The Muckraker's Manual: How to Do Your Own Investigative Reporting

77 Pages·1984·9.412 MB·English

by  M. Harry

THE
MUCKRAKER'S
MANUAL
HANDBOOK'FOR
I NVESTI GATIVE R E PO RTE RS
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Here's what the pros say about
THE MUCKRAKER'S MANUAL
"THE MUCKRAKER'S MANUAL is one of those
exceptional books that way outclass everything
else on the subject."
Quarterly
-CoEvolution
"...AN EXCELLENT GUIDE to the fundamentals
of investigative journalism from a radical per-
spective."
Media
-Alternative
"THE MUCKRAKER'S MANUAL is another fine
Loompanics offer. This book describes the
methods used by professional detectives and
investigative journalists to get at the truth.
Numerous very effective methods are discussed.
I consider this book to be of great value to me
and all persons with investigative needs."
-REBEL
"(THE MUCKRAKERS MANUAL) is by an ex-
perienced, no-shit reporter, and his tips and
how-to's are hard-earned....lf you wanted to write
a novel about an investigative reporter, this
would be a goldmine."
Fiction Review
-Science

THE MUCKRAKER'S MANUAL
Handbook For lnvestigative Reporters
by M. HarrY
THE
MUCKRAKER'S
MANUAL
HANDBOOK FOR
I NVESTI GATIVE R E PO RTE RS
By M. Harry
Loompanics Unlimited Port Townsend, WA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Forward: From the Author .. ... 11
Chapter '1: lnvestigative Reporting, Fact & Fiction " " ' 14
Chapter 2: What to Look For . . 25
Chapter 3: Do Your Homework .. 36
Chapter 4: Developing "lnside" Sources 54
Chapter 5: Documents: Your Gold Mine 59
Chapter 6: Who Are You..'When 70
Chapter 7: lnterviewing Techniques IJ
Chapter B: lnfiltration .. 79
Chapter 9: Special Sources 91
THE MUCKRAKER'S MANUAL Chapter '10: lnformation Analysis . 97
o 1980, 1984 by Loompanics Untimited Chapter 11: When to Stop an lnvestigation ' 111
APrlli nRteigdh itns UR.eSs.eAr.ved Chapter 12: Protecting Sources . . . 117
Chapter 13: Can You Prove lt? ... 121
Published by: Chapter 14: Do lt ElectronicallY 128
Loompanics Unlimited
P.O. Box 1197 Appendix 1: HarrY's Laws 132
Port Townsend, WA 9g36g Appendix 2: Editing for Accuracy. . . 133
Cover by Kevin Martin Appendix 3: The Citizen lnvestigator's Library 142
Appendix 4: A Note from the Author 145
ISBN: 0-915179-03-2
Library ol Congress Catalog Card Number: 84-80233
FORWARD
From The Author
There are two maxims of investigative reporting that every
citizen investigator should take heart from. I'll call them Harry's
Laws. Harry's First Law is There is dirt on everyone' Harry's
Second Latar is: Anyone can dig up the dirt on anyone else il
they want to badly-enough. Think about it. Every person and
orglnization has dbne something they don't want other people
to-know about. Finding out what they've done -- the "dirt"
they're hiding - is the soul of investigative reporting. After
yor'u" finished this manual you should know most of the
iechniques to follow through on Harry's Second Law'
There is, of course, a corollary to Harry's Laws: if you wanted
to badly enough, you cculd find out the real name of the author
of this manuat-niOing behind the pseudonym "M' Harry"' Most of
my enemies already know. But for those who don't, the
pseudonym should make things a little more difficult and
bxpensive. Here are some clues about the person behind M'
Harry: I have been a professional journalist for the last 18 years.
Mosf of that time was spent learning how to do, and then doing,
investigative reporting. I do not have a college degree -- except
tne t*d I bought through the mail for 910. Nor have I ever taken
a single iourn-alism clais or seminar. Nor do I have any so-called
,,cred'"nii"ls" (except two mai l-order ordination certif icates). My
only professional asset is a fat scrapbook of the investigative
reports l've cjone.
I have conducted investigations on almost every subject that
has ever interested me. These investigations have included
published reports on: business secrets; union corruption; the
btn anO fgt; Oifferent elements of organized crime, including
extortion rackets, drug and 9un running, arson for profit and
illegal alien smugglin-g; corrupt public officials and political
gro-ups; religious-institutions; and clandestine radical organ-
izations, both on the political "right" and "left". Along theway, I
have also accumulated a wealth of incriminating information on
hundreds of people and organizations that has yet to be
published. The information I developed on some of my subjects
lras caused them a lot of trouble -- investigations by the IRS'
state attorney generals, postal officials, the Federal Elections
11
atceocctmuhmaniiilqsyus ueiossne ,dd ,ea sancndr.dia. b aceiodl n oigfi rtehtsnesi is"on nm"a"li Jncoroaim"r.m aaitrrteee e ot runoere .stw toh. aAtl lr o hf athvee migaWattihiooennt h fomerr a pyrkuoebutl i,uc syaetoi outhn e c taionn vg earsaltwtiigfayay tsiyv oetu artke eecg htohn ieoqr u pealsus nadg epesu cbirnliibtcoe s dei nrinvve ictshete-.
So here is Harry,s Third Law: ll Harry can do if, anyone can. following pages for profit or not, you will, I hope, benefit in one
College degrees and journalism' tn" are practically way that is vastly more important than money: the knowledge
useress to the citizen investigatoi. ..claos.irstei"su rties of invest_ that you have the ability to find out anything you want about
i91,1:: ,,"Oorting are vas,y ovir_rateO. A'that is rea,y invotved anyone. This is a potent source of spiritual and psychological
rs some common sense, a dose of stubbornn"*, power.
twhiitsh mthaen ubaal.sic information-gathering tecnniques" ndoe'is"cmriib,ieadri tiyn
finOdn cthea yto yuo huarv ea bmiatistvte rteod Jthieg m;ia'it;e"r ial ind thirist omnan puaelo, pytoeu will
organizations has many apprications that have no'iingiiarratnod
dbeo awpitphti ewdr ittoin gfi.n dyionug' ti nirfsoor miinaJtiionna'ii it;ni;r" "" same techniques can
doesn't qualify as ,,dirt". pretty weil hidden, but
db,ea lcinloy ma, itsnhogec iaeantby ie ttixhttyar ett moise fr-ivbn umdry ai"nr"grpb it"tasitoeir"l"fu i.nir", 'iimr r se-eg'at* toioint" sO# oaift lai;n ifsor mr"paitOiofVn
a11g1o, :y ":inrf:o rvmirtautaio,ny umnaknnaowgenr "i nalnhO; p;;;in;iio;"rm saetciotonr aunnatilty as tf,e,.w"l yl"e"arrs,
Aside from these c.a.reers you can, if you tit<e, use your
oinfv ePsrtoigpaatigvae nsdkait:s " fsotra: rbtr awckitmh dtrhi ep rt"-pJ""'gti""n)d; ap ,(iHriatir.r"y'i, s, "Ffiorsit" Lga"w,
9uco9seyrpe to:onram mteena tek;se pg pieortnotainfgitges ; t,ho senp ktyhiinnedg s ottofo c,rt, <iny smoiduaerir t,<.,g eiwtn nwfo ioitmhro afuto]tor ngaa- rmfooibrrel"i"nig"gnn;
cleaning out the crooks in youiio""ilorrunity;
personal revenge. or even for
ipnrfAoofr imktanabatricoekn n-fgeoawr tshurenerctitnoegvr e oripnegr ahtiidodne. nA fsa cfetso ecraanr braew tsu rcnuerdt aiinr toth ea
activities ot tne FBt- and ;, t;;;l'r;g_
nyleawtigsnlegt.t erress tarnicdt pnoewticse s seprvyiicneg--s, -twheil l rb"e]'rbto"ot mfoinr gc.ertain kinds of
fouYnodur iinm abgeininagtio anb itse t htoe o,nnryl orimui"t it;oi ;th;;e" s ources of profit to be
sfproeorrop faiointfratvtebeinrrs egtyi goafaountr'divv epem u omsbsktatii cidclaseo.t mlygeopnueu,t tr.etr nnrfiieyvr sse,ep'io lt"rto ,"l"iirrn"iJufv i'yn<",lrlt " rit nshr eefpaaa rp cdopotibsrrtyoea. nfbtitrttnlaiayavnb erst rshmfeetei gari anar/kbeftoieravetrses-,f
13
CHAPTER 1 daily papers, and even those who do are left without an inkling
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING, FACT & FICTION omfu tshtd d ecoalr rwupittnio. ntn teh aptu pbelircm ies attheesr eefvoerery sphuobckliecd i nbsyt iteuxtpioons etsh eoyf
gw"ilnaaEvsmev pesootrui gpsri.uizanratcaivterii_o zWene ,d ro eominpdu owtchrahteri nidtri gt<ba"een sdhtnt -aBess eej roilnsibnsu gtfoe" fifbne ,o,r,sepo drkri veifapnrtoooer m tioang iu aeiei rnoms ft ,eiW jixanac'etteeil-osrig'so*a "tooseft pmlpauusubtbc ldlikicecr ac cakaoifdnrfreagu,i rpmmst ioaorrnanea t haAgenemdrd e tatrhoilcia easnnnu asritnv ewi vdtoe huf eralod sms faau n tnhmicteiatz ijpoeoondr l iiitannicns tathdilte up ptrriheooaocnlne wysins ot.wro lHod tr ahloddef
glamourized by television shows, and spying Oy .ta"mes AonO described by much of the contemporary news media'
movies. Alr hoping to be future woodwarol ano- a"r*Lin., The best investigative reporting -- and citizens' investigations
droves of..yoyng peopte decided they woutd ,"[";i*Lsi-lgt"at1t.iu e that may never rea-ch the mass media -- follows in the American
jroeupronratliinsgm" mthaejoirr sc' aurnefeorr tuannadte eryn tfeorer dm coosti leogf eths et og raduateusp, dmirueccf tr aci<oinnglr atrdaidcittiioonn . oltfs smo-octtaoll eisd " ejoxupronsae,l isetxicp o"soeb, jeecxptiovsitey."" -b ea-
there was a sudden grut of peopte r.oking tor ;oui in"f llon,t it is based on the presumption that there ls something to
exist. Unfortunatery for the resi of us, not onry did ""rr" along with the judgement that it is in the public interest
ppdeaegporepell eej o.bwbeh,c obo umhtea a dm pgauonbndreiac t otihmryrop fruoegrs hse iovyenen a wrtsha eso mgisivopesetn c mitanut"nitid eoaon"" r eivr" ao'niineinlw"oings"g_"" "tsoiop Tmeohxesept" ho inisnevg e tsfhitseig- hacyot oanrdb bioteiuogin inhs sisr e wopiroth rht eetdhr. es upbrejescut,m dpetvioenlo tphsa ta nth ehryep ois-
fhcooaruv etldh itsdo o t rmianeivneeitsn ttgiho]ateht ievce rip terreorpisaop reftoicnrtg il.ae Ad imnnvoies, ssotitiog cia ottiovlies oer,ne Jipo oo-riit"-e" rnl iwlogioniou"rr,d". ttohhtee- s siinsu vboejfes citlitng amatti igdXhnint ,O ba eon fi ndcv rosimlevietnsda loi nou, rc to attrhoeef urp lliyrllo ecvgoeanl sootrrru ucdntsise ptahr isoctavrale ta etchgtesy
tmcoo9 lplneeegryfeo .tr omT hipneagsy ei nfcovriret est.utrigiiatai otninoo nta son,n dbr yuf oti nrr ecsqtuuurdivreievdda rs ar<- si-rL ursf ofticoniei"iynrr i /t-"'nr"r,a-oi'ii cr"vnio"!utt "rooot hgi"yinipOo .pt hreeossupiso" lu hsTeehr a ootn ri s t hhheiasirr dhf lyiyisp ttoh tmeh oeknsintishd s ao abf to "touhbet jtejhocebti .v slifut ytbh"j eeth cinat vtoJeJ-s.sitncigvhaeotsootrl-
otherwise have gone to support investigativ" *oi(. ijition, the job is done. 'By contrast, the so-called "objective"
As a resurt of the identification of investigative reporting with rEporter is uSually limited to simply reporting allegations ab_out
a uni.versity degree, some so-cailed "journiristic ethics" tiught p"r.on atong witn that person's denials and explanations. The
in cottege journarism crasses *"r" to wnat war i"rjtt "in vestigator c6tlects evidence to build a case much as a police
"investigative reporting". "pjti"o ", private investigator, or public prosecutor.does' lf .the
This process was in part responsible for the replacement of "rigO"nj"""it, ot investigation is contacted at atl, it is in the hope that
the Spencer Tracy image of investigaiive reporters by a new and he irr she will say something that is self-incriminating'
impracticat mythology..The new riytnorogy, ,itn it', None of this means that the good investigator does not have
torna d."iotibojnec otivfi tmv",u cvkirrtaukainilyg plouut rannat iesnmo ttho-aiht en ag"or," "ini A "irn;pE"ni i""L".tni", einthviecsst,i goar ttohra.t lct'esr tsaimin palpyt itthudaet st haere ent'th iucsse faunl din abpetcitoumdeinsg aar eg onoodt
Nineteenth and earry Tw6ntieth centuries, been resfon.iot"'to,. those laught in ivory iowers -- they are ethics and aptitudes
creating a lively press as tvell as positive social change. born of pragmatic necessitY'
Today's media erite, parily by virtue of their university i"gr".. Aptltudes
and "academic soohistication;', have liven us a sanitized and The most useful aptitudes for the would-be investigator are
tmliofei lllseiopsnsos np osrefo sArs m.i nTevhreiecs taiiaqisrag tneivo em .r eordneigape owrr thrienoi goh aiivn"-el"o thnoeer wf isnd asone.cc iAtaiors n rsea so orfue trshcueertisr, olisn1t ey)do shuterr rewee.a tlY f s yteoonu ss euac.lr ceseatsdrsey. ehta vsee nsosme ei so rd aiflfl iocfu tlht etmo, dyoeus carrieb ew.e lltl
t4
15
tgheen etohr _aiTnt hygwe si.c t ohtahmobaueittt si ts ybta reretoionen gtg t s ieswee nialtfsh_nec d eob xnfpasfiecb;ir;ioii;ecu nas;ct;eiinh gs' tiotto ruai rgseh: atism neese. dseodm ea nodf Never say "no" to an lnvestlgator.
oo TAh en oasbeil iftoy rt otr oseunbslee when other people are putting you on
o A sense of what is a scam and what is a legitimate
operation
the2 )k iCnydn oicf ipsemrs, osnk ewphtioc isdmoe.s y ou wo"iti if"i"n"d aitn vyethryin ugsuenfutirr yifo yuo u are
yfooru 'yvoeu srseeelnf. oArn hde tahrde.n, if Vo"u&i! ,rirt, yo, wiil question swehea itt
yreoq3uu)'r irePe astsh saei o rnok'ti nModfo dso.etf toepfr emtrhisneoa nwti oownrk.n ooit f g rien"ivkse" so,t iogthwaetni ojrnoi jbfii sta -t aerdonitlo reui-as*s,n iea"rnn dif
ontsinhtoohvemtoeh mlreivn oseogindtd iev ies ia n totmri foia eontchsr tee iyvt ocioitnei uevhr'steii.ald sitnenthi. g-a"stao"to gt iymvp.otere"uo tj 9huoJi"oinn"tt gi" i"c- l.f;ori o]rvijmooion b turya rdeok oeurai n,inag el gi"r.eee ti(ssrop s;weto"oonii' p ,nif otr"geoxil vm',oie rn vo t hyitr"ohi sgiue:s Dea!
itnof ocromvaetri osnom. Feothri negx_a muppr,etr,o rm o n;;c;e;;-1fi"i"n.',i r ,,oorr id"eoni.y,iunigi" "hiiimo" o!rro hper Tcs.mhpayen k-soc, ff foyih!o eu ry ocr.cri h]Ntanrcust n€rie2 avth2ioi?clsh lertyeoru !1aoonft ed. o uvor u!Ao llqtchaoonEuizqieahst i,o nI icne ratnafodi.ll lvao lcttl'i€tn qd iscaoqhttoes ee rfvrea vtiiavthe
ntcahoanetu jcoionurivgnsea.' snTrti ziwegavaoteit onidon anw y weso nrfa ot. ftatseeon rr tto"ah rrig-s-a-a s n" ntizooa-"tnsioornt i itlco-la 0ocr "rope'u"odr"rd ritT "ej ohryIien -.-c Tothhnaeste hrr evcaaotduiv roedf glwsteohlioa tohudub pi.teqsdcp oerayl.soi€ sho uan rata€f cdl1ete icvsyteiiobnt eueq s rhi nat ode iosagutho o!e ssosser ratflefato rirhIgt aash.ntat ,dn Papap,reale'ndcc iiadt beed L ihaaspy, opuv rI tonle oFntraetoltkhr i.alet asbso ut eclqneciaotttviivneiqdtv you
ldm"e"evHmeilboldpea r avo sfte htrheioe uh seC aiandu. vcoeufs stt.ni gewa htciioca'nh.u" r; co"gciu "tisiuno."lnn Jo,"rog -aoan"mirzspa;tlheio ;no; ."p "nprr,"om-j ]rn "ttu"oJinr"rdiivt .vi ih, "natgovt *uthonvtfal.lrrpd. orPvh,^ilL,ir!s.a.
rep4o)r tTeirms iId hitayv.e I mdeot.nar'te kgnuouwes sw h,idy,n bou"it. .a lt .o"f" rth. e investiqative
job. (Yes, I'm a suuerr";;;;;;'ir'irJi,.fit to n" ,i,,rrfr,n"
5)
Stubbornness/Frexibirity.
fcitneetxeritbrartuienp etk nianondu ssinh vo etfos rtciag-dnaiatainotijnoe. n i M;:;el1 aninc"T-;w hiolr-en,,.i rig'"ni,ro'"ii,"o,," o wrn nii"n'v" ve"ae.slststoiagtwirgay ato,nt roo rtm hiuisnsg tr ibktoee {S'd',-r,E,Sg!,:f,,r;"!n9.
SbPrtep .r:tas:w n?aeit sgcehu n tro miyo seauirsvnc egum r uyaixp.n odafn .y ?nin:yr,r l?ool"rt.h rijt;t iy;V otti;ua; ii;itis-iesnl,, tko ipnf rdMo voiisfn spso eutrofre i bcmeta bucnaoldetr a reaenvnccedten.
t7