Carl Hiaasen, as you may know, is a journalist and mystery writer whose series of semi-humorous, stylish Florida detective novels feature grotesque characters and situations, criminal lowlifes, and political corruption. (For instance, one recurring character is a former governor so discouraged by his experiences that he became a swamp-dwelling hermit known only as Skink.)
As the Yovanovitch stalking episode unravels, it seems more and more to call for the Hiaasen touch.
While this day’s impeachment news seems dominated by Lev Parnas’s entanglement of Rep. Devin Nunes, ripples spreading out from Parnas ‘s contact, Connecticut landscaper Rob Hyde, have also soaked the bootsoles of one Anthony de Caluwe, aka Anthony Calloway, Belgian citizen and international man of mystery.
Hyde, sender of text messages to Parnas during the apparent stalking, claims that at the time he was “hiking Ecuadorian volcanoes” and — an unwitting cutout -- merely copypasted messages from de Caluwe and forwarded them to Parnas.
DIY journalists on Twitter, among others, went industriously to work, their findings rapidly cross-fertilizing. My head is spinning. Here are some of their postings. All roads apparently lead back to Mar-A-Lago.
Stay with it and see how the Belgian International Man of Mystery apparently connects indirectly with the Chinese massage parlor owner and influence peddler we heard about before...and even Roger Stone! (Why is that Nixon-obsessed guy not in prison, now? Oh, yeah, sentencing delayed to Feb 20.)
No warranty offered or implied, but whew! And for even more, punch through to the Twitter accounts and eyeball comments as well as related postings.
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Incidental? Maybe, maybe not.
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Another story today, tangential but with something of the same flavor: FBI yesterday picked up several neo-Nazis in three states. The FBI were concerned they might be aiming to create mayhem at the Virginia state capitol next Monday. Guns nuts rights advocates have chattered about storming the place. They planned an open carry “lobby day” on account of some mild gun restrictions the legislature is considering (already adopted and passed Constitutional muster elsewhere). They then had another cow (perhaps Devin Nunes’?) when the Governor temporarily banned weapons from Capitol Square.
Well, turns out some of these neo-Nazis, along with plotting the murder of perceived “anti-fascists” were planning to kill one of their own for being “stupid” and “incompetent.” What can you say? Projection much, DUH? Oh, yeah, and their intended buddy/victim had crossed into the U.S. illegally.
If you are still here, in a distant echo, it seems Putin as well is both criminal and incompetent, as Simon Tisdale describes today in a Guardian opinion column. The Russian leader has an alligator by the tail and doesn’t dare let go even if he wanted to, for the rest of his life, and he may be consolidating his hold, but the Russian economy is a shambles.
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Addendum: OMG I had no idea, turns out Carl Hiaasen lost a brother in the 2018 mass shooting at the Annapolis Capital Gazette. Profoundest sympathies.
And turns out Hiaasen still writes a column for the Miami Herald and has in fact just written on this very subject as I imagined, only it’s...behind a paywall. :-( Please check that out if you subscribe!
The book version of all this I like to think will appear someday, in a happier time, as a collaboration between Hiaasen and John LeCarre.
Luv and kisses, all! Good night and good luck!