My Memories of Lyndon and Helga LaRouche

"Lyn went into prison. Helga and Fernando were officially on top....They thought they had not enough power and so tried to shape the organization for 'after Lyn' and get full control by eliminating the 'CIA' faction."

By Dino De Paoli
Dec. 9, 2006

[Dino De Paoli's insider revelations make clear that LaRouche knew all about his organization's alliances with Latin American fascists--and heartily approved. This fact really shouldn't require eyewitness proof, since LaRouche himself over a 15-year period published numerous articles and interviews under his own name supporting the likes of Argentinian Col. Seineldin and various death squad-infested regimes. But with the ICLC leader now attempting to blame everything on former aides, it's good to have an eyewitness who can say: I was there; I heard Lyn say it.

Readers should also note below the detailed account of the infighting in the ICLC between Lyndon and Helga's respective rattlesnake nests--and how the likes of "Carpet" found a way to cadge a good living from Lyn's paranoia.

One well-informed ex-member has written me to say that De Paoli's protrayal of former LaRouche lieutenant Fernando Quijano is "a bit over the top" and that some of the things for which De Paoli blames Quijano may instead have been the doing of people in the European organization. I encourage Quijano and/or friends of his to submit their own recollections of these events either directly to this website or by posting their statements on Factnet.

There are still unexplained references in the below document. If former members send in more replies to my list of queries, I will add additional footnotes.--DK]

HANNOVER, GERMANY--Given that in a recent "answer to H. Cramer" neither Lyndon nor Helga LaRouche has shown a sign of minimal truthfulness concerning the "Fernando" issue,[FN 1] I feel released from any bond or reserve implicit in my relations with them. I will talk only of the political implication of events which I directly experienced between 1985-2003 while I was operating as "factotum" around the LaRouches.

1985 -1988

I moved from Jeff Steinberg's house to the LaRouches' guesthouse. Fernando, at that time, was already very close to the LaRouches and shared with them the rightwing Catholic contacts. I was directly involved in delivering a letter from Fernando and LaRouche to a "special person" in Castelgandolfo [the Pope's summer residence--DK], accompanied by Cristina Fiocchi. Most of the Fernando/LaRouche Italian contacts are today [under the control?] of the terrible "fascist" Antonio whose article caused the expulsion of the French Fusion people.[FN 2]

In that period Helga was also superactive in attempting to fight the "[blase?]," that is, the supposed influence of "CIA" agents on Lyn, mediated through Paul Goldstein and Jeff Steinberg. Given that I had had experiences in handling the intelligence community in France, and that I had a good working relation with Paul and Jeff, Helga asked me to "infiltrate" the American security sector. I refused and told her that I would work WITH her whenever I had reason to agree, but that I would not work FOR her.

I came to share her view that indeed Lyn was not so perfect and that he was "manipulable," and indeed manipulated, in paying idiots or double agents like "Frick and Frack" or "Carpet" (who to my knowledge still today gets his monthly $5,000 from LaRouche).[FN 3]

In 1988 after the Boston trial, Lyn wrote a ten-line memo "for eyes only" where he nominated Fernando and Helga (given their proven leadership) as vice-presidents of the ICLC. This is the "famous" memo which is making Lyn hysterical like a dog caught by the tail.

He at first denied he had done it, then he admitted it but added that he "had not signed it," then that he had written it "under the influence of Warren," then that he had written it in 1989 [sic] "to defend Helga from Ed Spannaus." Tomorrow he will say something else.

The fact is, he wrote that memo; his secret motivations are irrelevant for the moment. Lyn can blame only himself for giving so much power to a "fascist," who was also so close to his wife.

1989 - 1990

Lyn went into prison. Helga and Fernando were officially on top of the organization: Helga in Europe, Fernando in the USA, but in daily telephone contact.

They thought they had not enough power and so tried to shape the organization for "after Lyn" and get full control by eliminating the "CIA" faction.

Among other things, the very first act was to write a "resolution" for the February 1989 ICLC conference to force the adoption of a "Catholic" God. I intervened at that conference saying: "Please do not do to God what you did to the golden mean."

Lyn, from the prison in Alexandria [Va.], wrote a manuscript letter authorizing Fernando to cut the $5,000 for Carpet and to "reduce" the power of Paul, Jeff and Michelle. Fernando acted accordingly during a meeting with the three. This action was slowly reversed by Lyn once he was moved out of Alexandria to Rochester.[FN 4]

Helga and Fernando proceeded with their reorganization of the organization:

1) Inside the NEC power is redistributed (for example, Warren moves into Legal).

2) Open factionalism in Leesburg and in the regions: This was accompanied by a wave of "conversions" to Catholicism (Warren, Will, etc). At that time the "enemy" regions were California and Philadelphia, although Helga later tried to "recruit" Steve, who like many others was invited to Europe to be tested by Helga herself. One of the most pathetic examples of such recruitment was Joe Brewda, who came back from Europe and told me: "I am now part of Helga's faction and she told me I must work with you." I had Ambrose to chase him out of Ibykus Farm[FN 5] and told him that I was part of no faction.

3) Helga-Fernando formed their "secret government" with Warren, Gerry, Webster, Mel, Will, D. Small (to be put on the NEC) and even Madame Debra was part of the list. Warren, Gerry, Webster, Mel and Fernando were meeting regularly in Warren's house. Helga in this period was not coming to the USA, and therefore Renate Müller-De Paoli, who was Helga's "assistant" and "friend," represented her at such meetings on two occasions. I refused to go and told Helga that this was insane.

Helga was not handling the American situation through Renate (except for the messages to be given to Lyn in prison) but directly with Fernando. Fernando was constantly in contact with her by telephone, or he was coming to Europe to meet her without any other member of the EEC [the ICLC's European Executive Committee] in attendance or even being informed!

Fernando was playing also his own games, especially in Latin America or even in Rome. He (with Helga?) acted against the Italian local; he tried to sabotage operations in France and tried to get rid of the EEC. In this context he did an obscene tape to induce Lyn to attack Michael Liebig. And, as often was the case, Lyn followed Fernando.

The issue was Saddam Hussein: Fernando was 100% pro-Saddam--another "golden soul"--especially because Fernando's Argentinian fascist friends had deals (petrol, arms?) with Iraq.

In September 1990, Fernando made his "speech" at the ICLC conference.[FN 6] There were protests: K. Kanter, among others, wrote a letter of protest to Lyn, a letter that Fernando himself brought to Lyn in prison. Lyn did not say a thing against Fernando.

I myself sent a letter to Lyn (through Renate) warning that Paul, Fernando and Philip G. were destroying the organization, all of them being manipulated by outside forces, i.e., the French secret services (Philip), the CIA (Fernando and Paul) and the Seineldin forces (Fernando).

1990 (or first half of 1991?)

An Italian secret services man (Colliandro) delivered a message through Fiorella saying that "the number two in the organization is probably a traitor and there is the risk that LaRouche will not get out of prison."

We had a meeting in Ingelheim (Anno, Bruno, Helga and ?). We discussed that Renate should deliver the message to Lyn. Helga thought this message would be referring to Paul and Jeff. I said to be careful, because in the famous memo of 1988 Lyn had named Fernando and Helga "number two"! The message was delivered to Lyn without mentioning the last part.

1991

Fiorella went to the USA, [and] in Leesburg got briefed from someone (Fernando or Dennis?) in the LALC [Latin America Labor Committee] about contact with right-wing terrorists in Latin America. She came back freaked out; among others, she called and briefed me. She was enraged against Fernando and Helga. The entire Italian organization left, [FN 7] but that has little to do with what Lyn says today. One problem in any case was that Helga had the absolute monopoly of the relations with the Italian organization; no other members of the EEC were allowed to speak with them (Muriel in particular).

1992

There was the crazy conference in Mexico under the slogan LaRouche-Seineldin-Chavez, etc. Not only I and Elisabeth intervened against the Argentinian "fascists," but I did also an improvised undercover to spot out the now-famous "synarchist" networks around Fernando. Lyn never acted on it, before 2003.

1993

Steve, in Philadelphia, launched his "own method" of collecting money. (At least it only then became an issue, and became known to me.)

Lyn himself started attacking the method of the "specials" [that was] indeed pushed by Fernando, D. Small, M. Billington, etc. I have no knowledge if Uwe was part of that debate.[FN 8]

At the end of 1993, Gerry Rose (one of the Helga-Fernando men in the NEC) went to talk to Lyn, and because of the issue of fundraising Lyn indeed intervened and cooled Helga out during a meeting in prison whose detailed content is not known to me.

1993 - 1994

Crises in the Los Angeles local, with Khushro and Louise dropping out. Paul Goldstein, who was working very closely with Khushro, got scared and made a tape asking Lyn to defend him and to construct a cover for him. Lyn promptly obeyed and blamed the Los Angeles disaster only on Fernando. [FN 9]

1994

Lyn came out of prison, but Helga was so unsure about Lyn's reactions that she did not come to Leesburg (the excuse was security!) to meet him. I and Renate had a very long discussion with him the evening he arrived at the farm.

Lyn was very upset and felt betrayed by the "Catholics" and raged against the use of "specials" because he could go back to prison. Apparently he had signed some paper to be able to get out of prison. Helga finally came a few days later for the ICLC conference.

Starts the counter-reaction of the "CIA":

Paul Goldstein made a tape, saying that Mr. "X" advises Lyn to kick out all the Catholics from the organization. "Carpet" makes a trip to Europe (Italy and Germany), supposedly to make an investigation but probably to get a paid holiday. In any case, I told Lyn that I would never accept someone being kicked out based only on intelligence sources.

Mel, Warren and Webster left the organization, but Fernando stayed! He did not attend the NEC meetings, but at least once a week he had a phone conversation or a meeting with Lyn. In the meetings which I attended, Lyn was normally very positive and pleased with Fernando's work with his Argentinian friends.

1997 - 2003

In 1997, Lyn made his public attacks against Helga (it's in the briefing!!!). Soon after, he got sick and Helga got again into a position of command, this time without Fernando's "influence." How did she behave now that nobody was influencing her?

Precisely as usual, she looked to get more Power. She "protected" Lyn so much that finally he himself smelled that the protection was not due only to pure love.

In 1999 when I went to Malaysia and subsequently tried to organize a meeting between Lyn and Mahathir[FN 10] in Davos, Helga got furious with me, because I did not organize the meeting for her! In 2000, Lyn got out from [under] Helga's "protective love" and he told me that now he was again ALONE in command. Helga went into a "depression" and then finally I suppose she got the "green light" to operate in Germany, but she had to stay [away] from the American organization.

Helga, even without Fernando, went into her usual modus operandi: faction building. This time there was no more CIA to be stopped, but "Erbenheim," and this time Lyn would support her. When I spotted her "secret" deal with Frank [behind] the back of the Hannover local in 2002, I realized that that would be the beginning of the end of the European organization if nothing were done. I warned Frank, and in a steering meeting in Hannover said that Helga, this time with the support of Lyn, would make a mess inside the European organization. This motivated me to intervene in the 2003 EEC-EC meeting.[FN 11]

The rest is present history.

Therefore if in the world there is a sufficient reason, I ask: was Helga only a dupe of Renate Müller-De Paoli, of X and Y? Or could it not be that she is a bit neurotic and moreover pathetically infantile? And, is it not true that LaRouche's "household struggles" have determined most of the problems in the recent history of the organization? (I was not present in 1980-81!)

Most of the people recognize Helga's neurosis (I am sure the [American members] are laughing about what Lyn says about the poor manipulated Helga), but the same people have difficulty in seeing that she is also a victim of the "I am unique" in Lyn.

The present destructiveness in Lyn, like in the famous Goya painting "Saturn devouring his son," cannot be reduced only to the frustrations derived from the fact that ALL of his "vice-presidents," ALL of his "number twos" and moreover ALL of his wives (at least the last three) betrayed him. The real problem, which has shaped his character for so long, is terror:

Terror to admit that he has a flaw, terror to admit that he makes mistakes, terror to recognize bad judgments. Terror to recognize that he is a normal man.

If it is true, as Lyn says, that God cannot be at the same time omniscient and omnipotent, then this is even more true for Lyn himself. But, Lyn seems to have chosen to try to be omnipotent, at least inside his small group of followers. He would destroy even the world, if the world were to show signs of disagreement with his fantasies.

Lyn does not represent any danger for the world, but the people who will accompany him in his last days will get a very different experience than the sublime experience of the followers of Socrates facing death.

P.S. I am ready to explain any point which is not clear.

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[1] Hartmut Cramer is one of the former leaders of the German organization driven out by LaRouche in late 2006. Fernando Quijano is a former top LaRouche aide who ran the U.S. organization from 1989-2004 while LaRouche was in federal prison. After LaRouche left prison on parole, Quijano was gradually divested of his authority and was then forced out of the organization altogether in 2000, with LaRouche scapegoating him for various ICLC missteps.

As to LaRouche's "answer" to Cramer, the latter had apparently asked, during the heated 2006 internal debates, why LaRouche was blaming the European leadership for Quijano's alleged misdeeds when it was LaRouche himself who had put Quijano in charge.

[2] The French magazine Fusion was associated with the European Fusion Energy Foundation and was similar in content to 21st Century Science & Technology, an American magazine of the LaRouche movement. According to a former ICLC member: "The staff of French Fusion was thrown out because they printed an article [LaRouche] objected to. They were, by the way, mostly Jewish....They were edged out early in 2006, I believe."

[3] "Frick" is a reference to Forrest Lee Fick, a former military policeman who served as a bodyguard for LaRouche in the early to middle 1980s. "Frack" is Roy Frankhouser, a notorious neo-Nazi and former KKK grand dragon who was LaRouche's "security advisor" during the same period. Together they persuaded LaRouche that they were in touch with a mysterious CIA official named "Mister Ed" who supposedly was using them as a cutout to transmit CIA suggestions and advice to LaRouche. Among other things, Fick and Frankhouser cadged (under the guise of performing security and investigative services) an all-expenses-paid trip to Europe on the Queen Elizabeth II. The story of their antics can be found in "Night Riders to the Rescue" (Chapter 21 of Lyndon LaRouche and the New American Fascism). Frankhouser was found guilty of obstruction of justice by a federal grand jury in 1987 (the first conviction in the LaRouche trials). Fick cooperated with the authorities and was never indicted.

"Carpet" is the LaRouchians' code name for Farzad Darui, an Iranian-American businessman and close crony of former LaRouche security aide Paul Goldstein. Darui, like Frankhouser, presented himself as an operative with deep connections to the intelligence community, working at one point with a Baltimore florist who used the code named "L'Arabi." The claim that Darui received $5,000 a month in cash from the LaRouchians has been confirmed by several ex-members in a position to know. The payments were ongoing (with the amounts varying) beginning in the early 1980s. Darui, who among his other hats was the business manager for some years at the Islamic Center of Washington D.C. (a mosque where Sunni diplomats worship), was indicted in June 2007 in D.C. federal court for allegedly embezzling $430,000 from the mosque. It is not known if the IRS is investigating the cash payments (possibly in excess of one million dollars) that Darui received from LaRouche over the years.

[4] LaRouche spent most of his five years' imprisonment in the Federal Medical Center, Rochester, a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility in Rochester, Minn., which officially provides specialized physical and mental health care to male offenders, and unofficially serves as a place to house nonviolent wealthy or celebrity inmates who might be singled out for victimization in a general-population prison. For part of LaRouche's time at Rochester, his cellmate was televangelist Jim Bakker.

[5] Ambrose was a pet donkey at Ibykus Farm, the LaRouche country estate that was sold, while LaRouche was in prison, to prevent the organization from collapsing under the weight of its printing and other debts.

[6] A former LaRouche follower explains: "This was a speech explaining why the [Spanish] Inquisition was justified, and it was pretty crackers. Fernando gave it at an ICLC conference, and it was printed thereafter in EIR magazine--with Lyn's concurrence." (See "Black legend hides the truth about America's discovery," EIR, Oct. 19, 1990.)

[7] Our informant writes: "The Italians quit basically over legal problems having to do with the Italian newspaper and the org's refusal to pay fines or something. Did not have to do with LALC as far as I know. [The resignation of the Italians] was never discussed in the U.S.--Helga refused to allow discussion. Another reason for their quitting was that they basically became followers of the Vatican. I think they decided Lyn was nuts."

[8] Steve Douglas was the "NC" (National Committee member) in Philadelphia. According to our source: "The specials were big loans--although they could be big donations, were principally loans. Lyn was hysterical that he would go back to jail, so insisted that fundraisers couldn't raise large amounts of money, even if they weren't loans. This pissed off a lot of people--we had stopped raising loans when everyone went off to jail, but the idea that we couldn't raise big donations was infuriating to fundraisers because it would make their job even harder."

[9] This is a reference to Khushro and Louise Ghandhi, longtime members of the LaRouche organization. Khushro had been its leader in California for many years. In 1986, he drafted the infamous Proposition 64--a state-wide ballot proposal to place AIDS patients in quarantine--and headed the Prevent AIDS Now Initiative Committee, or PANIC (an acronym inspired by LaRouche's slogan, "spread panic, not AIDS"). He is the co-author, with LaRouche, of "The Passion and Second Coming of L.D. Trotsky" (1974), a notable tract of the early LaRouche movement. As to Paul Goldstein's fearfulness, our source writes: "Khushro and Paul were and are close, I believe, and Paul was running around the country building the anti-Helga faction." De Paoli's statement that LaRouche "obeyed" Goldstein by constructing a cover story should be interpreted as meaning that LaRouche chose to accede to Goldstein's request because it fit with his own strategy of playing the rival ICLC factions against each other and preventing Helga from accumulating too much power.

[10] This is a reference to Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003. For many years the LaRouchians maintained contact with his aides, published EIR interviews with high-level officials of his government, and praised him incessantly in EIR and other LaRouche propaganda vehicles. Mahathir himself would sometimes use Jew-baiting rhetoric of a quasi-LaRouchian type at international gatherings.

[11] Erbenheim is the suburb of Wiesbaden in which the European headquarters of the LaRouche movement is located. "Frank" apparently is Frank Hahn, a leading German LaRouche follower who left the organization in late 2006.

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