Patterico's Pontifications

10/23/2009

Pellicano Pleads Guilty; Anita Busch Blasts “Unethical Idiots” at the L.A. Times

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 5:52 pm



Anthony Pellicano and Alexander Proctor pled guilty today to threatening former L.A. Times reporter Anita Busch. The sentence was three years, to be served concurrently with his 15-year federal sentence for wiretapping.

I asked Anita Busch tonight if she had a statement and she sent me this:

I’m very relieved all the criminal trials are over. If this had gone forward, I would have had to testify in two more criminal trials. It was seven years since my life was threatened, computer hacked into and my phones illegally wiretapped. What they did to me was an act of domestic terrorism, and they are both in prison where they belong. Everything I said has now come to pass. I can hold my head high because I told the truth the entire time. What I learned through this experience was that most people are afraid of the truth … and that includes certain unethical idiots at the Los Angeles Times. Not only did they lie about my employment status, but also called Anthony Pellicano for help on my case and then hid that from their own staff, from me and from law enforcement.

Believe it or not, that’s the toned-down version.

If you don’t know what she’s talking about, here’s some reading for you:

I have previously documented Busch’s allegations regarding the attempts by an L.A. Times lawyer to “bring aboard” Pellicano for help concerning the threats to Busch. This was remarkably bad judgment at a minimum, given Pellicano’s shady reputation and the fact that an informant had told Busch that a private detective was behind the threats on Busch’s life. I have also documented the incredibly shabby treatment Busch received at the hands of that lawyer and others at the paper. I also published Busch’s eye-opening sentencing statement after Pellicano’s wiretapping trial, as well as the L.A. Times‘s response, which I showed to be lacking.

UPDATE: Technically, he pled “no contest” and not “guilty.” But it’s legally the same, at least as far as the criminal court is concerned.

28 Responses to “Pellicano Pleads Guilty; Anita Busch Blasts “Unethical Idiots” at the L.A. Times”

  1. There are not enough words in the English language to adequately describe the integrity, professional and personal courage displayed by Ms. Busch throughout this ordeal. I posted a comment on this in some detail several months ago. Justice and vindication will do little to reclaim the time lost and suffering endured on many levels by this individual, but it’s a start. Unlike her last employer, the Los Angeles Times, Ms. Busch was and is a first class package in a bulk rate world.

    Kudos to Patterico for highlighting this closing chapter to a very sordid story.

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  2. I want to see the movie about this!!! Think it will happen?

    Ron Olliff (0503a0)

  3. Ms. Busch, may you have overwhelming peace of mind from here on out. Your unwavering stand on truth in the face of such unconscionable criminal behavior remains admirable and so very worthy of respect. My best regards to you.

    Dana (863a65)

  4. Ms. Busch,
    This MSM type wishes you all the best, and is mortified for my trade by the vileness and mendacity of those at the LA Times who behaved so shamefully and dishonestly to you.

    May something good come of this horrible incident, to you, to journalism and to the public the LA Times claims to serve.

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (0ea407)

  5. The Times lost whatever integrity they could once claim with this sorry episode.

    Mike K (addb13)

  6. Mickey Kaus just tweeted a link to this post. I retweeted.

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (a0996d)

  7. Patterico,

    Great follow up on a woman of great integrity.

    Please fill us in on some of the players at the Times, such as Goller and Philips. Are they still employed there?

    Corky Boyd (4e8f68)

  8. Corky,

    You must have missed my interview with Chuck Philips a few months ago.

    Patterico (64318f)

  9. For a sense of the kind of living hell Ms. Busch and other victims of Pellicano were subjected to, revisit this posting:

    https://patterico.com/2008/12/15/praise-for-anita-busch/

    Then ask youself how you’d endure a seven-plus year long nightmare that fouled what are supposed to be some of the most interesting, exciting and productive years of your professional and personal life.

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  10. Sometimes my wandering mind sends me on baffling trips. I just went on one of those baffling trips. But it was a very short trip this time.

    Duckcrap comes from ducks. And I know what I would want to do with a duck.

    And, dirty-minded folk will be sorely disappointed because the link is safe for preschool viewing.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  11. Keep fighting the good fight, Ms. Busch.

    DRJ (dff2ca)

  12. I can’t tell you how impressed with Ms Busch I am.

    If she’s ever in the market for a 30+, slightly outta-shape guy to be the man of her life, she need only ask Patrick for my e-mail address. 🙂

    Scott Jacobs (d027b8)

  13. Mr Jacobs, rest assured certain people will be informed of your waffling.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  14. I can hardly be blamed.

    Scott Jacobs (d027b8)

  15. I can hold my head high because I told the truth the entire time.

    I commend you for that.

    It can be a very difficult thing to live through, and I am glad to see you safely at the other side of it.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  16. Thanks to all of you for such kind words. I sincerely appreciate it.

    Anita Busch (fc416d)

  17. Ms. Busch, your bravery in fighting thugs and the MSM provides inspiration for us all at a time when we, as a country, need it most. Thank you and best of luck, I am sure you will succeed in all that you do.

    Patterico, excellent work, keep up the good fight!

    jcp370 (f5203c)

  18. Anita Bush faked being hurt. My father is only going to have to serve 18 months and it is concurrent with his 15 year sentence. Big win Anita, thanks for wasting more tax payer money.

    Pellicano (b6c0ed)

  19. Hopefully, it will be recouped, at least in part, by forfeiture of his assets.

    nk (df76d4)

  20. The thug went to prison, rightfully. The sad thing is, the gangsters that hired him, like the Clintons, walk free and get rich.

    “…

    Men crown the knave, and scourge the tool
    That did his will;…”

    Machinist (79b3ab)

  21. #19 is accusing Anita Busch of falsifying evidence. Hmmmm, that smells of libel. What do the attorneys here think?

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (0ea407)

  22. We seem to have a trend of family members commenting about their douchebag relatives this evening.

    JD (0b1bd3)

  23. 21.nope

    Comment by Pellicano — 10/28/2009 @ 8:07 pm

    Fraudulent conveyances to his family members can be nullified and the family members can face criminal penalties if they try to hide them.

    nk (df76d4)

  24. This is becoming quite humorous.

    JD (ce9ac3)

  25. It seems to me that Anita’s role in this has been dignified and righteous … congratulations Anita….and remember “wet birds don’t fly at night”.

    craig maass (afdc72)

  26. […] They’re such sniveling cowards at this paper, they won’t say someone committed a crime — even after they’re convicted by a jury. But then, these were co-conspirators working with Anthony Pellicano — and we know that the paper has always been partial to him, even at the expense of its own reporter, Anita Busch. […]

    Patterico's Pontifications » Patterico’s Los Angeles Dog Trainer Year in Review 2009 (e4ab32)


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