Black Helicopters: Van Susteren, Scientology and SarahPac
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It's Friday and instead of posting yet another blog about government, I thought I'd change it up.
This week I caught wind of an intriguing story about politics and friendships and simply couldn't stop myself from doing some sleuthing to see if the story had any legs.
Oh yeah it has legs and a big checkbook along with a devotion to L. Ron Hubbard.
The black helicopter is about to depart.....are you getting on?
(2/20/09) The media like every industry is highly competitive. Getting a highly sought after story or interview is ratings gold.
So the question has to be asked; why has Fox News Greta Van Susteren been consistently striking it rich when it comes to getting exclusive interviews with Governor Palin?
Van Susteren landed Palin's first interview after she returned home from her Vice Presidential run in November and this past week Van Susteren landed the first public media appearance by the governor's daughter and grandson.
From snowmobiling and cooking moose hot dogs in Wasilla, to greeting racers at the end of the Iron Dog in Fairbanks, Van Susteren has had more one on one face time with Palin than most State commissioners.
So what's the reason?
A theory emerged this week that Van Susteren's husband, John Coale, a powerful Washington D.C. trial lawyer, is enamored by Palin and put up the cash to create SarahPac. Also, the fact that Van Susteren and her husband are strong followers of Scientology appears to add some sub text to the story line.
The couple's relationship to Scientology has been well covered in the media and on blogs. While at CNN, Van Susteren was accused of pressuring management to kill a story critical of scientology. Coale has represented the interests of the church in various lawsuits, including a suit against the makers of Ritalin.
Coale is a big Democrat player and was a huge supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton during the Democratic Primary. After Clinton lost in the primary, Coale complained of sexism, and said the Democratic Party was “being taken over by the moveon.org types” according to a Newsweek article.
Why was Coale a Hillary supporter?
During President Clinton's terms, his administration was friendly towards Scientology as a bi-product of hanging with the Hollywood crowd.
According to a 1998 New York Post article, President Bill Clinton promised John Travolta that the Administration would work with the German government to advance acceptance of Scientology in that country if Travolta would soften up his portrayal of the Clinton character in Primary Colors.
Travolta is among Hollywood's most tireless missionaries for Scientology.
Afterwards, Clinton's National Security Adviser Sandy Berger and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met with German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel to urge his government to moderate its opposition to Scientology.
On September 1, 2008 , Coale announced he was supporting John McCain for president. Now why would a Democratic supporter and high-level scientologist abruptly switch support to the McCain/Palin ticket?
When Hillary Clinton lost her bid, Coale began looking for a candidate that would be friendly towards Scientology because Obama was not.
While some of this can be debated, one thing cannot be; John Coale has become a close and personal friend of the governor.
On October 22, 2008 the Baltimore Sun reported this blurb in their politics section:
So there's John P. Coale the big-time-Democratic-fundraiser-turned-Mc Caniac, in the spin room after last week's presidential debate. Signs announce the various campaign surrogates offering their opinions on who'd won. He spots one with a familiar name; Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley.
Coale, a trial lawyer, gave O'Malley a $500,000 loan in the waning days of his campaign for governor. Coale and the gov supported Hillary Clinton in the primary. But they haven't seen eye to eye on the race since September, when Coale "came out," as he puts it, for John McCain.
So these two were not about to talk politics. Better to take up some less awkward topic, like that unusual lapel pin Coale was sporting. It was blue, with eight stars, representing the Big Dipper and the North Star.
Coale said it was the Alaska flag.
"Sarah Palin gave me this," he told them.
Coale has traveled with the McCain campaign and has spent time with Palin, whom he has found to be smart and fun to be around.
But he got the pin from his wife, Fox newswoman Greta Van Susteren. She'd brought it back from a trip to Alaska and told her husband that Palin had given it to her to give to him. But Coale later found out the pin didn't come from Palin. Van Susteren was just teasing Coale, who admits to being "enamored" of Palin.
He still tells people the pin is "a gift from my girlfriend," and he doesn't mean Van Susteren. Is Greta OK with that? "She knows it," he said.
On January 7, 2009, the Washington Times quoted Coale in a story about how some non Obama supporters were leaving Washington D.C. to avoid the inauguration.
"I am getting as far from D.C. as I can. I may go to Alaska and see Sarah," says John Coale, referring to Mr. McCain's Alaskan running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin.
There certainly appears to be a real connection between Coale and Palin and it would appear that Van Susteren and Palin have forged a relationship that allows for special access.
We attempted to review the Federal Election Commission data base to see if there was any Coale connection to SarahPac, however the groups first public disclosure doesn't occur until April.
John Coale can be seen standing in the background during last weeks Iron Dog finish. (Thanks to an eagle eyed reader for the picture)
Until next time, thank you for flying with us.
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