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Seth Rich: The Plot Thickens

Some fascinating developments have occurred in the ongoing investigation of the death of former DNC employee Seth Rich.  Among them, removal of what was an exclusive story for Fox News with investigator Rod Wheeler and stunning new developments with none other than Kim Dotcom, the internet entrepreneur, and frequent target of U.S. law enforcement agencies.

Last week when we reported on Democrat National Committee staffer Seth Rich’s murder, much of the discussion centered on a man named Rod Wheeler, a former D.C. homicide detective who is now a private eye and Fox News contributor.  Wheeler claimed both an association with Mr. Rich’s family and knowledge that Mr. Rich was, in fact, a source for WikiLeaks.

Mr. Rich’s status as a Wikileaks source is what is driving the coverage of the case because if so, then motive for his murder goes from street corner stick-up to the highest reaches of the DNC.  WikiLeaks has refused to confirm or deny Mr. Rich’s status as a matter of principle claiming it never reveals sources.  It appears that policy includes post-mortem revelations as well.  WikiLeaks founder and leader Julian Assange has fanned the flames of the conspiracy theory by re-tweeting stories that allege Rich was a WikiLeaks source and suggesting on Dutch television program Nieuwsuur that Seth Rich was the source for the WikiLeaks-exposed DNC emails and was murdered because of it.

Fox News ran Wheeler’s story (and LN quoted from it), which also referenced a “federal source” that claimed the FBI had examined Rich’s computer and found the emails from WikiLeaks.  Fox has since withdrawn the story claiming:

The article was not initially subjected to the high degree of editorial scrutiny we require for all our reporting. Upon appropriate review, the article was found not to meet those standards and has since been removed.

What happened?  New York Magazine reports:

The story began falling apart last week when Wheeler said his comments were misinterpreted, and he’d only learned of the “evidence” from the Fox News reporter who interviewed him. D.C. police have said they do have evidence that suggests the 27-year-old was the victim of a botched robbery, and they’re still investigating. Rich’s family responded by “officially asking for a retraction and an apology from Fox News and from the Fox 5 DC affiliate for inaccurate reporting and damaging the legacy of their son.”

This story is an onion, as every new layer reveals a new layer and so on.  The Rich family spokesman quoted above is yet another layer in what has become a rather confusing story.  This spokesman, Brad Bauman  is a former staffer for several Democrat Congress members, past Executive Director for the Congressional Progressive Caucus from 2011 through 2014, as well as the founder of a Democrat crisis public relations company.  The last item was conspicuously Tweeted out by WikiLeaks, throwing gas onto the fire as it tends to make the reader think they are trying to tell us something without explicitly stating it:  Bauman is one of THEM and cannot be trusted. Hmmm…

Kim Dotcom is a man who made millions as the founder of file storage company Megaupload.  He is one of those outsized personalities who made headlines with his lifestyle and social media presence, as well as becoming world champion at a popular video game.  He also ran afoul of the U.S. government.  Acting under pressure from the Motion Picture Association of America and others, U.S. authorities attempted to seize Mr. Dotcom and all his property.  The authorities alleged Megaupload was a grand scheme to profit from illegally sharing copyrighted material, and had authorities in New Zealand raid Mr. Dotcom’s home.

Dotcom has fought the charges at every turn, insisting his service was legitimate, that he broke no laws, and has for the five years since the raid, fought attempts to extradite him to the United States for prosecution.   “I knew Seth Rich. I know he was the @Wikileaks source. I was involved.”  Was the tweet that Dotcom sent like a massive earthquake.  His revelation brought the murder well back into likely conspiracy territory and only increases the fervor for answers about Mr. Rich.

Dotcom has not been most forthcoming after that initial Tweet on May 20.  His big follow-up included revelations that he worked with Rich online while Rich used a pseudonym “Panda” to advance a fledgling political party called the Internet Party.  He didn’t add much beyond a posting on his own website stating:

The Rich family has reached out to me to ask that I be sensitive to their loss in my public comments. That request is entirely reasonable.

I have consulted with my lawyers. I accept that my full statement should be provided to the authorities and I am prepared to do that so that there can be a full investigation. My lawyers will speak with the authorities regarding the proper process.

If my evidence is required to be given in the United States I would be prepared to do so if appropriate arrangements are made. I would need a guarantee from Special Counsel Mueller, on behalf of the United States, of safe passage from New Zealand to the United States and back. In the coming days we will be communicating with the appropriate authorities to make the necessary arrangements. In the meantime, I will make no further comment.

Is there any there, there?  It’s impossible to tell at the moment, but Dotcom is not known for lying or misleading people.  Since the murder of Mr. Rich is not included in the order appointing him special counsel, any guarantee by Mueller seems unlikely – for now.

In the wake of Dotcom’s statements the Rich family has responded as reported by Newsweek:

“The Rich family is tired of having to respond to accusations,” Brad Bauman, a family spokesman, said in a statement. “The burden of proof is on Mr. Dotcom to either prove he has evidence or face the consequences of damaging Seth’s good name and creating more emotional hardship on a grieving family. The family is not going to entertain his ridiculous, manipulative and completely non-credible statements.”

Stay tuned to LibertyNation.com for more on this fascinating story as we report developments as they occur.

Read More From Scott D. Cosenza, Esq.

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