacked by LulzSec, Aaron Barr is the executive whose e-mails were stolen in the hacking, and Jennifer Emick is the former Anonymous member who identified LulzSec leader Sabu. A lot of this “Team Themis” stuff that Barrett Brown was ranting about shows up, by the way, in Neal Rauhauser’s conspiracy-theory document “Andrew Breitbart’s ISR Cell?”

Rauhauser sent that to the FBI in February after weeks of ominous warnings about a “Kookpocalypse.” And it is almost certainly not a coincidence that Barrett popped up on Twitter a couple weeks ago threatening both me and Patterico. Rauhauser’s own connections to Anonymous are extensively documented, but the exact nature and extent of his collaboration with Barrett Brown is unknown.

Being a paranoid conspiracy theorist is not illegal, and Brown’s tinfoil-hat rantings about HB Gary and Jen Emick were just so much noise. But his threats to “destroy” FBI agent Robert Smith? Yeah, the feds don’t take that kind of talk lightly:

Dallas law enforcement authorities have arrested self-professed Anonymous spokesman Barrett Brown in what appears to have been a dramatic raid of his apartment late Wednesday night.
Barrett was having a live online video chat session with a few others when law enforcement officers can be heard storming into the room and shouting at him to comply with their commands to submit to his arrest. . . .
A spokeswoman for the Dallas County Sheriff’s office confirmed the arrest and said Brown was booked into the county jail at around 11 p.m. CT and has since been transferred to an FBI facility. A spokeswoman from the FBI field office in Dallas said the agency had no comment on the arrest. . . .
No official reason has been offered yet as to why Barrett was arrested. But it may be connected to a YouTube video Barrett released yesterday in which he appears to threaten an FBI agent named Robert Smith. In the rambling 13-minute expletive-laced video, Barrett accuses Smith of getting his mother into trouble on obstruction of justice charges over a laptop that Barrett had attempted to conceal from authorities. . . .

You can read the whole thing, which actually has video of the raid, which went down while Barrett was having an online video chat with his fellow crazies. Hilarious? Not at all.

Brown is mentally ill, but he’s also young and handsome and intelligent, which permitted him to attract a sort of fan club of enablers who encouraged his anti-social deviance and — hey! — it’s all just fun and games until somebody goes to federal prison.

What did Barrett Brown think he was doing? How has he come to this sorry end? He was playing at being an “investigative journalist,” hoping to achieve fame and fortune by exposing those corrupt evildoers using his amazing Internet skilz.

The White Knight rides forth in shining armor on his noble steed to slay the dangerous dragon!

It’s a common enough amateur fantasy nowadays, and these cyber-Walter Mitty types magnify their dragons — “Islamophobic extremist” Aaron Walker, “convicted felon” Ali Akbar, “racist neo-Confederate” Stacy McCain — in order to inflate their own glory as the triumphant White Knight. The Narcissist as Self-Imagined Hero — they’re a dime a dozen nowadays. When his long-awaited exposé of the evildoers falls flat, when the long-promised triumph doesn’t result in fame and fortune, the narcissist can’t comprehend his own failure.

“Who the hell is Jen Emick?”

You see? There is a tiny fringe of kooks who are obsessed with Jen Emick, Aaron Barr, HB Gary, yadda yadda, and a guy like Barrett Brown plays to that kook fringe, imagining that their fixation with these things represents a potential worldwide interest.

If only Barrett can prove what the fringe kooks believe — that the villains they hate are part of a vast Watergate-sized scandal — then he can imagine the unspeakable glory that awaits.

Yeah, and who the hell is Jen Emick?

You see the grandiosity, paranoia and persecution complex in e-mails Brown sent to the Daily Caller before his arrest:

“Yesterday began releasing revelations from stolen e-mails and other research on Holder/HBGary/Endgame Systems conspiracy against myself and potentially other activists associated with the transparency movement,” he wrote to TheDC late Wednesday afternoon. . . .
“My previous leaks … got me banned from Daily Kos last week after 8 years of writing there,” Brown told TheDC.

This is not merely bovine excrement, it’s delusional. Once you understand paranoia as a narcissistic disorder, you see that Barrett’s fantasy of becoming a latter-day Sy Hersh involves a vast chasm between his grandiose ambition and his actual abilities.

Barrett Brown is not as smart as he thinks he is. More to the point, Stephen Hawking is not as smart as Barrett Brown thinks he is.

Delusions of grandeur are symptomatic of a damaged ego, but we’ll leave aside the armchair analysis and deal with the reality: Barrett Brown went chasing a dream of eternal glory, and had contempt for lesser mortals who were merely trying to make a living as reporters or bloggers, and he actually had a better-than-average run, as such things go. He got himself interviewed by NBC News, was quoted by multiple publications as the spokesman for Anonymous, and even scored a book deal.

And it’s all fun and games until somebody goes to federal prison.

Probably there’s a Moral of the Story, but I’m too tired and depressed to figure it out today. All this swirling craziness — thank you, savage Islamic movie critics! — has pretty much ruined my entire week. Remember, I’m supposed to be covering a presidential campaign, instead of writing 1,500-word dissertations about Internet fame junkies.

Larry Sinclair called up a Mormon housewife in Colorado to tell her what an evil person I am. And how was your week, huh?

On the other hand, I’m not being held without bail in Texas, so maybe I’m doing a little better than Barrett Brown.

 




 

Category: Barrett Brown

Netanyahu Rates Brains Of Those Saying Nuclear Iran Would Stabilize The M.E.

Posted on | September 16, 2012 | 15 Comments

by Smitty

Ah, the refreshing sound of a political leader with sack:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

“I think Iran is very different. They put their zealotry above their survival. They have suicide bombers all over the place– I wouldn’t rely on their rationality. Since the advent of nuclear weapons, you had countries that had access [that] always made a careful calculation of costs and benefits. But Iran is guided by a leadership with an unbelievable fanaticism. It’s the same fanaticism that you see swarming your embassies…You want these fanatics to have nuclear weapons? I mean I heard some people suggest, David– I actually read this in the American press– they said, ‘Well, you know, if you take action, that’s a lot worse than having Iran with nuclear weapons.’ Some have even said that Iran with nuclear weapons would stabilize the Middle East…I think the people who say this have set a new standard for human stupidity.” – Benjamin Netanyahu

The entire Gregory/Netanyahu interview is instructive. This is two weeks in a row that Gregory has interviewed an actual leader, and actually shown capacity to lean on them a little bit.

So the contrast promises to be stark when a Democrat comes on, and Gregory breaks out the embroidered knee pads.

via AlieNicole7 and Pat Dollard

Update: linked at The Lonely Conservative

Category: Israel

Rule 5 Sunday: No-Frills Edition

Posted on | September 16, 2012 | 11 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


Yep, it’s that time again. Many of these links contain full or partial nudity, guns, knives, appalling taste in music, and/or exposed snooches. Viewer discretion is advised.


Fishersville Mike easily takes first post with this nostalgic look back at the Boob Czar. Also, Ravens cheerleaders! Laughing Conservative rolls with Cheryl Cole and Eye of Polyphemus returns with Gillian Jacobs. EBL courts British ire with the Duchess of Cambridge’s nekkid boobies, and Iranian with female mutant ninja Persians, while Senator Blutarsky eschews politics this week in favor of Janina Gavankar. Randy’s Roundtable takes a midweek break with Angela Marcello and Autumn Holley, while Hogewash prefers a lady with a shotgun. First Street Journal brings more pix from Victory Forge, and the Rio Norte Line has a selection of Katrina Darling shots. Three Beers Later brings back Laura Brannigan for “Spanish Eddie”.


American Power returns with Nicole Neal, Lucy Pinder and friends, Katherine Heigl, Erin Andrews and other hot sportscasters, and wraps up the week with Lacey Banghard.


A View From The Beach has Blake Lively shilling for Gucci, a mammoth post with the obligatory cavegirls, dancing diversity, Demi Lovato with Autotune, and Stevie Nicks with the PRC’s Red River Valley.


At Soylent Green, it’s a classic Monday Motivationer with Kyla, followed by Tuesday Titillation with Marci, Jessica Difeo as the Humpday Hawt, a celebration of three million hits, AM Awesome Rebecca, Overnighty Sophie, Corsetcare: A New Hope, Evening Awesome Janine, and Mari – Pissed For The Win.


Proof Positive’s Friday Night Babe is Chelsea Butler, his vintage babe is Dolly Parton; also, Sex In Advertising and the obligatory 49ers cheerleader. At Dustbury, Faith Ford and Bilinda Butcher. The Camp of the Saints offers Abi Titmuss and the Rule 5 News.


The DaleyGator’s DaleyBabes this week included Tahiti Cora, Jessica Cediel, Bianca Lawson, Nana Ogura (with a Rule 5 Roundup), Azusa Yamamoto, Talisa Soto, Lauren Jacobs, Kimah Nicole and more Rule 5 linkagery, Demi Moore, Mana Sakura, Sienna Miller, Shiori Kamasaki, En Vogue, and Ali Landry.


Thanks to everyone for their linkagery! Deadline for next week’s Rule 5 roundup will be Saturday, September 22; please remember to send your submissions to the Rule 5 Wombat mailbox.

Category: Rule 5

A Belated Happy New Year

Posted on | September 16, 2012 | 2 Comments

I missed this yesterday at Barbara Espinosa’s blog:

[Saturday] at sundown begins the Jewish New Year, Rosh HaShanah.
Rosh HaShanah signifies the beginning of the Jewish New Year, as well as the beginning of the creation of the world. In addition, Rosh HaShanah begins the 10 days of repentance, leading up to Yom Kippur, the day of atonement.

Mazel tov! We’re gonna party like it’s 5773!

Category: Barbara Espinosa

Nakoula Arrest Quickmeme

Posted on | September 15, 2012 | 19 Comments

by Smitty

First they came for the lousy auteurs, and I was all “Do cheesy Downfall parodies count?”

Much more at Power Line and Instapundit

Update: linked at Hogewash

Update II: thanks, Instapundit!

Category: Barack Obama

Shhh, Breitbart: Let The Studio Squeeze Out ‘Zero Dark Thirty’

Posted on | September 15, 2012 | 7 Comments

by Smitty

Breitbart is making a valid point that, after latest Middle Estern riots, Zero Dark Thirty could be seen as a provocation. Maybe releasing that movie is a bad idea. But consider this:

  • The people staging military attacks with YouTube clips as a pretext could find an insult to the profit in a yoga video. That’s what madmen do with their creativity. So don’t worry about any particular film.
  • This movie is a prime opportunity to schedule protests. The Romney campaign should have tables and literature within legal range of every theater. Tastefully obscured pics of Ambassador Stevens’ corpse, and those bloody handprints on the walls should be prominently displayed to remind everyone that, while Obama makes gutsy calls, others make calls for guts. American guts.

Bring on this lame film, and let everyone understand the colossal loser that is #OccupyResoluteDesk.

Update: linked by Jackie Wellfonder

Category: Barack Obama, Uncategorized

Binding Future Congresses

Posted on | September 15, 2012 | 17 Comments

by Smitty

Not disputing Senator Mike Lee’s point here:

It’s true that there isn’t any state* passed from Congress to Congress, the debt, itself, surely counts. Also, mandatory spending, e.g. Social Security, counts. Though one surmises that debt and entitlements can be thought of more as a noose than any specific legal binding, like an international treaty.

So, there is:

My fellow Americans: this November is not the most important election of your lifetimes. This November is a referendum on the 1787 Constitution itself. While not passing myself off as a prophet, the early Obama Administration postvarication, where BHO supported Zelaya in Honduras, before realizing that was tipping his hand too greatly, would come around again in a second Obama Administration.

And given a second four years to drive this country into the dirt, Congress is bound to become as feckless as the Roman Senate in the later years.

In the case where BHO wins re-election, but Congress goes to full GOP control, then it becomes a question of whether Boehner & McConnell are packing the gear to reign in #OccupyResoluteDesk. Left to swing, Boehner & McConnell will swing left.

This is the point of the post-Progressive era: politics is no longer a spectator sport. We’re all on the swim team in the pool of debt, and if you’re not treading water and involved in making your voice heard, you’re drowning.

*Definition #2

Category: Election 2012

FMJRA 2.0: How It’s Gonna Be

Posted on | September 15, 2012 | 3 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho

SHOCKING: Libyan Mob Attack Kills Four, Including U.S. Ambassador
UPDATE: ‘Full-Blown … Crisis’
UPDATE: Hey, MSM, No Fair Shouting Questions at President Gutsy Call

Speaking of Distractions …

The Problem With Sexual ‘Rights’

Postvarication

Whatever You Do, Don’t Link This Video Of Illegal Alien Benita Veliz At The DNC

The Sexual Predators Union

FMJRA 2.0: September Rain

Be Ye Not Dismayed

Anthropomorphic Lint Blames GOP

A Blog Post That @SoledadOBrien Will Certainly Never Read On-Air at CNN

God Have Mercy On Manhattan

Jeremiah Wright Rates A Second Look In The Light Of D’Souza’s 2016

Rule 5 Monday

Do Sovereign Nations Name Their Capitols? Not According To Joe Kennedy

‘Corrupt Maryland Democrat’

Speaking of Terrorists …

LIVE AT FIVE: 09.11.12

Obama’s ‘Bounce’ That Wasn’t

Domino ‘Wardrobe Failure’: Carbon ‘Quantitatively Eased’ Out Of Sugar

9/11

We Are Prepared to Come Kill You UPDATE: One American Killed, Another Wounded in Libyan Attack

LIVE AT FIVE: 09.12.12

Keep In Mind That Our Response To The Various Middle East Crises. . .

Where Angels Fear to Tread

Anybody Who Thinks General Dempsey Went Rogue And Called Terry Jones Is Missing The Point

‘[Mario Draghi] Will Fight To The Last German Taxpayer To Keep The Mediterranean Countries That Should Never Have Joined The Euro In There’

SAVAGES: Did Libyan Mob Sodomize U.S. Ambassador Before Killing Him?

Reporting Their Own Opinions as ‘News’

Neutral, Objective Fact

  • American Glob

Alex Brant-Zawadzki (@Beezling) Gets Blunt Words About Wild Goose Chases

The Royal Pair: Why Are You Googling for ‘Kate Middleton Topless,’ You Sick Freaks?

Report: 2 Marines Killed in Afghanistan

Words Fail To Capture Craven Sycophant Chris Matthews

Top linkers this week:

  1. Hogewash (13)
  2. Daily Pundit (7)
  3. Lonely Conservative (6)
  4. (tied) Daley Gator and The Camp of the Saints (5)

Thanks to everyone for their linkagery! Links for next week’s FMJRA are due Friday, September 21.

Category: FMJRA Award
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