I have to say out front that I've had a bad feeling about multiple aspects of Hasting's ill-timed death in a fiery car crash back in June. Without going all conspiratorial, no one can deny that Michael Hastings was an audacious and unafraid investigative reporter who made more than his share of enemies in very high places. Neither can anyone deny the fact that this case just keeps getting stranger and stranger as time goes on.
Journalist Michael Hastings, who was killed in a fiery car crash in June, reportedly had been working on several big stories including one on CIA Director John Brennan before his death.
(snip)
Last month a source provided San Diego 6 News with an alarming email hacked from super secret CIA contractor Stratfor’s President Fred Burton. The email (link here) was posted on WikiLeaks and alleged that then Obama counter-terrorism Czar Brennan, was in charge of the government's continued crackdown or witch-hunt on investigative journalists.
The television station submitted the email to the CIA for comment with the spy agency responding immediately through their media spokesman. The station received two separate responses from Todd Ebitz; one that acknowledged Hastings was indeed working on a story about the CIA. And the other simply said:
“Without commenting on information disseminated by WikiLeaks, any suggestion that Director Brennan has ever attempted to infringe on constitutionally-protected press freedoms is offensive and baseless.” (my emphasis)
The emails also prompted a phone from CIA media spokesman Todd Ebitz. He said they were saddened by Michael’s death and reiterated their position that they had a cordial working relationship with the investigative reporter.
San Diego Six received no response, however, from either Fred Burton or a spokesman from Stratfor.
The story, first published on Monday @ the San Diego 6 News website, was updated today with a confirmation from Hasting's wife that the main subject of her late husband's exposé was indeed CIA Director John Brennan.
This week Elise Jordan, wife of famed journalist Michael Hastings, who recently died under suspicious circumstances, corroborated this reporter's sources that CIA Director, John Brennan was Hastings next exposé project (CNN clip).
As for Hastings’ final story, his wife said Rolling Stone would publish the Brennan piece in an upcoming edition of the magazine.
Meanwhile, author and freelance blogger
Michael Krikorian, posted a new surveillance video from a nearby Italian restaurant that revealed more information surrounding Hasting's final seconds of life. the video was used to calculate the speed of Hasting's car at the time of the crash. Before the release of the video, varied reports ranged from forty miles per hour to upwards of a hundred miles per hour.
A University professor told San Diego 6 News that calculating the speed of Hastings car follows a simple mathematic equation. By using the video and the distance traveled (195 feet) as well as the seconds that lapsed prior to the explosion – the car was traveling roughly 35 mph.
That revelation is important because Jose, an employee of ALSCO a nearby business, and a witness to the accident told KTLA/Loud Labs (Scott Lane) the car was traveling at a high rate of speed and he saw sparks coming from the car and saw it explode BEFORE hitting the tree.
(clarification: Professor Mehrabadi did not provide any official comment on Michael Hastings' case and only clarified the math on a physics equation.)
Apparently, the pre-explosion could explain the flash of light on the video preceding the appearance of Hasting's car. Both the pre-explosion and the slower speed could also shed light on why the palm tree hit by Hasting's car only sustained minimal damage; the fact that the rear tires of the car ended up resting against the curb - and - explains why the engine and drive train landed more than a 100 ft. from the impact area.
This new information prompted another round of FOIA/CPRAs and only adds to the questions that remain unanswered. One of those questions is where was Mr. Hastings going at 4:30 in the morning? Based on the accident location, Hastings was only 1.5 miles from his home and was headed away from his address.
Other unanswered questions point to the contents (computer, phones, notes, etc.) of his home, so far there has been no response from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) FOIA request regarding these issues. Also, numerous FOIAs have been filed with other federal agencies concerning details of Hastings suspicious car “accident.”
The intrepid author of this article, Kimberly Dvorak, wants to thank the thousands of people following this story, and for all the subsequent supportive comments and many helpful tips that followed.
Now, that's a local reporter actually doing her job. Stay tuned
Rest in Peace, Michael. You are sorely missed.