Friday Night Watch Party | Kill The Messenger (2014)

➡ The text discusses the war on drugs in the United States, highlighting the significant threat drugs pose to society and the billions spent on combating this issue. It also touches on the controversial tactics used by the government, including the alleged involvement of drug traffickers in their operations. The story also includes a subplot about a reporter named Gary Webb, who uncovers a potential scandal involving the government’s seizure of property from accused drug dealers.
➡ The text is a dialogue from a story involving a reporter, a drug dealer, and a government informant. The reporter discovers that the informant, who was also a major drug dealer, was working for the U.S. government. The informant admits in court that he sold cocaine to fund a war in Nicaragua, implying the government’s involvement. The reporter’s editor urges him to find more sources before publishing the story.
➡ The text discusses a situation where a drug ring in the San Francisco Bay area sold cocaine to Los Angeles street gangs and used the profits to fund a Latin American guerrilla army run by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. The story is being investigated by a reporter named Gary Webb, who faces threats and warnings from government officials. Despite the risks, Webb decides to publish his findings, causing a global reaction. The story suggests that there’s more to uncover, and Webb is determined to continue his investigation.
➡ A reporter named Gary Webb uncovers a major story suggesting the CIA allowed Nicaraguan drug dealers to distribute crack cocaine in Los Angeles during the 1980s. Despite facing criticism and doubt from other media outlets and his own colleagues, Webb remains determined to expose the truth. However, his personal life and career come under intense scrutiny and pressure as he continues his investigation.
➡ A man’s personal life becomes public when his past mistakes are revealed, causing tension in his family and workplace. He’s accused of lying and faces scrutiny from major news outlets. Despite the pressure, he continues to investigate a story involving the CIA and drug cartels. He struggles with the impact of his work on his family and his own sense of integrity.
➡ This text revolves around a journalist named Gary who is under scrutiny for a controversial story he wrote about the CIA. Despite facing criticism and doubts about his credibility, Gary stands by his work and continues to seek the truth. He eventually resigns from his job to continue his investigations independently. The story ends with a public meeting where the community demands answers about the CIA’s involvement in drug trafficking, validating Gary’s initial claims.

Public enemy number one in the United States is drug abuse. In order to fight and defeat this enemy it is necessary to wage a new all out offensive. For nearly a year I have been devoting increasing attention to a problem which strikes at the very heart of our national well being. Drug abuse. I do not condone any drug abuse and we will do everything possible to reduce the serious threat to our society. Drugs are menacing our society. They’re threatening our values and undercutting our institutions. They’re killing our children. Thank you very much. And when it comes to drugs and alcohol, just say no.

Reagan says he will make it a priority of his presidency to stop drug abuse in the United States. This is your brain on drugs. Those who smuggle and sell drugs are as dangerous to our national security as any terrorist or foreign dictatorship. The Reagan administration is spending billions on two wars. The war on drugs at home and the struggle for Nicaragua abroad. If we do not act decisively in defense of freedom, New Cubas will arise from the ruins of today’s conflicts. We will consult closely with the freedom fighters, the anti communist rebels known as the Contras.

An army founded and funded by the CIA. Crack cocaine. A drug epidemic unlike any that’s ever properly existed in the history of the world. For $5 you can begin the process of addicting people. Waging the war on drugs has taxpayers a staggering $100 billion over the last 10 years. The crack trade has triggered a spasm of gang warfare in South Central LA and DEA agents are swarming throughout. How many of you have crack houses in your neighborhood? No brave law enforcement officer, no teacher, no doctor need be told how hard and cruel America’s drug problem has become.

By 1984, Congress was preparing to cut off funds to the Contras. High level government officials began looking for other ways to continue the aid. There must be no Soviet beachhead in Central America. Good morning. Who the fuck are you? Gary Webb, San Jose Mercury News. What do you want? I called you about the government seizure of property. I’ve accused narcotics dealers. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The accused. Yeah, that’s me. Come on in. Okay, great, thanks. Yeah, my last house. This sweet pad Laguna. Yeah. Charges didn’t stick and the Fed still didn’t give it back, but you did it.

Did what? Well, off the record, I mean, you sold the dope. Yeah, but you’re missing the point. They took the fricking roof over my head. Look, wait a second. All this stuff that you bought with the drug money, the houses, the cars, what have you, you lose it because it’s a crime that paid for it. Right, Daddy? It didn’t do it. Who gives a shit? Can’t take a man’s shelter. Anyway, they didn’t prove it, did they? They got him. Ah, Christ, here we go again. Bail, motherfucker. Down. Get the girl a reporter. Shut the up. Better get that story.

San Jose Mercury. I’m a reporter. Quite a ruckus over there, huh? Yeah, this guy almost broke my arm, the prick. All right. Hey, wait a minute. Where. Anna, where’s the last paragraph? Yeah, I’m sorry, Gary. We ran out of inches. Look, you cut the kicker and you’re gonna blow the whole point to this thing. The government takes these people’s, all right? Their cars, their houses, they take everything forever. This is before they’re convicted. Even if they’re acquitted, they don’t get it back. They’re drug dealers, Gary. Alleged drug dealers with rights. Because this is America. Four minutes until deadline.

Oh, take my name off the story. God, you’re gonna be such an asshole. I’m an asshole because I believe in due process? Come on, Anna. This is our job. Clock’s ticking. Oh, it’s ticking. It’s still ticking. And don’t call back. The guy just had a shotgun. His ear guys him a break. No, there was no shotgun, Bob. All right, look, you’re going to have to wait to read the article. Your son is 16, Gary. Just FYI. I see you. Get rid of it. Come on, don’t do that. That’s bad. That’s amazing parenting. Don’t do that. Don’t do that.

It’s really not a deal. Can somebody watch this? I got to show you guys. New addition to the family. Oh, God. Yeah. This is a 71 tiger sports a Triumph. This is a beautiful bike. Or was a beautiful bike. And we’re gonna make it beautiful again. This is the only deal you and I have to rebuild it together. Okay? Okay. All right. I love that. Gary. God damn it. Yes, we talked about this. Come on, come on. Look at this. Look at the bike. Look at his face. Sixteen years I’ve been thinking about this. It’s been inside my head.

Yeah. Me and my boy riding side by side to the mountaintops, touching the sky. Isn’t that right? Anything happens to him, I think it’s gonna happen. I thought you already cut those off. Soon, while I’m sleepy. Dad, you hang out with some insanely bad people. Well, bad guys are usually more honest than good guys and more fun. Life Lessons by Gary Webb. No, mom, you actually have to read this. I did Already? It’s great. You guys gotta go. Come on. You’re the lady. Come on. Who wants a ride in the green machine? Dad’s taking us. I’m thanking you.

You’re not going in your PJs, are you? Woo. Come on, guys. This get smushed stuff in like sardines. Bye, Mama. Yeah. Bye, Mama. Bye, Mama. Bye. Bye, Mama. One, two, three. Bye. It’s probably cold. Thank you. Hey, I know how bad you want to do the gov today. Some real reporter work. Yeah. That gives you satisfaction, I’ll never know. Hey, that story this morning, that was a big one. Not the biggest. Oh, yeah? What would that be? Catching Clinton breaking into Watergate. Hey, Richard Cline, LA Times. How you doing? Lenders are pissed we missed a drug forfeiture story.

I’m sure they are. It’s an amazing job, by the way. You got any advice for me or. Yeah. Don’t let the assholes win. I don’t know. Who’s Coral Baka? And why does she keep calling me Bill? Buddy, she called five times. Hola. Hi. This is Gary Webb. He finally calls. I like your work. You follow my work? I do now. Okay, what can I do for you? It’s what I can do for you. Okay, what can you do for me? My boyfriend Ra, is in prison for cocaine trafficking. That’s Rafael Cornejo. Mm. Was that Colombian? Nicaraguan.

Nicaraguan. He has this gorgeous house the government just took. Good story, no? Yes, it is. I just wrote it. But Rafi’s story is different. He sold drugs for the government. You want to say that again? He brought four tons of cocaine into the country for the US Government. Look, you have a very lovely voice, Coral. I copied every piece of paper. Selling drugs for the government. Have you written that story? This is the thing you need to see. Wait a minute. You gotta be kidding me. Grand jury transcripts. How’d you get a hold of it? The government turned it over on discovery by mistake.

That’s a mistake. It was Russell Dodson. Federal Prosecutor Russell Dodson. That little bitch. I called the cops on him once. Called the cops and the Feds. His guns were sneaking around my house. Could have been rapists. I think I’m gonna like you, Coral. So who’s this? Danilo Blandones. Wait, let’s see. That’s who stole drugs for the government? He was a friend. He played with my kid. Danny. Rats. He’s probably the biggest trafficker in the whole country. Way bigger than Rafi. Why use Wayne to catch Catfish? H. That makes sense to you? Again, no. Not very much sense.

No, it doesn’t. No. You have more documents? Everything is at my house. You want to come over? H. Why don’t you just send the documents to my office? How’s that? First things first. Eddie Webb. Rough. Is that core tomorrow? Yeah. See, the judge called an early recess. Oh. It could be 15 minutes or so. Yeah, we got time. There’s my boyfriend. Me. Okay. He looks friendly. He doesn’t like seeing me with other men. And there is the little Russell Dson. Mr. Dodson. Barry Webb, San Jose Mercury News. You always follow people into bathrooms, do you? No, not really.

Why is local news interested in this case? I’m not. But I am interested in Danilo Blendo. Huh. Never heard of him. Then why is he on your witness list? You had this guy called on major narcotics trafficking and then you let him walk. Why? I have his grand jury transcript. I know. I’ve seen some screw ups. Any guys. But boy, is that a big one. It’s. So what’s the story? Beds use bad guy to catch other bad guys. Yeah. Do you know what you have there? Yes, I know what this is. Well, it’s unheard of. It’s a gift.

I asked around about Vanilla Blando. No one is. We’re talking here. I’m telling. Whatever I got near, it made him very nervous. I know what I saw, Anna. And I’ve been doing this a long time. Don’t do old and wise. I hate that. I’m not old. Come on, Anna. That’s why you brought me in here. To go after stories like this. But we’re not the LA Times. We’re not small time either. There’s more here, I promise. You get more info on Blandone and then we’ll take it to Jerry. I gotta get back to San Jose. Okay.

Hello. Hello. Mmm, smells good. Who’s Coral? She’s hot. She drove a Camaro. Of course she did. She left this. Eat it. Mom. Can we start? Yes. Yes. Oh, that looks so good. Yummy. Hello, gents. Hi. Why does she know where you live? I don’t. I don’t know. She’s a source. Oh, yeah. For a story about strippers. That one, though. Drug dealers. Oh, okay. That’s better. Is it happening again? No. Is what happening again? Come on. Nothing. What’s in the box? Eat your food. What happened with her? Nothing. What happened with her? Nothing. I mean, I’m not gonna do this again.

It’s why we left my family, my friends left Cleveland. I am moved out to California, which I hate. All this Stupid sunshine and shiny happy faces. Sunshine is so dumb. I’m not. It’s terrible. I’m being serious. I know. Well, so am I, baby. I’m not going to screw this up. Understand? Don’t smile. She said there’s another hearing tomorrow. Seriously? I fucking hate you. I love you. Hi. So what’s going on? I don’t know. They’ve been out there for a while. The charges against Mr. Coneyo are dismissed. You are free to go. What? Very impressive. Very. Web, what just happened? You terrified them.

They just stuffed Danilo Blandon under a rug. He saw the witness list. No Blandon, no case. Rafi walks. Hey. So you use me, I get this case. Drive. I’m just the bimbo, remember? And you be happy. Gary. Web. You thought you were getting a piece of cheese, but I just came to the mouse. There’s your story. Danilo Blandon. Sorry about the air conditioning. Come on in. How you doing? Pretty well. You represent Ricky Ross, Crack dealer. Alleged crack dealer. It’s Freeway. Ricky Ross, the biggest dealer in Los Angeles. The epicenter of the national crack epidemic. LA Times.

Who do you write for? San Jose American Renewal. Never heard of him. Russell Dodson is a prosecutor on your case. That’s public record. Yes. What about Danilo Blandone? You heard of him? Maybe. Cause I think he’s going to testify against your client tomorrow. You’ve got that backwards. Blandon and my client are friends and associates. If he’s gonna testify, he’ll be testifying for Ricky. That would be awkward. Why’s that? Cause he’s a government informant. That’s bullshit. I have a grand jury transcript released on discovery by mistake by our Russell Dodson. And it is evidence of Blandone testifying against other drug dealers.

God damn it. Oh, Jesus. Does that make sense? You would not believe the horseshit that Dodson puts me through every time I ask him who his secret weapon is. Well, it’s not just Ricky. It’s probably half a dozen guys he’s going to testify against. They block me every time I ask for something. Claiming, get this, national security. National security and crack cocaine in the same sentence. Does that not sound strange to you? Okay. What exactly do you want? Who’s this? He’s a reporter. So what do you know about Danilo Blando? I don’t know. You know. Come on, Ricky.

Danilo’s gonna testify against you tomorrow. He’s the witness they’ve been hiding. Man, Ain’t no way they flip Danilo, man. Sit down. Nah. And listen to what he has to say. They didn’t flip anyone. Look, Ricky Byndone was working for the government the entire time. You for real? Yeah, he for real. Donor snitch. Look here, man. He was a thousand times heavier than I’ll ever be. He, la, New York, Atlanta, he everywhere. I couldn’t sell it fast enough to keep up with supply. Wait, you mean. You mean demand? No, I mean supply. I was buying 100 kilos a week, selling $3 million a day, and still couldn’t get rid of that inventory fast enough.

Man, it was raining, cold. Allegedly. Allegedly. Allegedly. Look here, man. I gave him 6 million a week. Allegedly. That’s impossible. Is it? I’m exaggerating, Fenster. Yeah, I hope so. How do you sell that much cocaine on the street? Look here, man. We used to cook it with baking soda. We called it Reddy Rock powder. Was for rich folks. Holy. Look at, man. I was just the elf. Blandone. Santa Claus. This is where Ricky ran his operation. No, don’t get out of the car. It. Are you out of your mind? Look at this, man. Exactly. Which is why we’re gonna get the hell out of here.

What about this doesn’t piss you off? It’s complicated for me. Well, whatever the hell happened, all this shit has run downhill right here. I need to speak with Blandone. He’s a protected witness. How are you gonna. Yes, I know. I can’t, but you can. Mr. Blandon, during the years when you were acting as a paid inform foreman of the US Government, the years you say you wholesaled cocaine to my client in Los Angeles, Was the government aware that you were smuggling tons of cocaine into the United States? Objection. Relevance. Inflammatory. The government called this witness, your honor.

He is a paid confidential informant. The jury has a right to know the scope of his expertise. Overruled. Approach, Your Honor. Later. Mr. Blandon. Yes. Yes, what? The government knew. Knew everything. Objection. Speculation. Sustained. Mr. Blandon, how much money did you take in from cocaine sales while you were working for the US Government? One and a half billion dollars. One and a half billion dollars? That’s correct. What did you do with that money? We made so much money we had to keep an apartment just to keep the cash. It was floor to the civilian dollars. We had to rotate the money from the top to the bottom so prevent the mold from coming on the money from the.

What the. Does this say? Did he have a partner or government agency? Mr. Blandon, were you working with a partner at that time? Yes. Norwin Manesis. Norwin Manesis. Excuse me. Wait a second. What. What exactly is happening? Here. Your honor, clearly this reporter is giving direction to council approach. Thank. Your honor, this man in the first row is a reporter and he’s giving questions to counsel. If he is, and I’m not saying that he is. Well, he is. Okay, he is. But there’s nothing in the rules that says he can’t. I don’t like it, but I’m not gonna stop it.

For now. Then I am compelled to warn the court that this door leads to very sensitive national security matters. Then maybe you shouldn’t have opened it. Mr. Blandon, is it true that you and Norwood Manassas were in communication with the federal government together? Can you tell us who in the federal government you were in communication with? Who were you working with? The FBI. Mr. Dodson can’t answer that question for you. Mr. Blandone. Remember you’re under oath. The DEA? No, it was the CIA. The Central Intelligence Agency. See? Yes. So, Mr. Blandon, what did the CIA have you do? Objection.

Relevance, Your Honor. Overruled. Mr. Blandon, answer the question. We were asked to support a free and democratic Nicaragua. To contrast the rebels by sending planes into Nicaragua and raising money here in the US for the war. Mr. Blandon, did the CIA specifically know that you were selling cocaine to buy guns and supplies to support its cause? Objection. This line of questioning has absolutely no relevance. Overruled. They knew who we were. Why else would that come to us? The day Ronald Reagan got elected, the Cubans and the Soviets started triggering revolutions all over south and Central America.

And when they got Nicaragua, that put them 50 miles from the Panama Canal. Reagan drew the line in the sand. And that’s where America was going to win the Cold War. Except Congress hated Reagan’s guts. They wanted nothing to do with them. They were never going to fund his little Contra war. So the White House needed money. Lots and lots of money. Guys, it’s the 80s. It’s 10 year old news. What’s the story, Jerry? Just let him finish. So, one of the DEA’s most wanted. Not only not in jail for eternity, but apparently on the government payroll.

Admitting in open court that he brought in thousands of kilos of cocaine to the US every day. For them. For who? The US Government. Or with them. Or at least while they were looking the other way. Jesus, that little stunt you pulled in that courtroom. I got complaints from justice in Sacramento and Washington. Yeah, but I got Bland off. Jerry, this is the biggest story the Merck’s ever had. So. Worries me a lot of blind spots. You know, we don’t know Washington. We don’t do international. We do now. Oh, we do, do we? How many CIA sources do you have? None yet.

Get one. What are they saying officially? They’re not even calling me back. Holy. Gary, you get some sources on the record, we’ll see where we’re at. Watch your ass. The success of communism in Central America poses the threat. But 100 million people from Panama to the open border on our south could come under the control of pro Soviet regimes. If we cut off the freedom fighters, we will be giving the Soviets a free hand in Central America. It cardoso. Mr. Maneses. Hi. Gary Webb. How are you? Okay. What took you so long? How’s that? No other reporters ever tried to find me.

Are you a friend, Mr. Webb? Because your country is no longer a friend of mine. I’m not an enemy. You play golf? Hockey. Step into my parlor. A five iron. It’s a perfectly designed club. In golf, if you have a firearm, then you don’t need anything else. If you use it like a tool, you can carve any shot in the game. You can even slice a man open if you know how to use it properly. So, guns for drugs. You know, it’s easy to think that this situation was only about drugs, but you need to look at it from our point of view.

If the Contra movement would have no friends and no money, we would have been forced to live under a government that tells you what to say, what not to say, what to think, what not to think. If you were me, would you sit still and watch as your children are forced to live a life of irrelevance and servitude? I need watch from the deck of your yacht. My yacht? Norwan, you were arrested for trafficking narcotics for the first time in 1975. That’s 10 years before the Contra war. Come on, you’re not a freedom fighter. I thought you were my friend.

Just looking for the truth. Well, you’re gonna get the proof. You got someone else down here I could talk to? I can introduce you to my banker, Mr. Byer. I’d like that. Come. I show you the airstrip now. So when did all this start? They were always looking for ways to raise money to fight this war. There was this one time when Ollie Ali went to his friends in Washington, and this was used over. North, Sumo. Oliver North? No, Oliver Hardy. Yes, Oliver North. So he said, why don’t we use the cash seized from the cocaine arrest to fund and support the Contra war? Of course, they declined, you know, but as you can see, Ollie wasn’t the only person with Ideas like this, it had to be drugs.

The ends justify the means. Yeah, write that down. You Americans, you don’t want coconuts or bananas. You want cocaine. And I know where to find cocaine. And my pilots were already flying from Central America to the United States. And they were American. How long was this shut down? 8 to 10 years ago. The land is now privately owned. If I was in the CIA and I was risking my life overseas doing something illegal, believe me, I would want someone like me to help do the job. Write this name down. Fred Wheel. W E I L. That’s the guy you have to talk to.

What was stored here? Weapons? Cash. Not sue. Lots of cash. These pilots, do you know their names? I don’t know. Now that you know the truth, you’ll be faced with the most important decision of your life. Oh, yeah? What’s that? Deciding whether to share it or not. You have a family? You married? Like I said, the pilots use little air strips in Florida, Arizona, California. Go. I’ll take care of you. We have to go now. We’re leaving. Sorry. Nice and calm. Nice and calm. Nice and calm. It. You’re where? I’m in D.C. look, don’t worry. You want me here.

Trust me on this. Anna, the guys are getting nervous. They’re supposed to be back here. Look, I changed planes in Miami. I. I kept all my receipts. I’ll pay for my own damn flight back home if I have to. All right? We can’t do this on the phone. I don’t want to do this on the phone. All right? I gotta go. Red wheel. Hey. Very aware of the Townsend Mercury News. Don’t talk to the press. Call Public Affairs. It’s Dr. Norman Manasseh. That’s classified. How did you get it? Got it from a drug dealer. Perfect. Listen, I was John Kerry’s lead investigator on the Senate subcommittee that investigated this.

You have no idea what you’re getting into. Well, why don’t you tell me? Tell me what I’m getting into. I’m on the National Security Council now. And I have the trust of the president and his cabinet. It took me 10 years to get back to that place. Your name goes nowhere near this. This conversation never happened. You have my word on that. Do anything like this before? No. That’s your paper. Not that I’m aware of. Some fancy information you have there. And dangerous. I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you that other reporters have been down this rabbit hole.

Seasoned reporters who knew their way around Washington and Central America. So what are you Telling me I had an American citizen, a rich one. Republican Party fundraiser, a White House favorite, in my office. Upset about things he was hearing. He believed in freedom and defeating communism, but not in laundering narcotics money for guns. And he’s sitting in my office in the US Senate, and he gets a phone call telling him that if he talked to me, he’d die. This is your ticket out of small time, right? You’re gonna make your bones on this. This is a true story.

My friend. Some stories are just too true to tell. That’s. And yes, it is. Congratulations. You figured that out. Too true. To death. Welcome to San Francisco International Area. Please do not leave your bag. Sometimes I just wish I could climb inside that head of yours. See all this you carry? Really? No, not really. To me. Bad guys. Ghosts. Scary ones. Turning around. What do you want me to do, Sue? Do something else for a living? No. This one just scares me. Be careful. Hello? It’s Russell Dodson. Hello, Russell Dodson. Listen, Gary, we haven’t handled this right at all.

Before you print anything, there’s a few guys from D.C. that we’d like to sit down with. You should hear them out. I’m listening, Gary. Thanks for coming. I’m Agent Miller, this is Agent Jones. Can we get you a cup of coffee? No. How about one of those cappuccinos? Just got a new espresso machine. Probably cost the taxpayers 30 grand. Ah, well. No, I’m fine. Get him a cappuccino. Now, we don’t agree with everything that happens in our agency, so this is a little awkward for us. But you’re getting into some sensitive areas. There are ongoing operations you’re in danger of exposing.

Operations that have taken months, years to set up. Thousands of man hours, millions to fund. And how do you know that? We know you were in Nicaragua. We know you saw Manassas. Am I being followed? What’s your angle, Webb? Some governmental informants are scumbags. Look, I was under the impression that you guys had something to say to me. But to answer your question, no. My angle is that the American government. New drugs were put on the streets to fund an illegal war. What you want to say happened never happen. Then why am I here? American kids were gonna die in that war.

American kids did die, and they’re still dying. Just not the ones you care about, apparently. We’d never threaten your children, Mr. Webb. Much. What’d you. I’m writing the story. This is a public, solid announcement. With guitar. No, you’re right. Oh, forever. Number one, you have the right not to be killed. Murder is a crime lesson by a policeman or a periscope flash. Oh no, you’re right enough. You have the right to food my provided a cause. Don’t mind a little investigation, humiliation. And if you cross your finger, know your right. These are your eyes. Hey. Say okay.

I’m about to press send. We’re ready. All hands on deck. Don’t over edit it. Don’t worry, Anna, Gary, I got it. Go enjoy your family. Woohoo. You call it a war. Ready? All right. Okay. Why is a gang up on mama? Where you going? Dad of this Chinese checker got to do this. You think it’s what I think it’s like a dad. It’s up. It’s online. Mom. Oh my God. Mom, check this out. It. It just went up. It’s everywhere, Gary. For the better part of a decade, a San Francisco Bay area drug ring sold tons of cocaine to the Crips and Bloods, street gangs of Los Angeles and funneled millions in drug profits to a Latin American guerrilla army run by the US Central Intelligence Agency.

Hey. Hey. You did it. Yeah. Wanna go fool around in the woods? Yeah. Yes, I do. Yes, I do. Don’t. Hey, come on. Come on. You should see our switchboard. It is lit up like a Christmas tree. We’re getting calls from all over the world. Gary, what do you want to do? Well, it’s just the beginning, isn’t it? I think there’s more to do. Gotta keep running out the story. Keep digging. Anything you need. Okay, but take a victory lap. Hey, Anna. The Graphic. You guys used the crack pipe on the CIA emblem? Are you out of your mind? It’s like the CIA is cooking crack in our basement.

Gary, that was my idea. So blame me. But come on, we got their attention, didn’t we? We’re just calling to say thanks for doing this. There’s a lot of pride here this morning. Congratulations, buddy. Hey, Gary. Yeah. You did it. This is the big one. Enjoy your. Yeah. Let’s focus on the Washington Post, New York Times and the LA Times. Get Richard Zuckerman on the phone. What interests me is who is gonna tell me how we missed this goddamn story. How the San Jose Mercury news, a paper 1/5 the size of the Los Angeles Times and 300 miles away, scooped us on one of the most important stories in this city in what, 20 years? How about you, Rich? Didn’t you cover Ricky Ross? Parts of it, yeah.

Apparently the wrong parts. We had Blandon in one of our stories. As what? A government source? He’s Also apparently almost single handedly responsible for the crack epidemic which by the way, started right here in Watts, five fucking miles from where we’re sitting. Look, Mark, I don’t need to tell you this, but if this story stands, some of your people are going to jail. Richard, the idea that any one person could have played a decisive role in the crack epidemic is absurd. What about Norwin Maness? We have no documentation that this guy ever did any business with us.

Richard, this, this Gary Webb, he’s got nothing. He’s got drug dealers and money launderers as sources. Rich, you know this guy Webb? What do you think? It’s thin. Except that he. He posted all his sources on the Merc website. So? So nobody’s done that before. I need every line of that story taken apart and checked for inaccuracies. Get Dominic Brady back here from Washington. I want to lose 15 people on this. Leo, what if we’re overreacting? I mean, it’s the San Jose Mercury News. Is anyone even going to pay attention? A reporter for the San Jose Mercury News suggested that the CIA might have played a role in permitting Nicaraguan drug dealers to distribute crack cocaine in South Central Los angeles during the 1980s.

That had enormous resonance within the African American community. We have been kicked out, we have been pricked and we have been undermined. If they had put that crack in Beverly Hills, it would be a presidential issue. We love our children just like you love yours. I think it is enough information here to say to the CIA, you stand accused. President Clinton will be back out on the campaign trail next week. I’ve got requests for you from cnn, cnbc, Jerry Springer, Geraldo Rivera and Montel Williams. The London Times and Le Mans are sending reporters in to interview you.

And 60 Minutes and Dateline both want you, but only if you don’t do the other one. I just got the call last night. The National Press Association Journalist of the year is Mr. Gary Webb. Congratulations, Gary. Oh, baby. Just checking out, Richard. I spoke with the banker, Panama City. His name is Hans York Bayer. He met with Webb. He confirmed he laundered drug money for the Contras. Norwin Manesses was his client. Are these sources reliable enough for the Post? I mean, they’re all drug dealers. The banker isn’t a drug dealer. Also, there’s this American expat that had a ranch in the jungle for 30 years.

He let these two American pilots land and take off from his airstrip. And he let them store dope on his property. Yeah, talking to drug dealers and money launderers I’m talking to Langley. Well, I’m filing. You guys do whatever you want with it. So what’s her point of view? That Webb doesn’t have any legitimate sources. That the CIA would never use these low lives and in fact denies it unequivocally. That basically he’s a fraud and so is the story. I’ll take that upstairs and see if it’ll fly. Oh, wait, you guys. It’s on. Ian, it’s on.

Where? It’s on. In tonight’s time, America. Accusations underscore the word accusations that are nothing short of explosives. That the CIA knowingly and intentionally did what amount to pump crack cocaine into Los Angeles. That’s what he said. Rebels in Nicaragua. You never said intentionally. A lot of people are saying, of course, including people in Congress, that the CIA intentionally addicted African Americans to crack cocaine. Right. Well, what you and others are doing is putting words in my mouth. We never made that claim. What have you got to prove that Americans working in the US Government collaborated in selling crack cocaine into the African American community of Los Angeles? Well, first of all, we never said that Americans working in the government were doing this.

These were Nicaraguans working for the CIA run army. Okay, it’s not CIA. US Officials? Not that we know so far. Okay. It’s not U.S. officials. Okay, go ahead. What the CIA wanted to do was to fight a war that Congress didn’t want. And the ripple effect of that would happen in South Los Angeles and other American cities. Well, that was a mistake. This is a smoking cannon that leads all the way to the White House. We have no evidence of a conspiracy by the CIA to engage in encouraging drug practice. I am going to make somebody pay for what they have done to my community and to my people.

Don’t give me a conspiracy bull. There has never been a conspiracy in this. Oh, Gary, it’s Fred Whale. You haven’t seen the east coast papers yet. No, it’s 4:00am I was you once, Gary. I started down this road, though nowhere near as far as you are. When they saw I wasn’t going to stop, they controversialized. Do you have any idea what I’m talking about? Could they make you the story? You have a history of schizophrenia. You’re a liar, you’re a homo, beat your dog, you’re a pedophile. It doesn’t matter if none of it’s true. The point is, no one remembers what you found.

They remember you, and you’re nuts. You cease to exist. Gary, you there? Yeah. Remember, you get the most flak. When you’re right above the target, that’s when they empty all their guns into you. When you’re about to drop a bomb on the Kremlin, or in this case, the Central Intelligence Agency. You hang in there, Gary. Morning, guys. Don’t look so good. Morning, Gary. Good morning. We just want to take your temperature, you know, get your perspective before we weigh in here. About What? Well, the CIA’s response to you, for one. Well, there isn’t one, really, is there? Still nothing? Not a single source.

I mean, at this point, I’ll take anybody who takes home a check from the CIA. Anyone? Well, they’re a secretive organization, Jerry. I mean, that’s. That’s what they do. They’re secretive. They don’t talk. Well, at least the Washington Post isn’t saying we got all our facts wrong. Well, because they’re not. But what the Post is saying is that we’re just here to attest to the moral purity of the Central Intelligence Agency. Gary, Richard Zuckerman is a living legend. Yeah. Who thinks his job is to defend the CIA. He used to work for them. He was a media intern, for God’s sakes.

Am I crazy? Reading this stuff is like reading Pravda circa 1953, you guys. I mean, what am I missing here? Gary, cards on the table. We got a call from Corporate this morning. They are getting a little nervous. And so we’re just going to take a beat, step back, look at the big picture on behalf of the paper. We don’t want to print anything else till we get our ducks in a row, okay? And we’re keeping you in the loop. No big deal. Gary, can I talk to you for a second? Yeah. Just got a call.

NBC is canceling their segment on this story. They’re not gonna run it. And you’re not gonna believe this, but we’ve heard that the Washington Post is gonna say you’re an active part of Ricky Ross defense, that your involvement verges on complicity, and that you and Ricky Ross are telling this fairytale together. It’s not funny. Come on. And it’s funny. No. Our careers could be on the line. Look, we drew blood. They’re going to say anything. Would you. What? No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. You think I’d make some shit up? No. You’re my editor. I know it’s my name on this story, but it’s your name on that damn door.

Don’t forget that. It’s right there. This is Rishkoin. To carry a Webb. Really Okay. Hello? What’s happening here, Rich? The only people you have in your story is the former director of the CIA, the current director of the CIA, and guess who. A bunch of CIA officials. Are you following up on anything I wrote, or are you just talking to the CIA? I can’t be talking to you. Why? I don’t know. I’m sorry. Sa. It. It’s. Hey. The hell you doing? I can see you. Son of a. I saw him and I chased him down the goddamn street.

Okay, so you think he tried to shoot the guy? I fired a warning shot. I have a family to protect. Did he try to break in? No, he was at the back of my car. He wasn’t trying to steal it. I don’t know what the hell he was doing, but he was there. See his fingerprints or some. He was doing. He was. He was messing with it. I don’t know what he was doing. What are you doing? You have any reason to believe your family’s in danger, Mr. Web? No. No. What is it? Put that down.

Hey, dad. Dad. All these people just came down looking through all your. Can I help you? Sorry, you can’t be in here. Excuse me. Hey. Excuse me. This is my house. What are you doing? Who the are you? Hey, will you put this down? This is my. This is my house. Get the out. The out of here. Darren. Ian. Anybody comes down here, hit him with that. Hey. I see you. I know you had a hard night last night, but I need to warn you before you come into work tomorrow that the next week or so is going to be rough.

Dateline thinks you lied to them, so they’re coming after you. And so is Nightline and every other major that hasn’t had their shot yet. Well, the story’s tight. It’s not perfect. Well, Jerry put the brakes on when I need to keep going. I’m not done, Anna. I need you to protect me so I can finish what we started. It’s not the story now. This is about you. The New York Times gave us a courtesy call. They went into everything. Every closet and corner of your life. Every speeding ticket, every bar fight, every libel suit. That’s gossip.

That’s not. And now Jerry’s talking about you working out of the Cupertino office for a while. Jerry’s out of his mind. That’s not happening. Hey, bud. Come on in. It’s not a good idea. Ian, go to your room. What is this? They found out about that woman. The woman in Cleveland. Gary at the Plain Dealer. Yeah, and why didn’t you Tell us the whole story. What the fuck. Look, who I do or what the fuck I do in my life is not your concern. You understand that? This is between my wife and I. God, excuse me, between my wife and I.

Goddamn it. It’s not your fucking concern. You can take any man’s life, put it under a microscope, you can dissect it and turn a simple man’s life into a circus sideshow. You know that? What about the rest of me? Can we focus on that? Dad, what happened in Cleveland? Come on. Come on. There’s no such thing as a little mistake, Ian. One wrong turn and you’re lost. Keep turning, trying to get back. Sound like a writer writing? I’m asking my father what happened in Cleveland. I screwed up. Who was it? A reporter in the newsroom. What was her name? Why does that matter? That matters to me.

Barbara. Did you love her? No. Do you love Mom? I love your mother. You and your brother, your sister, your mother. You’re everything to me. You’re all I got. I couldn’t stand losing that. What happened to her? She committed suicide. That’s really shitty. Yeah, it was. Is that why we left Ohio? Because you ran away? Yeah, well. We needed a fresh start. Oh, God. I’m really disappointed in you. Mom’s amazing. We don’t have a choice, Gary. This is the only option on the table right now. Good for you to get out of line of fire for a beat.

You can cool off, you know? Pop out some easy human interest stuff. Dad, what’s in Cupertino Papers. Bureau for Losers. I won’t get any trouble. So they think maybe. Just don’t go. Daddy, I. Honey, Daddy’s gotta go to work. Got the house to pay for and all these school clothes. Cause you guys are growing like weeds. Be good. Photos, your old records. Some of Christine’s drawings. Okay. That kind of thing. I hate this. I know. I want to be alone. No good at it. You know, maybe some time apart will be a good thing. Well, it’s got to be you.

Love you, Daddy. Love you, Daddy. Bye. Love you, too. Love you. Love you. Don’t feel like home. He’s a little out. I was told that the police department Is having trouble keeping the troopers horses healthy. Yeah. Yeah. Here is Bow. Trouble, constipation. Comments? I have you on record working in Nicaragua with John Cullen. Barry Reed, between 81 and 85. Yeah, I worked with Reed, but I don’t know Cullen. You have any contact info for Reed? Last I heard, he was in New Orleans. I think he died, though. Well, I’d like to review your flight logs. Names of pilots.

I can’t do that, Mr. Webb. Is there anyone else I can speak to? I don’t know. Maybe try back in a week, talk to my boss? Is Cullen residing in Lake City, Florida? Maybe. Look, I can talk to you. You didn’t even open the box I gave you, huh? Oh, honey, that. I can’t open that. I can. You can’t. Look, I gotta. I gotta focus. You understand? I gotta focus so I can finish this thing. And then what happens? Then it’s done. And then what? Then what? I didn’t choose what’s happening here, Sue. I didn’t choose this.

I don’t wanna fucking be here in this shitbox. Away from home. Come on. What is this? What do you mean? Huh? Can’t you see what this is doing to all of us? That’s not fair. Like you are who you always were, Gary. No regret, no blame. No judgment. It’s just a fact. I guess it’s me who’s changed. What you say? What do you say? I don’t know. You do know. Say it. It’s a big step up. Don’t turn on the light. I’m John Cohen. You know that name? What you found here, Gary, is a monster. It.

I was recruited by the Agency out of college. I knew Spanish and law. And I wanted to do good. I wanted to fight some evil empire. I went to Central America. Made nice with radicals. Slept with some of the pretty ones and turned in names. Then I started noticing they were disappearing. Permanently. The people that we hunted. Murdered. All they had was a deep desire to reform the government and have free elections. That’s it. After I left the Agency, I worked my way into a major drug cartel. It was early Medellin. I solved logistical issues. Bringing supply into the United States.

Paved the way, you might say, as. As the traffic grew and grew. Someone in Washington knows what you do and is doing nothing to stop it. It’s all lies and corruption, Gary. You get attracted to the power. Then you become addicted to the power. Then you’re devoured by the power. Your thing and my thing. Are they connected? Are they the same? Yes. They are the same. Danilo Blandone. This is him yesterday. This is you, here today. Nobody wants to hear your sad story, Gary. You can go on record. And end up dead? No. And why are you here? I’m confessing.

Who else am I going to tell? Anna, It’s Gary. Gary? At six in the morning? I found him. Or he found me. Who? The asset. It’s it’s the piece I’ve been missing. The only thing I didn’t have. It’s what you kept asking for, so I can keep going. He was a part of the operation. And you understand that? CIA, Gary. Look, if I can just get him to go on record, he’ll confirm everything. Look, he came to my goddamn hotel room. I’m not finished with it. Calm down. I’m not finished. Gary. Look, I’m trying to keep you on the payroll, okay? I’m trying to save you.

You know, I’m not just gonna sit back and be quiet and do nothing so I can collect your goddamn check. You know that. You know me. I’m gonna keep going. I’m gonna finish this for you. I’m going to do it for somebody else. Look, there’s a staff meeting tomorrow. We’ll talk about it there, okay? Okay. Okay. It’s morning, Gary. Hey, hey, hey. I want to run a couple ideas by you guys about this asset. CIA asset. Gary, have a seat. Hey, Pete. Hey. When did you get in from Washington? No easy way to say this, Gary, so I’m just gonna say it.

We’ve had Pete backtrack a few of your leads. Why didn’t you tell me? Well, telling you now, Pete, why didn’t you say we didn’t like some of the stuff that Pete brought back. Okay. Some of your sources have changed their stories. Of course they. They did? Well, they’re saying they never said the things you haven’t seen. Well, that’s. That’s how they operate, Jerry. They. The Agency. They deny everything. Everyone who works with the CIA. CIA denies everything. Did you ever get an actual CIA operative on the record? We never made that claim. I think that’s been very clear at this point.

He never said that. Anna, did you not tell him about the guy that came to my hotel? But he said he’s not going on the record, Gary. No, I think I get anyone who works for the CIA on the record. Look, who’s this guy? Outside counsel. Okay, look, here, let me catch you up to speed here, counselor. The CIA uses people that work for the CIA. They also use people who work with the CIA. You get the difference? We don’t operate in a courtroom or in absolutes, Gary. We operate in shades of gray. Mm. I didn’t realize truth is a shade of gray.

Anyone else? It’s not what you can prove. It’s what people say they remember. Your word against theirs. Would have been wonderful to get a couple of innocent people on the record, Gary. Yeah, well, nobody a Part of the story is innocent, Jerry. You know? Call Norman, Vanessa. He’s in Managua. He’s in a prison. He was happy to speak to me when I came here. He said he never spoke to you. You kidding me? I was in Managua for three days. You know this. No, I know you were in Managa, Gary. He said you never got inside the prison.

He said he never saw you. Well, there were 500 other people who did. Yeah, but can you prove it? What, you mean like, did I bring home a T shirt from the prison gift shop? Do you have any proof you were actually inside that prison? I bribed my way in. Oh, fingers. But look, it’s a third World country. What did you expect me to do? What about all my notes? Legally, they’re just your notes. All it means is you wrote them. Could have made them up later. Fuck you. Easy, Gary. Fuck you both. You questioning my ethics? Thinking I’d re engineer a goddamn thing? How fucking dare you.

Gary, calm down. What about this Swiss banker buyer? Yeah, what about him? I can’t find him. We’re gonna have to look a little harder then. No one’s heard from him. Gary, this is crazy. This is nuts. CIA can’t take a piss without getting their dicks caught in their fly. But they’re absolutely fantastic at this. I mean, look at you guys. You’re looking at me like I’m crazy, like I’m lying. This is. Gary, that’s what you’re doing. No. Nobody’s saying that. This is not personal. Do not. How is this not personal? Gary, we got into this together, so we’re gonna get out of it.

Together. We’re gonna get out of it. We are going to print an open letter saying that some mistakes were made. Don’t do that. Come on, Gary. There’s a bigger picture here. Open your eyes. My eyes are wide open. What I see, I see a bunch of people that are worried about their reputations. Terrified that the Post of the Times aren’t gonna pluck you from the foothills of San Jose and give you a job on the mountaintop. You know, Jerry, you print that letter, you can’t undo it. Not ever. You become a paper that tells the truth only when you fucking feel like it.

Some of the heavyweights of American journalism have examined Webb’s work and found it reckless, often wrong. Just this week, Webb was pulled off the CIA story after his own executive editor admitted the articles oversimplified the origins of the crack epidemic. He also wrote, I feel that we did not have proof that top CIA Officials knew. Many Americans do seem willing to believe that their own government could have been involved in drug smuggling. Despite the criticism of Mr. Webb’s work, he is scheduled to receive the Bay Area Journalist of the Year award. Some within the organization are debating whether he is worth.

My bike. Come on. Come on. Hey, excuse me. Have you seen a bike that was here? Motorcycle. God. Come on. What are you looking at? It. Daddy. Hey, munchkins. How are you? How you doing? Good. Good to see you. You doing kiddo? Good. What happened to your hand? Oh, that’s. It’s just a little scratch. It’s nothing. You ever coming home working out it, kid? We’re working on it. Mom, Dad’s here. Hi, chicken. Hey, Mom. Look at you. Come on, Christine, let’s go. You look beautiful. I look beautiful. Come on. What’s this? Oh, that’s a long, long story.

It means nothing. It’s boring. Hi. Hi. How you been? Really good, considering. I’ve decided to continue writing on my own without the paper. You’re resigning? Yeah. That’s good. Yeah, I mean, you know, walk away. Fresh start. Make room for something new. Yeah. Thanks for coming with me. Means a lot. Tonight’s gonna be a good night. Journalist of the Year. Yeah. You ready? You look ready. You guys behave. Love you guys. Where’s Ant? No way. No way. What? What? Holy shadow. Oh, this is great. Oh, man, look at her. You did it. You did it. You did it.

I’m so proud of you. Thank you. I’m so proud of you. All right. Yes. I’ll try to know how. I’ll follow you. Don’t try too fast. I try to sleep the aisles you keep. Oh, Lord, I wish I could escape this. I am right on, my son. Unbelievable. My first story was about a dog that should have died, but wouldn’t. I was 22. Is a stupid little feature, but I was proud of him. I put it in a frame and hung it on my wall. I believed I joined a secret guild of reporters that day. If there was ever a believer, it was me.

My last story is about a police horse in Cupertino, California, who died of constipation. Actually, it’s not a joke. But to begin with a dog and end with a pile of horseshit. There’s a kind of poetry in there somewhere. This. This is horseshit. Me being up here. Look, I know I pissed off a lot of people over the years, many of whom are in this room right now. But I think that’s what good investigative reporting does. It ruffles feathers. But I was Never fired and my editors never threw me under the bus. And that’s because I never wrote anything until now that really mattered to a lot of people.

Mattered in a scary way. I’m not gonna take it back, make nice, save my job. Because I thought my job. Sorry. I thought my job was to tell the public the truth. The facts, pretty or not. And let the publishing of those facts make a difference in how people look at things, at themselves, of what they stand. But shame on me. This is the only thing I ever wanted to do. And for a while, a long while, it was an honor. Say good night. One more. Isolation. Hey, dad. Hey, bud. You okay? I’m not sure. Well, I’m really proud of you.

Thanks, bud. Listen, I’ve done a lot of things that I’m not proud of. But I’ve never stopped loving you. Not once. I know. It’s mirror. Yeah. Hey, dad, don’t go too far. This town hall meeting allows the soft staff Central community to interact with the Director of Central Intelligence. Please join me in welcoming CIA Director John Deutsch. How are we supposed to trust the CIA state officials to investigate themselves? Is Gary Webb in the house? Is the first thing I want to ask. Is Gary Webb in here? Gary Webb is the reporter for the San Jose Mercury News who broke the story wide open.

Allow Gary Webb to have full access to the Investigator General’s full documentation and comparatively go through it as the investigation goes on. Thank. There’s no question in my mind there is a complicity that the flow of drugs into this country. Same pilots, same air strips, same airplanes carrying guns and drugs at the same time. And people knew it. South Central Los Angeles and every other city in America are owed an explanation.
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