Living in Maryland, near Washington, D.C.
1997 to Present: Communications Director and Senior Analyst, Institute for Public Accuracy
Assembled thousands of news releases that resulted in tens of thousands of interviews on a wide array of policy areas on a variety of major and independent media outlets. News releases included some of the most critical examination of claims about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Attempted to question Trump and Putin at Helsinki summit while covering it for The Nation in 2018 and was locked up, leading to major media coverage from outlets around the world. Questioned Elizebeth Warren on her foreign policy which got substantial pickup online; questioned former governor Jerry Brown, now head of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, leading him to call the Democratic Party's posture toward Russia "stupid."
Regularly attended new conferences at the National Press Club and other venues in D.C., questioning numerous officials including NATO spokesperson Jamie Shea, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, journalists Dan Rather and Judith Miller and former head of Saudi intelligence Amb. Turki bin Faisal al-Saud. The questioning of the former lead to a suspension by the executive director of the National Press Club, which was overturned by the Ethics Committee.
Have had op-eds published in various publications including the Washington Post and USA Today. Appeared on various media including ABC’s “Good Morning America,” CNN, Al Jazeera, MSNBC, Fox News Channel and C-SPAN's "Washington Journal."
Artist
For visual art work and writing, see: BeThatEmpty.org.
Summer 2007: Consultant to The Real News Network
Produced several video segments and proposed a long-term strategy for the network.
2006 to 2011: Founded Washington Stakeout
Questioned officials as they exit Sunday morning news talk shows, including politicos Paul Ryan, Heath Shuler and Mike Simpson and Colin Powell. In addition to individual segments, produced complied video: "The Absurd U.S. Stance on Israel's Nukes: A Video Sampling of Denial" which included questioning of then-Congressman Mike Pence and DNI John Negroponte.
2000 to Present: Founded VotePact.orgEncouraged "disenchanted Democrats" and "disenchanted Republicans" to engage in honest dialogue which would result in them each voting for their preferred independent candidates by pairing up rather than simply voting for one major party or the other because they detested the other more.
2000 to 2003: Chaired the local board of Pacifica station WPFW
Played a role in preventing the total implosion and/or hijacking of the largest independent media network in the U.S., ensuring the WPFW board push for reform of national board. 1996 to 1997: Media Director, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Oversaw the ADC’s media strategy. Broke ground in terms of policy positions, making the ADC publicly critical of the sanctions against Iraq as well as both Israeli policies and increasingly authoritarian tendencies of the Palestinian Authority, which the organization was reluctant to do. Did interviews on scores of TV and radio stations. Had op-eds published in Newsday, Knight-Ridder wire and numerous other outlets. Did outreach to Arab-American community. 1990 to 1996: Worked at Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting
Starting as a volunteer, worked in a number of roles at the media watch group. Research and wrote for magazine, Extra! while doing other freelance work. Worked to increase distribution for FAIR’s syndicated radio program, CounterSpin. Also acted as activism coordinator for a period. 1988 to 1989: Math teacher - Homeless shelter manager
Did substitute stints in the New York City public school system, lasting from a day to several months, mostly at the junior high level. Also managed a homeless shelter, Arthur Sheehan House in Brooklyn (Catholic Worker), and worked to fend off nonprofit that was granted ownership as a trustee from selling the property.
1987 to 1988: Programmer, Moody’s Investors Service - Art student
Did SQL and C programming in a corporate environment. During this period also studied art at Hunter College and the School of Visual Arts.
1987: Graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University
Receiving a double major in Applied Math (Computer Science specialty) and Logic and Computation (from Department of Philosophy).
Select media appearances:
2016: "How Disenchanted Democrats and Republicans Together Can Break the Two Party Duopoly" (The Real News)
2011: "National Press Club bans reporters for tough questions?" (RT)
2001: Two days after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, argued against war on "The O'Reilly Factor" -- segment ended with microphone being cut. (Fox News Channel)
Selected writings:
2019:
"AP wipes Iran-Contra pardons from Bill Barr's record: Another win for conventional wisdom" FAIR and Salon
"With this week's debate, Joe Biden is now pushing his Iraq war falsehoods to the max" Salon
"Film Official Secrets Is Tip of Mammoth Iceberg" FAIR and Consortium News
"Mother’s Day: The Obscured Roots of a Global Peace Movement" Consortium News
"Catholic Activists Stand Trial for Protesting Nuclear Weapons" The Nation
"Can the Religious Left Take Down Nuclear Weapons?" Counterpunch
"How a Would-be Thanksgiving Argument Can Spawn a Revolution" Counterpunch and VotePact
2018:
"I Came as a Journalist to Ask Important Questions" The Nation
"The Trump-Media Logrolling" CommonDreams
"McCain, Confederate" Counterpunch
"Torture is Not Only Immoral, but a Tool for War" Consortium News
"Anthony Bourdain: The last gasp of CNN’s original vision" FAIR, republished by Salon
"The Immigration Con: How the Duopoly Makes the Public Forget about Roots Causes of War and Economics" VotePact
2017:
"How Trump and Obama are Exactly Alike" VotePact
"After a Terrorist Attack, Spain Rejected Its Hawks. Will Britain?" The Nation
"How 'Both Sides' Forge U.S. Supremacy: the Nationalistic Hypocrisies of 'Violence' and 'Free Speech'" Black Agenda Report
"Should Media Expose Sources Who Lied to Them?" FAIR
"Questioning Pelosi and Schumer" (about impeachment and Israel's nuclear arsenal) CounterPunch
"Progressives Need to Think Through Implications of Flynn’s Resignation" The Progressive
2016:
"Embattled Wife of Orlando Nightclub Shooter: Everything You're Hearing About Me Is a Lie" Grayzone Project at Alternet
"How a Question’s Phrasing Hobbles Third Parties" Consortium News
"Commenting on Orlando, NPR Terrorism Reporter Reverses Political Lesson of Madrid Blast" FAIR
"Garrison Keillor’s Prophecy and Apostasy" Consortium News
"The Anti-Muslim Origins of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'" Grayzone Project at Alternet
2015:
"Foreign Policy, Sanders-Style: Backing Saudi Intervention" CounterPunch
2014:
"Katharine Gun’s Risky Truth-telling" Consortium News
2013:
"The Perennially 'Unusual' Yet Somehow Ubiquitous Left-Right Alliance" CounterPunch
"Exclusive from Bahrain: Interview with Human Rights Activist on Repression Against Formula One Race Protest" Interview produced for The Real News
2012:
"The Triangulations of Christopher Hitchens" Consortium News
2009:
"Obama Photo Op with Helen Thomas" Palestine Chronicle
2008:
"Blackout of Winter Soldier Hearings Exposes Weakness of Indy Media" Alternet
2006:
"Can Pacifica Live Up to Its Promise?" CounterPunch
"Martin Luther King and the Deeper Malady" CounterPunch
2005:
"Pre-script of Bush's Oval Office Address Tonight: 'Please Forgive Me'" CommonDreams
"A Statement from Mother Nature" (in the aftermath of Katrina) CounterPunch
2004:
"Media Mind-Readers Pretending to know official motives is not journalism" FAIR's magazine Extra!
"Felons on the Air Does GE's Ownership of NBC Violate the Law?" FAIR's magazine Extra!
"How Many People Will Die Because of This "Mistake", Senator Kerry?" CounterPunch
2003
"Compass Roses" CounterPunch
"Follow the Policy" (about Iraq) CounterPunch
2000:
"Operation Allied Farce?" Alternet
"A New Way To Vote -- As A Duet" {about VotePact) CommonDreams
1999: “Twisted Policy on Iraq” Washington Post
"'One America' -- To What Ends?" Poverty & Race
1998:
"The Dogs of War" Newsday
"Forget Murphy Brown: Kent Brockman is reality programming"
FAIR's magazine Extra!
"Brookings: The Establishment’s Think Tank" FAIR's magazine Extra!
"The Problem of Racism is Not Black and White" Poverty & Race
"Autopsy Of A Disaster: The U.S. Sanctions Policy On Iraq" IPA research document
1997:
"Media Bomb on TWA Crash Despite Oklahoma City, Journalists Still Played Guessing Game" FAIR's magazine Extra!
"Israeli Espionage Against the U.S." [ADC research document]
1996:
"Profile in Unfairness: What Happened to TWA 800 Is No Reason to Endanger Passengers' Civil Rights" Washington Post
1994:
"Religion and Politics The Media's One-Dimensional View" FAIR's magazine Extra!
1993:
"Media Not Doing Justice To Mideast Peace" FAIR's magazine Extra!
"Hillary & Bill & Harry & Louise" The Nation
"Back to Iraq News reporting echoes bias of Desert Storm"
FAIR's magazine Extra!
1992:
"Can You Believe What CBS Says About Arabs? Dan Rather, Fouad Ajami and Henry Kissinger in Arab-Bashing Israeli Fundraiser" FAIR's magazine Extra!