whitehouse web incident, viva la web revolution

[Vladimir Z. Nuri]

here's an interesting message about a white house aide pressuring
HotWired to change their link pointing to a rant page about Clinton.

it reminds me of a recent court decision in which a school tried
to shut down a student's web page that he had done on his own
time and referred to his school and other teachers.

it used to be, "freedom of the presses only belongs to those who
own a press". actually this still is, except now it only costs
$20/mo to own a worldwide "cyberspace press" via web pages.

hence what we get are interesting new social situations reminiscent
of the tension that surrounded Martin Luther's posting of the 99
theses in the middle ages. you have people who had controlled
the situation suddenly put off balance by a new medium. 

the power of information dissemination is rather significant,
and the web is the most sophisticated information dissemination 
technology ever invented by man. I expect it to have very far-reaching
social ramifications. we have barely scratched the surface..

cpunks are very interested in things like anonymity to save
oneself from the government. another approach is to simply
crow-bar the government in any way you can, whenever possible,
to make it better serve your interests. web pages have this
intrinsic power-- they're like a subtle, invisible crow bar that can
influence the world via public opinion. could there be a day
when nobody sees a need to hide from a government, because it
is so uninvasive?

------- Forwarded Message

From: "Steve Wingate" <steve at linex2.linex.com>
Date: Sat, 1 Jun 1996 20:27:28 -0700
Subject: (Fwd) WH Censorship of Web Sites (Attempted)


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- - ------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date:          Sat, 1 Jun 1996 20:38:12 -0500 (CDT)
To:            cs at oak.oakland.edu
From:          ed at athenet.net (Edward Immler)
Subject:       WH Censorship of Web Sites (Attempted)

The Skeleton Closet (at http://www.realchange.org) provides a site for
those things presidential candidates would rather not discuss.  They
cover all candidates and include a link to our current Prez.  I've
included the link below.  

Looks like this was quietly reversed, the offender sent on (to a nice
job), and nothing in the national media.

Clipper, V-chip, and now plain-old intimidation.  The WH is working
hard to control your info.

Ed
*********************************************************************


[Mr. Tall Skeleton2]   Bill Clinton's Skeleton Closet   [Mr. Tall
Skeleton]

                           [Picture of Clinton]

News Flash: White House Suppresses Skeleton Closet

In a shocking blunder, the White House successfully put pressure on
Hotwired Magazine to stop linking President Clinton's name to this
very web page. This was all done behind the scenes -- we had no idea
until we read Brock Meek's Netizen column of April 30th.

The White House official involved, David Lytel, was in charge of
creating the popular Clinton White House web site. He recently left
the White House, and is working for a private web page consultant. At
a conference, he attacked Netizen for being cynical and unfair, citing
the Skeleton Closet link. Meeks, in response, noted that Hotwired had
removed the link after receiving official pressure from the White
House. In Hotwired's "Threads" discussion, another Hotwired employee
admitted that they had been "intimidated" by receiving email from the
"whitehouse.gov" domain early in Netizen's infancy, and said she
regretted that they caved in.

Lytel's argument -- that it was "dishonest" to link Clinton's name to
a page criticizing him -- is silly of course. Apparently, he thinks
the only "honest" link is one that goes to a person's own web page, no
matter how self- serving it is. More to the point, this is a terrible
precedent. As far as we know, it is the first attempt by any American
government to squelch part of the Internet for nakedly political
reasons. (The attack on adult material online, while obviously
political, has legitimate issues -- or at least a reasonable excuse --
behind it.) And doing it privately, behind closed doors, makes it even
worse.

If we were simply seeking publicity, we'd run to Republican
politicians (who desperately need an issue) and hope they try to use
it. But that would be hypocritical. It's exactly that kind of partisan
misuse of legitimate scandals that we are trying to make obsolete here
- - -- because it muddles legitimate issues (like White House censorship
of critics) in stupid, partisan manipulation. We're trying to contact
the White House directly, to get them to disavow Lytel's actions.
We'll let you know what happens.

Update: White House Backs Down, Sort Of.

We challenged the White House to confirm or deny that Lytel pressured
Hotwired, to disavow his actions if true, and commit to a policy of
avoiding this type of censorship.

Within two days, they replied as follows:

"Date: Fri, 03 May 1996 17:06:49 -0400 (EDT)
From: WEBMASTER (WEBMASTER at a1.eop.gov)
Subject: RE: White House WWW Comments
To: webmaster (webmaster at realchange.org)
Posting-Date: Fri, 03 May 1996 17:09:00 -0400 (EDT)

It is our policy not to interfere with the content of other WEB
sites."

We'll take that as an admission that Lytel was out of line, and a
solid commitment to doing the right thing in the future. Of course,
they didn't live up to that policy before, and words are cheap.

- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- - ---- And now, on with the Clinton's Skeleton Closet page.

What can we say about Bill and Hillary that hasn't been said before?
Clinton's scandals are covered in such loving detail by his enemies
that we are providing you with links to various Clinton scandal pages.
Eventually, we will boil it all down and sort out the really good dirt
from the crazy stuff, but there's JUST SO MUCH to wade through!

The frustrating thing about Clinton's scandals is that the press
focuses on two-bit scandals of little importance, such as Whitewater
and this ridiculous travel office "scandal", while ignoring much more
significant dirt, such as the Mena, Arkansas contra supply and drug
operation (see link below), Hillary's $100,000 commodity profit from a
$1,000 investment, and a new charge -- that a federally funded
educational operation in New York paid her $100,000, for who knows
what.

And no one (save a few voices on the left) are protesting Clinton's
hugely successful fundraising and favors for people who have provided
it, including the Tyson Chicken empire. Running against Gramm, Dole
and Alexander, this isn't likely to be an issue, but it is a major
fault of the President.

Political Favors for Campaign Contributors

Though his administration floundered at first, Clinton has quickly
learned one aspect of Washington -- how to raise money from business
interests. He has set records in fund-raising, eclipsing even Dole's
huge haul (though not by much.) Of course, if Dole was President he
would no doubt regain the lead.

And some contributors seem to think their money is well spent. For
example, Clinton raised over a quarter million dollars from ADM, Bob
Dole's major benefactor, and pushed through a regulation benefiting
them mightily.

On the other hand, 2 Arkansas firms that formerly bankrolled Clinton
(and received help from his administration) have switched their
support to Dole -- both Tyson Chicken and Stephens investment brokers
apparently figure Dole gives a better return per contribution dollar,
or is more likely to win.

Money and Favors: Archer Daniels Midland

For example, he has received at least $270,000 from Archer Daniels
Midland corporation, the agricultural giant famous for spreading money
among various influential people, from Bob Dole to National Public
Radio. Just days after Clinton received a $100,000 check in June 1994,
his administration ordered that 30% of gasoline sold in American's 9
most polluted cities contain ethanol based additives by 1996 (as
opposed to cheaper methanol.)

Archer Daniels makes 60% of US ethanol for gas, and none of the
methanol. Bob Dole, who receives even more money from Archer Daniels
and its president, actually supported the Clinton Administration's
mandate, even while arguing against Clinton's health care proposal for
nearly identical federal mandates. (Courts have block Clinton's 30%
rule, saying he lacked power to favor ethanol over methanol.)

$100,000 for Hillary from an Educational Foundation

This allegation just came out January 10, so bear with us on it's
sketchiness. New York state's new Attorney General Dennis Vacco (a
Republican) is investigating a $100,000 in payments to Hillary or the
Rose Law Firm from the National Center on Education and the Economy, a
charity that was in Rochester New York and has since moved to
Washington, DC

Hillary was on their board, as were Mario Cuomo and Ira Magaziner, but
no other board members were paid. The justification is that Hillary
was paid to carry out some programs. When this story came out a month
ago, Vacco announced he was asking for contracts with Hillary or the
Rose Law Firm and a description of any work she actually did. Nothing
more has come of it, which -- in an election year - indicates that
nothing substantial has turned up.

- - ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- - ---- Try these links, but use a grain of salt; some of the sources are
pretty marginal.

Disgraced Clinton Administration Officials

Yahoo's Whitewater Scandal Page

Mena, Arkansas: Contra & Drug Smuggling Center?

Nick Chase's Mena, Arkansas and Whitewater pages.

Quotes

"I'm someone who has a deep emotional attachment to 'Starsky and
Hutch.' " -- Bill Clinton, 1996

"I don't think [Bill Clinton] is fooling around anymore. Nor do I
think he will. I read that Hillary threw a lamp at him. ... You know
something? I think she did." -- Ann Landers

Sources

"Primary Colors", by 'Anonymous', 1996

Wall Street Journal, in general, and in particular:
....January 12, 1996 pA14
....January 8, 1996 pA1
....December 18, 1995 pA16
....December 29, 1995 pA1
....March 23, 1995 p A1
....February 22, 1995 p A1
....January 13, 1995 p A12

"The Mena Coverup", Micah Morrison, Wall Street Journal, October 18,
1994 p A18

"The Real Cost of Ethanol" and "Dwayne's World", Dan Carney, Mother
Jones, January, 1995

"Aides Saw Political Threat In Clinton Loans From '90", Jeff Gerth,
New York Times, May 6, 1995 p7

"Ann Landers Repents For Slurring The Pope", Associated Press,
December 1, 1995

"Blocking the Box", Rick Marin, Newsweek, March 11, 1996

"NY Official Probes Payment to Mrs. Clinton", Associated Press,
January 12, 1996

BACK TO SKELETON CLOSET

Paid for by Real People For Real Change PAC and not authorized by any
candidate or candidate's committee.

Real People For Real Change is registered with the Federal Election
Commission as a non-affiliated, independent political action
committee.

Copyright 1996 Real People For Real Change PAC
  *******************************************************************
  *Edward F. Immler                      Lawrence Chemists          *
  *ed at athenet.net                        are Free Radicals          *
  *                                                                 *
  *Lawrence University '95                                          *
  *Interests: HAZMAT, EPA/OSHA Compliance, SARA III, Wastewater     *
  *DISCLAIMER: Opinions are mine...unless someone else agrees       *
  *******************************************************************



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