REMINISCING ABOUT JUDY….Laura Rozen writes about her experience reporting on the anthrax investigation three years ago:
At one point in the winter/spring of 2002, it was becoming evident that the FBI was shifting its focus of investigation from foreign sources…to US domestic sources, in particular those with a connection to the US government biodefense program.
….But the NYT’s Judith Miller…who had established close ties with several members of the US government bioweapons and biodefense community for research for her book, simply wouldn’t report out what was really happening with the investigation….It was hard at the time to not wonder if her close relationship to her sources in the US government program hadn’t steered her away from what the rest of us were finding and reporting.
Former New York Times UN bureau chief Barbara Crossette writes about Judith Miller’s reporting on Kofi Annan and the oil-for-food scandal:
Obscured behind the large issues of weapons of mass destruction and Joseph Wilson’s links with the CIA is another story. Over the last year or so, Judith Miller also wrote a series of damaging reports on the “oil for food” scandal at the United Nations…frequently based on half-truths or hearsay peddled on Capitol Hill by people determined to force Annan out of office.
….As a former NYT UN bureau chief [now retired] I have been asked repeatedly by diplomats, former US government officials, journalists still reporting from the organization and others why Times editors did not step in to question some of this reporting ? a lot of it proved wrong by the recent report by Paul Volcker ? or why the paper seemed to be on a vendetta against the UN. The Times answered that question Sunday in its page one report on the Miller affair.
I have a funny feeling we’re going to be seeing a lot more personal recollections like this over the next few days.
