Rich McManus Repeats Paul Offit’s Libel of Jake Crosby for NIH Cover-Up
By Jake Crosby
Thirty-seven days after I was thrown out of an NIH lecture by congressionally reprimanded millionaire vaccine industrialist and vaccine injury cover-up spokesman Paul Offit, the newsletter NIH record ran an article repeating Offit’s libel that I was a “stalker.” The story also said I stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind me.
The week before NIH published this libel, the video footage of my physical removal from the lecture was destroyed.
The author of these myths, NIH Newsletter Editor Rich McManus, began his article with a pretentious invocation of Greek Mythology:
In the myth of Sisyphus, our hero is continually frustrated when the boulder he is pushing up the mountainside rolls backward just as he approaches the summit.
And just who does Rich McManus think is the mythological “hero” at NIH? Take a wild guess:
…Dr. Paul Offit, his Sisyphusian effort to place the boulder of vaccine safety and efficacy atop the mountain of evidence is thwarted not by the boulder’s rolling back, but by the mountain gaining a spurious kind of altitude, based largely on guff.
But it’s McManus’ claims that are built on a mountain of guff, and the destruction of damning proof to the contrary. I guess I can’t expect much original thought from yet another person who just repeats Offit’s lies for him:
At a Clinical Center Grand Rounds “Great Teachers” edition on Dec. 14, Offit explained how he made the transition from vaccine crafter to vaccine defender before a packed Lipsett Amphitheater that included—as if to underscore the hazards of his new role—an appearance by a stalker.
Aside from his libeling me that I was a “stalker,” I find it amusing that Rich McManus considers being told you’re wrong a “hazard.” Perhaps that is because the real guff in this story is Paul Offit’s boulder of dishonest talking points, alongside his and McManus’ libel about me.
Rich McManus then concludes his myth by giving a false account of what happened between Offit and myself:
Offit was also challenged by a young man identifying himself as a local graduate student who rose in defense of Dr. Andrew Wakefield.
After fielding the young man’s questions in increasingly measured tones, Offit explained, “One of the consequences of what I do is that sometimes you get hate mail, sometimes you get sued, and now I have a stalker.” This particular student, he said, “often makes disparaging comments about me at national meetings as well as on the Internet.”
Now, I know Paul Offit mentioned the Internet - specifically plugging Age of Autism, but he never brought up national meetings. I made no remarks about him at national meetings, and Offit never said I did at the talk. Then McManus told the biggest whopper of a lie in his closing sentence:
Publicly identified as a nuisance, the man stormed out of Lipsett Amphitheater and slammed the door.
I never stormed out of the room; I was forced out. A man came up from behind me at the microphone after Offit libeled me by calling me a “stalker” and said:
“Let’s go.”
I was then promptly escorted out of the room; I didn’t slam any doors.
The false accounts described in McManus’ fiction prompted me to make a Freedom of Information Act Request to the NIH on February 7, asking for the video footage of my ejection (I was the only questioner not shown on the VideoCast; the footage of Paul Offit listening to me asking the question was used instead.). I then received the following letter from NIH, dated February 29:
The Office Research Services searched its files and no records responsive to your request were located because tapes are recycled thirty days after broadcast and that, therefore, the only tape of the event is the one on the NIH website.
Having read this, I don’t see how FOIA requests for NIH VideoCast footage can be of much use since they take 20 days just to process. How convenient that Rich McManus published his libelous mythology the week after the video footage of my removal was recorded over after it was edited out of the VideoCast.
But thanks to some less careful editing of the VideoCast and the erratic behavior of Paul Offit and Tara Palmore at the talk, some inconvenient facts for Offit, Palmore and McManus still remain. This of course begins with Tara Palmore bolting Keystone Kops-style from her second-row seat to the back of the room right after Offit gave her an angry look when I introduced myself. It also includes Palmore’s return 45 seconds later to join Offit at the podium, literally shadowing him for the rest of the talk. It also involves her trying to shout me down when I responded to Offit’s slander that I was a “stalker” before my suppressed removal. Rich McManus did not include any of the above in his newsletter story, I wonder why.
Then of course there is the talk Palmore had with Paul Offit as soon as she told everyone to leave the room for pizza, beginning with Offit turning to her to say about me:
I saw him earlier; I saw him sitting there earlier.
You did?
I was about three-slides into it.
You signaled me; I didn’t realize it. I’m sorry.
No, no, I didn’t signal you. It was really too late.
Though Rich McManus did not include anything from this juicy dialogue either, I’d love to get his take on what Offit said “It was really too late” for.
Was it to welcome me with open arms? I think not.
I wonder what myth Rich McManus might dream up to explain that exchange.
Jake Crosby has Asperger Syndrome and is a contributing editor to Age of Autism. He has been blocked from Brian Deer’s website ever since investigating for the article “Fresh Fraud” and has been removed from talks by Seth Mnookin and Paul Offit. Jake is a 2011 graduate of Brandeis University with a BA in both History and Health: Science, Society and Policy. He currently attends The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services where he is studying for an MPH in epidemiology.
Regarding Sisyphus:
Per the Dictionary of Classical Mythology by J.E. Zimmerman, Sisyphus " Ravished Anticlea...Violated Tyro, daughter of his brother Salmoneus; but Tyro killed all her children by Sisyphus. After his death, he was condemned...to roll a large stone to the top of a hill; the stone immediately rolled down again. The punishment was assessed by Zeus, for stealing, plundering, killing, and for insulting Pluto, and accusing Zeus of abducting Aegina, daughter of Asopus. Zeus was guilty of the abduction..."
By attempting to praise Offit, Rich McManus has actually compared Offit to a mythological character who was very far from a "hero". In fact, the label of "criminal" fits Sisyphus much better.
Posted by: Carolyn M | March 27, 2012 at 10:46 AM
a PS re the Deer Stalker.
The one thing that enrages a NPD personality is being ignored. To them it is an assault upon their feelings of entitlement. The advice that psychiatrists give in dealing with such a person is to avoid them if at all possible. I believe this is why Deer is so enraged at Andrew Wakefield, because AW, quite rightly, has refused to have anything to do with him, no interviews, no contact. As a result the Deer's venom knows no bounds. In fact anyone who doesn't agree with Deer's opinions or in some way refuses to serve his ego or inadvertently perhaps, makes him feel inferior, is his enemy, his chosen target.
Posted by: Patricia | March 27, 2012 at 08:31 AM
John
I had never come across that vile post of Brian Deer's before. How very revealing it is about the man himself. Nothing of what he has to say about you comes across at all. What does come across however is how much of a narcissist he is. Yet more evidence of his NPD condition. And oh the irony of him suggesting that others, not himself, has the personality disorder! This process of seeing his own reflection in others is a classic example. I shall add it to my file!
BTW these people never seek therapy. It wouldn't work anyway.
Posted by: Patricia | March 27, 2012 at 07:15 AM
Brian Deer on John Stone:-
"From my own point of view, I don't really care what he does"
Methinks Deer, Offit and Mnookin doth protest too much!!
They obviously DO care -a lot!!
Jake - I echo the other advice about your personal safety. These persons are utterly ruthless. As for the NIH 'wiping' the video evidence. It hardly matters, I am just ONE person amongst thousands worldwide who watched the video and can testify to its contents!! These lies will damage Offit's credibility far more than they will damage yours.
Jenny
Posted by: Jenny Allan | March 27, 2012 at 03:58 AM
Take it as a feather in your cap Jake. Although these spineless cowards generally fear everyone, they only attack the ones that fear the most.
It's a pretty sad statement about our society, when defaming presstitutes like McManus, Deer and Mnookin are so easily found, and so cheaply purchased by their Big Pharma Johns.
Especially if you allow yourself to really think about the fact, that the lives of innocent children are literally hanging in the balance.
Posted by: Barry | March 26, 2012 at 10:30 PM
Jake, I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your coverage of events. You describe and assess in such a clear, concise and measured way - it's excellent. I always look forward to your pieces.
I echo others here who have suggested bringing a recording device and if possible, a fellow witness.
Posted by: Catherine | March 26, 2012 at 09:49 PM
Smoke and mirrors John and Jake .As you know they are just trying to put you up a dead end street ,,eh! not happened so far!nor ever will..
Angus
Posted by: Angus Files | March 26, 2012 at 08:02 PM
Isn't Paul Offit a little petty, however if you "throw enough mud some will stick!"
Watch your back Jake, these people cannot be trusted.
Their greed for money will outweigh any integrity or decency they have.
Elizabeth Gillespie
Posted by: AussieMum | March 26, 2012 at 07:52 PM
It is very hard to see how trying to make the vaccine lobbyists answer difficult questions has become elided with stalking. The claim has also been made against me by Brian Deer
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2010/06/it_appears_mr_stone_doesnt_even_know_wha.php#comment-2587850
and also in relation to Ben Goldacre (though not certainly by Goldacre himself). Any vile stupidity rather than answer the questions.
Posted by: John Stone | March 26, 2012 at 07:44 PM
Jake spot on , Offit is ……well it’s not printable even on the AOA web...no doubt he is having his drinks and party to night, with all his followers…..how cheap the uk kids health is sold down the line...here in the UK THE PRIME MINISTER tells it all... And Cameron had a disabled child calling in all repite 24 hr care ...from the goverment didn`t cost him or his wilting wife a penny but yet they slag us genuine seekers of bebefit payments "scroungers"..so what! if you dont have a BILLIONARE DAD...
http://www.talktalk.co.uk/news/article/pm-reveals-tory-donors-dinners-list/41834/
Posted by: ANGUS FILES | March 26, 2012 at 06:28 PM
"D. Paul Offit, his Sisyphusian effort to place the boulder of vaccine safety and efficacy atop the mountain of evidence is thwarted not by the boulder’s rolling back, but by the mountain gaining a spurious kind of altitude, based largely on guff..."
Is it just me, or is anyone else visualizing Jon Lovitz, Master Thespian...?
Boulder, schmoulder. C'mon, stop the drama, and start the conversation. Give Jake his time at the mic. Anything less is really pathetic.
Posted by: Shiny Happy Person | March 26, 2012 at 06:16 PM
Good point made by CT Teacher. Clearly, Offit & co. believe that the best defenses is a strong offense.
Jake, given that they don't care how many babies' lives are forever trashed by vaccines, I would not expect them to be bound by any ethics where your reputation, and indeed, your personal safety are concerned, particularly if they are already hiding the evidence of their libel against you.
Bring someone with you. EVERY TIME!
Posted by: Taximom5 | March 26, 2012 at 05:54 PM
Hi Jake -- I'm an autism mom and I've been in the trenches for 16 years -- since my son was diagnosed at age 4. My son is significantly impaired, and I am profoundly grateful for the way you speak out for all those like him, and families like ours. I always enjoy your postings and admire your brains and your bravery. Since I'm a mom, I worry about you though. You anger some powerful people.
I know you go to GW, so I imagine that you're in the DC area. If you ever need a lawyer, and I can help, let me know. I'll represent you free of charge. I'm admitted in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia.
Thanks again for all you do.
Aimee Doyle
attorneydoyle@comcast.net
Posted by: Aimee Doyle | March 26, 2012 at 05:39 PM
I agree with CT teacher. If they continue with this course of action, they (eventually) appear to be setting Jake up to be arrested, thus further damaging his credibility.
If possible, Jake should take someone with him who is obviously accompanying him - as well as have at least one other person who is not apparently accompanying him. The people who accompany him should have hidden cameras and post recording(s) online, so that there is a reliable record of what actually occurred.
It is disgusting that such measures would even need to be considered, much less put into effect.
Posted by: Carolyn M | March 26, 2012 at 05:16 PM
I love this. Offit is such a freak. Wow, is he a tough guy when he speaks w reporters but when confronted by an actual person Offit whines to a woman to go and save him. What a gigantic baby. If anyone disagrees w Offit or asks a remotely challenging questions they are, "making death threats." Grow up Offit.
At our local NY NAA mtgs we welcome those w differing perspectives and have energetic discussions. We don't require bouncers at our autism talks. I guess this bunch of Moms are not as easily frightened as Offit is.
Way to go Jake for standing up to this bully. The NIH should be ashamed of themselves for
suspending the 1st Amendment because they don't like a particular question - at a public forum paid for with our tax dollars. Pathetic.
Posted by: Katie Wright | March 26, 2012 at 04:24 PM
Jake- I am worried about you going to these meeting/conferences by yourself. These people can't be trusted. God knows you should be able to attend any meeting you like, and ask questions, but I fear that they are going to target you as a "stalker" every time and continue to eject you. They want to damage your reputation. Can you take someone with you next time?
Posted by: CT teacher | March 26, 2012 at 02:11 PM
Thanks Taximom
And you are doing a superb job holding Katz to account.
John
Posted by: John Stone | March 26, 2012 at 01:59 PM
You are also a writer and a reporter for Age of Autism.
Guild of Reporters????
Is there one?
What do ou have to do to belong?
If there is such a thing and you pay your dues, do they stop jerks like this from trying to claim you are mentally deranged stalker?
Rich McManus-- I would like to see his picture. Does anyone have his picture. I can't find it and I really waht to see who is this hired-hit man at the NIH with my tax dollars.
Posted by: Benedetta | March 26, 2012 at 12:28 PM
Great job Jake, it seems coverups are the standard at the NIH, maybe this is their true purpose.
Posted by: victor pavlovic | March 26, 2012 at 12:26 PM
@John Stone
Your last comment that appeared in the "comments pending" box is this one:
David It is very uncertain. Your faith in the mantra that
the benefits outweigh the risks is in itself very prejudicial -
when it comes to the risks who is looking? Or as the Cochrane
Review of MMR put it in 2005 and repeated in 2012 'The design
and reporting in MMR safety studies both pre- and post
marketing are largely inadequate'. But even if it were true
that the benefits outweighed it does not follow that the
vaccines are as safe as they could or ought to be, or that
people get a fair hearing when they go wrong. I note the
statement issued by the HRSA at different times to Sharyl
Attkisson and David Kirby: "We have compensated cases in
which children exhibited an encephalopathy, or general brain
disease. Encephalopathy may be accompanied by a medical
progression of an array of symptoms including autistic
behavior, autism, or seizures.” Autism: there's a lot of
it about but who is following up on adverse
events: http://www.ageofautism.com/2011/10/the-naked-cdc-the
-truth-about-mmr-or-part-of-it-in-their-own-words.html John
Stone UK Editor AgeofAutism.com"
********************
(I thought I'd copy it and paste it here, so it woudn't get lost--hope that's okay with you! Of course, feel free to delete if it's not.)
Posted by: Taximom | March 26, 2012 at 12:15 PM
I agree with Julia--you should either wear a hidden camera, or, better yet, bring someone with you who has a hidden camera. (They'll be expecting you to wear a hidden camera after this!)
Posted by: Taximom | March 26, 2012 at 11:34 AM
You are a gifted writer, Jake.
The community needs to be attending some of these propaganda campaigns, I mean, medical meetings featuring Offit, WITH our cell phones, so we can get some footage of our own, and tell the truth about who is harassing whom.
Posted by: torque-former | March 26, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Jake- revel in their fear. We all know that iatrogenic epidemic of autism has about zero entertainment value. Nothing really funny about it all.
Watching the august medical establishment at NIH use Stalin era tactics to try to muzzle you speaks for itself. God forbid you should be allowed three or four minutes to ask an intelligent question and get a thoughtful response.
There is a certain entertainment value, not necessarily humor, watching Offit contort himself to avoid answering your queries. When his proxies label you a "stalker"- you are in good company. The list of people smeared and scorned because 1) they were right and 2) they threatened the establishment view is long and distinguished. Offit and his cronies are particularly adept at name calling and threatening. The Offit clique is particularly vicious and offensive, so be careful.
Posted by: Ottoschnaut | March 26, 2012 at 11:23 AM
It really is pathetic. And it looks like David Katz MD put a block on me on his Huffington Post blog at the weekend. After two well-mannered comments it failed to register on submission in comments pending and just disappeared.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-katz-md/public-health_b_1374178.html#postComment
It scarecely looks like a success for him.
Posted by: John Stone | March 26, 2012 at 11:09 AM
Jake's questions are at about 43:00 in the VideoCast
The question following Jake's involves the disturbing trend of vaccine "refuse-nicks" who are high income / and highly educated...
and that the "new younger pediatricians" are not all the hyped up about the vaccine program...
Posted by: cmo | March 26, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Poor, poor pitiful Paul with his big rock: it's just so hard to call for the end of democracy.
The ejections and smears are really ugly discrimination, which is funny coming from these so-called autism experts. Because of your diagnosis, Jake, they think it's a cinch to slap you with a stereotype of mental derangement. They fear revenge because they know they're guilty and because they themselves are vengeful. It has nothing to do with your rational exposes of their conduct-- it's projection with a side of wishful thinking, since A)you are nonviolent and rational, you're a far better man than they are as they knowingly call upon the violence of the police state to instill compulsory vaccines; and B) their pharma sponsors desperately need for individuals with autism to be spun as "dangers to the public" so that all can be forcibly turned into drug receptacles.
For a moment there it was 1955. Don't give up your seat.
Posted by: Mama Mestizo | March 26, 2012 at 09:57 AM
Maybe it's time for you to start wearing a hidden camera to these events, or have another person wear one so that these clowns can't get away with misrepresenting you.
Posted by: Julia | March 26, 2012 at 09:48 AM
It doesn't seem wise to publish lies....in a room full of people there will be some that will remember it did not happen like they say it did....it will make those people uneasy but they will know that lies are being told and they will start to question other things they are being told.
Is there legal action you can take?
Posted by: Shelly | March 26, 2012 at 09:26 AM
Thank you Jake, for everything you do. The running account will be great in your eventual autobiography.
Posted by: Zed | March 26, 2012 at 09:06 AM
More Tales from the Crypt. Thanks, Jake.
Maurine
Posted by: Maurine Meleck | March 26, 2012 at 09:01 AM