To those journalists with whom I have worked mostly closely on the LaRouche story: Russ Bellant, Chip Berlet, Bryan Chitwood, Ed Kayatt and Patricia Lynch. Without their input, this book could never have been written.
The uncovering of the LaRouche conspiracy in America has been a collective endeavor in which many journalists and editors have made important contributions. Chip Berlet, the dean of LaRouche watchers, has tracked the NCLC in dozens of articles since 1975. Patricia Lynch of NBC-TV first cracked the story of LaRouche's White House connection. Bryan Chitwood was the reporter on the scene in Leesburg, Virginia, who did the most exhaustive work in 1986-88 on the LaRouchians' financial misdeeds and attempts to obstruct justice. Russ Bellant probed their relations with the Republican Party and their activities in Detroit. Ed Kayatt, publisher and editor of the Manhattan weekly Our Town, fought LaRouche for over eight years, in the teeth of lawsuits and harassment which would have caused many publishers to back off.
In addition, this book draws upon the work of John Rees, Greg Rose, Joe Conason, Joel Bellman, Jude Dratt, John Mintz, Chuck Fager, Harvey Kahn, Paul Valentine, Mark Arax, Howard Blum, and Paul Montgomery. Journalists who gave generously of their time on various research points include Bob Windrem, Bruce McColm, Jim Hougan, and Linda Hunt. Dan Moldea's classic investigative work The Hoffa Wars was a source of inspiration as well as a gold mine of facts. University of Chicago graduate student Daniel Messinger provided information on LaRouche's electoral activities. The late Fred Christopher of the New York Conservative Party gave me an initial orientation about LaRouche's conspiracy theories without which I could never have understood them. Former High Times news editor Bob LaBrasca strongly encouraged my probe of LaRouche's connections to the Teamsters union.
This book includes materials from interviews and joint investigations conducted with Patricia Lynch, Ronald Radosh, and Kalev Pehme, who have my gratitude. Where John Mintz of The Washington Post re-interviewed persons that Radosh and I earlier interviewed for The New Republic, I have sometimes quoted from the Mintz interviews with his permission,
I owe a special debt to Kevin Coogan for allowing me to use findings from his unpublished manuscript, "The Mystery of Lyndon LaRouche." Especially, I am indebted to him for digging out the writings of LaRouche's father and illuminating the murky circumstances surrounding Roy Frankhouser's 1975 trial. His manuscript delves into many fascinating areas which my book does not deal with, and I hope it will find a publisher before long.
In the years I worked the LaRouche beat, I was without the protection of a large news organization. I wish to thank the attorneys who represented me pro bono in lawsuits initiated by the LaRouchians: Steve Bundy and Frank Barron of Cravath, Swaine and Moore in 1980-81; Phil Hirschkop in 1984; and Randolph Scott-McLaughlin, Raphael Lopez, and Morton Stavis of the Center for Constitutional Rights also in 1984. In addition, I am grateful to attorneys Weldon Brewer, Ramsey Clark, Jerry Nadler, and Eli Rosenbaum for their advice at various points.
Financial help in writing this book was provided by the Smith-Richardson Foundation, the Stern Fund, and the League for Industrial Democracy, I especially thank Arch Puddington and Gail Wolfe of the LID for their generous assistance.
For research help, I am deeply indebted to the staff of New York University's Tamiment Institute and to the research and fact-finding divisions of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. Gail Gans at the ADL chased down scores of documents for me over the years, while ADL fact-finding director Irwin Suall offered invaluable advice at many points. For help on LaRouche's early career I thank the staff of the Prometheus Library.
The following individuals provided vital encouragement over the years this book was in preparation: John Ranz, Sheldon Ranz, Lenny Lopate, the late Mannie Goldstein, Guy Hawtin, David Hacker, Rita Freedman, A. J. Weberman, Linda Ray, Dave Phillips, Anne-Marie Vidal, Arnold Sperber, Aron Kay, Bob Roistacher, Stanley Pinsley, Vanessa Weber, John Train, John Hitz, Lyn Wells, Lenny Zeskin, Jack Newfield, Dave Pollock, Marvin Sochet, Frank Touchet and Jack Finn.
For their special personal support, I thank my father Arnold King, Denise Beck, Kevin Coogan, Michael Hudson, Katy Morgan, Kalev Pehme, Leslie Smith, and "Simon," as well as my five colleagues to whom this book is dedicated.
Michael Hudson and Kalev Pehme did invaluable editorial work on the final manuscript and also provided many insights into LaRouche's financial empire.
Finally, I am deeply grateful to my agents, Peter Miller and Laurie Perkins, and my editor at Doubleday, Patrick Filley, without whom this book would not have been possible.
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