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Karl Rove's IT Guru Dies In Small Plane Crash
A dozen readers have submitted the story of the death in a plane crash of Mike Connell, Karl Rove's IT adviser, the man who set up and ran the gwb43.com mail server, and an important figure in GOP tech circles since 1997. The closest thing to straight reporting to be found in a mainstream media outlet is a piece from KDKA in Pittsburgh giving a detailed backgrounder on Connell's work for Rove, two generations of the Bush family, and many GOP congressmen and committees. CBSNews.com is now mirroring the KDKA reporting. Almost all the early media coverage comes from the left and some of it is frankly conspiratorial. Among the milder pieces (although it could not be called balanced) is this interview with Mark Crispin Miller, NYU professor and author of two books about the 2004 election in Ohio. Connell was compelled to testify on the day before the US election in a lawsuit involving Ohio election irregularities in 2004. Connell, an experienced pilot, died on Sunday when his plane crashed two miles short of the runway of Akron-Canton Airport in Ohio.
Does anyone really think this was an accident?</tinfoil-hat>
But seriously, if anyone knew "too much," this guy could qualify.
Start a happiness pandemic
Seriously. Screw Balance. Don't kowtow to some asshole who disagrees with you just because he says you're not reporting fairly. Know your biases, know them well, and know how to counteract them. As for the readers, know your biases and know or at least anticipate the author's biases.
"Balance" is for people who want to be heard, even when they know they're lying. It's for people with persecution complexes who have no business having them. "Balance" is reporting that Wall Street needs $700 billion, but auto workers are paid too much. "Balance" is promoting two sides as equal when they're not, or promoting two sides when an issue is more complex than that.
How many times have we IT people complained about unfair, ill-informed, hyped, or spun news articles about us? Why is this exact same tactic on the front page here? "Almost all the media coverage comes from the left and some of it is frankly conspiratorial." Marginalization and a thinly veiled ad-hominem attack? When did slashdot start culling from the mainstream?
"Balance" is bullshit, truth is paramount.
"The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion."
Because it's always just a conspiracy theory.
No need to investigate anything. Nobody has a reason to want this guy dead or anything. And lordy lordy the government would NEVER do anything unethical or illegal.
When a mouse in a house full of cats dies, the simpler explanation isn't that he suddenly lost the will to live.
The Razor is for simplicity. Your need to reaffirm your faith in the humanity of those in power is irrelevant.
>It was later learned that
>Ohio Secretary of State
>Kenneth Blackwell's office
>had routed Internet traffic
>from county election offices
>through out-of-state servers
>based at SMARTech in
>Chattanooga, Tenn.
>SMARTech hosts dozens of GOP Web domains.
I can't see any positive way to spin this.
Karma: It's not just a good idea. It's the law.
Condolences to his family and friends. No matter what you think of someone's politics, its always sad when someone dies.
Coder's Stone: The programming language quick ref for iPad
The newest article posted on Ninjalistics (your leading supplier of ISO 9000-compliant corporate espionage and assassination services) is, "Six additional political operatives die in separate accidents unrelated to Karl Rove."
If Ohio went for Kerry, the economy would have gotten blamed on the Democrats.
"WOIO correspondent Blake Chenault also reported that twice in the past two months Connell, who was an experienced pilot, canceled flights because of suspicious problems with his plane."
"The CIA and the FBI are far too good."
Three shots, one kill.
Amatures ;-).
"Kill 'em all and let Root sort 'em out"
False dichotomy.
What is it with people and the assumption that sabotage requires an elaborate chess game complete with blueprints, secret agents, wiretapping, and van full of CIA listening equipment?
It takes one man with a fucking match to burn down a house.
It takes only one mechanic with a desperate need to pay his family's medical bills to snip an important wire.
Dunno why this made it on the front page of Slashdot.
First off, it's old news. Mike Connell died a few days ago, at least someone could have reported it in a timely manner.
Secondly, there's really only two reasons people take much of an interest in Mike Connell. The first is that he developed technology for use in politics. Second is the whole 2004 mess, where he has been accused of voter fraud in Ohio (and allegedly in Florida).
Too much importance is given to Mike Connell and his 'role' in various things. He was a web designer, he ran a technology company, just like me and a lot of people who read Slashdot. The fact that he worked in politics is just another detail about his life (his relationship with teh turdblossom aside). He was also a board member of the American Association of Political Consultants. While listening to him speak could be entertaining, his ideas about ways to use the Internet never really struck me as anything new that hadn't already been done better by someone else.
It just makes me sad that people want to remember him for all these 'scandals' and that his notability is based on innunendo and rumor instead of the actual accomplishments in his life. I mean, I am a Dem and have no love for the man, but it is just rotten to think this is how people choose to remember him. Reducing him to a rumor of some wrongdoing and despising him over his dealings is just another way of dehumanizing the man, and people should be above that.
M
If Florida went for Gore, none of this crap would have happened and the national debt would still be going down as it did under Clinton.
Yes, everyone should understand that the POTUS has no real power to change the economy. But at the same time I can think of many things that Bush and all elected officials in power did that contributed to this downturn. The POTUS should have the confidence of the public, in this regard Bush is a total failure. President D Roosevelt is credited with ending the Great Depression but there is great debate whether he actually did. What he did do was be a leader in which Americans trust. Obama is probably going to follow this mold, he's already talking about an extended period of financial downturn. Anyone expecting that Obama is going to turn things around in his first term is probably unrealistic.
I now believe that assassination is a frequent political tool in America. I thought for years that Castro ordered the death of JFK until I saw the video (possibly now on YouTube) of the film interview with Lyndon Johnson's mistress. I now believe Kennedy was killed by the Rockefellers and Lyndon Johnson. There is much more in the interview, which everyone should see. For some reason it is not being talked about-- probably because years of crackpot "conspiracy theorists" have made even supportable theories about conspiracy suspect.
What Lyndon's mistress has to say is jaw-dropping and highly credible. Of course, for interested parties to deny or combat it would be to promote it, so that's not happening.
This interview gives a picture of American politics I never believed until I heard this straightforward, plain-talking woman. Political murder CAN happen and DOES happen-- often-- in the US. Now I am deeply questioning the official stories about Vince Foster, JFK, and now Mike Connell. Does anyone believe Karl Rove would not stoop to murder? The movie Bush's Brain makes it clear his ruining of opponents caused one or more suicides, yet in threatening to prosecute Connell's wife (for illegal lobbying !!!!!!!!!) (and as much as admitting he can give or withhold presidential pardons) he shows his tactics haven't changed a bit. I now believe Scooter Libby was persuaded to "take the fall" by threats of being ruined and by promises of a pardon if he bit the bullet.
We, the American people, have to wonder about the inadequacies of our political system (or the easy-to-abuse mighty power of the Presidency) that allow these corruptions to happen. I believe that Rove and Cheney are despicable murderers. This "accident" with Connell just proves it. This is what happens when you aren't a good boy like Scooter Libby.
America, we need to look at the issue of political murder and the frequency of its use for advantage.
Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others.
Like Monica?
-=Maggie Leber=-
DON'T FLY YOUR OWN AIRPLANE!!!
And if you must, have the server backup media shipped by alternate means.
Have gnu, will travel.
Karl Rove. Come on, give the guy some credit.
The guy ran oppo for the Republican party. They guy know who to talk to, and how to get information. He has is own databases of personal information on people - check his website and his own polling data.
He is fully capable of doing his own leg work with his own resources.
If *I* know what I would need to do to get the info needed to manipulate only one guy, Karl Rove better know, or the Republican party is overpaying him!
Have gnu, will travel.
The most obvious thing that points to it being a "convenient accident" is that the guy himself was afraid for his life and his lawyer was trying to get him into witness protection at the time.
Sad but true. It's unfortunately all too easy to make bad things happen with aircraft, cars, and other potentially dangerous machinery(WHY he was even flying in the first place...) Selling your soul and playing with fire... well, these sorts of things do happen. I'd feel sorry for him, but I think he should have known what was going to likely happen to him when he started down this path back then.
Just because lefties think [asinine action of the week] is a righty conspiracy doesn't imply that it's not a conspiracy. And vice versa.
Just because righties deny that [convenient coincidence of the week] is a conspiracy doesn't imply that it is a conspiracy. And vice versa.
And vice versa.
Applying critical thought to what each side says is not unbalanced reporting. Reporters, in general, are in a much better position to connect the dots than is the general public.
Not giving the other side a chance to rebut, on the other hand, is unbalanced reporting. However, the rebuttal does not have to be in the same article. Ideally, there would be N+1 articles, one for each side and one where critical thought is applied.
This was definitely an accident. You see, Connell was involved in Rove's secret plot to cut the underwater cables in the Mediterranean, and was flying out to intercept the repair crew when he crashed.
Among the milder pieces (although it could not be called balanced)
Balanced reporting is bullshit, because reality is not balanced. For example, the fact that some people think the earth is 6000 years old doesn't imply that the media has to mention this every time they report on some archeological dig. The mere fact that an opinion exists doesn't mean that it's worth reporting.
I live near Akron Canton airport. This happened maybe 15 miles from my house.
Most of the land around Akron and North Canton is farmland. There is a sizable Amish and Mennonite population in that area. It's a lot of cleared land and cornfields around AC.
If you were to run out of gas on approach there are dozens of places to set down a single engine airplane. It's mostly cornfields.
That was the part that first struck me about this story. If you knew you wouldn't make the airport...you'd have to be pretty damn unlucky to not find a decent place to set down. With any luck you might even manage an old county access road and salvage the plane.
Weaselmancer
rediculous.
Which is simpler? One man having an accident, or several, perhaps dozens of people conspiring to fake said accident? Strictly speaking, an accident is still the 'simpler' theory by Occam's definition.
Compartmentalization is the key to managing a massive secret endeavor without anybody knowing enough to even realize they're part of a conspiracy. You only need a couple of guys at the top to know anything real. Anybody else who learns too much, you can always send on trip in a small plane. . .
Anyway, Occam's razor is flawed. --It was an argument designed by a 13th century monk to logically prove the existence of God. In short: Every explanation for anything which ever happens is more complicated and contains more steps than simply saying, "God". Thus, according to Occam's razor, God exists. It's a broken argument and the fact that people in the science community use it is embarrassing enough, but thanks to Jodi Foster, people in the much more densely populated, "Church of Science" use it all the time and actually think it means something other than, "I'm right because I allow the world of possibilities to end where my ignorance begins." AKA, "Bullshit".
Here's another way of looking at it. . .
When you measure the various likelihoods of an event happening via Occam, you are limited to your present data set and knowledge of the world. People have the bloody conceit to assume that things which they do not know about are less likely to exist than things they do know about; which is of course, ego-driven nonsense. A three year-old who doesn't know about electron guns and phosphorus but who does know about puppet theaters could use Occam's Razor to deduce some fairly laughable things about television sets.
Just because you can't imagine a thing doesn't mean that thing isn't a possibility, or indeed, a likelihood. Occam's razor is simply a clever way of justifying self-satisfied ignorance.
And THAT is my axe now well-ground to it's own razor's edge. Thank-you for indulging me and Merry Christmas! Jesus died for you! Occam said so.
-FL
When I talked with Cliff and Bob the day after the first deposition a few months ago, they reported that Mike Connell tried to avoid answering their questions.
They were looking forward to subsequent depositions in order to get better information.
We all had similar observations about Connell's situation: It seemed very very dangerous to him, and we were concerned for his safety. We were hoping to get better information more quickly in order to limit the amount of time during which Mr. Connell would be under threat.
This plane crash comes as no surprise to any of us.
Living in Columbus, we in the election protection community have witnessed several activities firsthand that give us pause.
We have, for instance, photographic records of some of the punchcard ballots in the 2004 election, before they were destroyed in direct violation of a court order as well as the orders of the new secretary of state.
The reason for the Witness Protection Program is that people who have testified or are about to testify against powerful people often unexpectedly die under suspicious circumstances. This is a well documented phenomenon. The reason there isn't a World Record Setter Protection Program is that there are, AFAIK, no incidents of potential world record setters dying under suspicious circumstances.
Just last month Connell testified against some of the most powerful people on the planet, after years of their trying to prevent it, and he had just been called to testify again. The local news channel is also reporting that he recently told people that he thought his plane had been tampered with, and had refused to fly it twice since testifying.
-- MarkusQ
They are slandering Rove.
Only if the claims are false.
I think you're mistaken. I also live in this area, and work nearby.
While I'm sure there may be a few Amish/Mennonites, they certainly aren't there in any large number. The area around is airport has some farming, but has just as many housing developments and undeveloped land (with trees). It is also isn't flat. Map here http://tinyurl.com/8otcxn
Let's not try to play armchair quarterback too much. He obviously had an incentive to not crash. He lived in Bath, so he flew into the airport a lot and was probably familiar with the area. If safely landing in a field was available to him, I'm sure he would have taken advantage of the opportunity instead of crashing into a residential neighborhood like he did (he hit a vacant house). It was night, so he probably would have had a hard time spotting a field.
My father's best friend was a big shot technical manager with AT&T Long Lines in the 60s. He was working on November 22nd, 1963 when major portions of the national phone system were "locked down".
This person was present in the long lines operation center when Johnson's first call came through from Air Force One immediately after he was sworn in.
The operator motioned for him to listen in. Johnson was giving his first executive order after becoming president. He was asking to be patched through.
What do you think the nature of the call was? A call to the joint chiefs to declare DEFCON 4? A call to the FBI to launch an investigation? A call to Hubert Humphrey to offer him the vice-presidency?
Nope - Johnson called NASA to order the relocation of NASA's space program command center from Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia to Houston, Texas.
Think about it - if Johnson had no idea of the details behind the assassination of his predecessor, he would declare a high security alert.
If he DID have an idea, well, it would be logical to start consolidating power and influence. This was a decision worth many millions of dollars and thousands of jobs to the state of Texas.
This story was told directly to me on the 40th anniversary of the assassination by the man who overheard the conversation.
Ask Me About... The 80's!
Maybe the airplane turned to chocolate in midair, and can't be found because it crashed in Hershey, PA.
Just a equally likely possibility.
If he knew he was sitting on secrets; knew (or suspected) people were out to get him; and was a geek:
Where's the killswitch server? You know, the server sitting quietly somewhere that needs you to login once a week or so or it automatically dumps all that incriminating material onto a website and emails a few news outlets.