Channel: The Film Archives

Category: Education

Description: Jonathan Kwitny (1941–1998) was an American investigative journalist. His books: amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&tag=tra0c7-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=72cf442f293aa9c43f5d1803934cd95a&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=books&keywords=jonathan%20kwitny Kwitny was born in Indianapolis. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism at the University of Missouri's School of Journalism in 1962, and a master's degree in history at New York University in 1964. Kwitny was married twice. His first wife, with whom he had two daughters, died in 1978. His second wife was the poet Wendy Wood Kwitny, with whom he had two sons. Jonathan Kwitny died of stomach cancer in 1998.His awards included the George Polk Award for television investigative reporting and the University of Missouri School of Journalism's honor medal for career achievement. Kwitny was also the author of several books on subjects which ranged from the Nugan Hand Bank scandal to a biography of Pope John Paul II. Kwitny's career in journalism began as a reporter for the Perth Amboy News Tribune in 1963. In 1971 he joined The Wall Street Journal, where his articles frequently appeared as front-page features. In 1987, together with producer Tom Naughton, Kwitny created a half-hour news program for New York's WNYC-TV called The Kwitny Report. The show was carried on the PBS network and won the Polk Award for television investigative reporting in 1989,[4] but was canceled that same year. At the time of his death, he was working for the Gannett newspaper company.Kwitny was the author of a number of non-fiction books, including a biography of Pope John Paul II. When Kwitny met John Paul in the Vatican for a private audience in 1998, the Pope's first comment to him was, "I have read your book." Books The Mullendore Murder Case (1974). On the murder of Oklahoma rancher E.C. Mullendore III. Shakedown (1977). A novel. Vicious Circles: The Mafia in the Marketplace (1979). On Mafia involvement in white-collar crime. Extract via FBI. Endless Enemies: The Making of an Unfriendly World (1984). On U.S. foreign policy. The Crimes of Patriots: A True Story of Dope, Dirty Money, and the CIA (1988). On the Nugan Hand Bank scandal. Acceptable Risks (1992). On unapproved treatments for AIDS. The Super Swindlers: The Incredible Record of America's Greatest Financial Scams (1994) An update of The Fountain Pen Conspiracy (1973) Man of the Century: The Life and Times of Pope John Paul II (1997). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Kwitny Nugan Hand Bank was an Australian merchant bank that collapsed in 1980 after the suicide of one of its founders, Australian lawyer Francis John Nugan, resulting in a major scandal. News stories suggested that the bank had been involved in illegal activities, including drug smuggling, arranging weapons deals, and providing a front for the United States Central Intelligence Agency. Speculation grew when it became known that the bank had employed a number of retired United States military and intelligence officers, including former CIA director William Colby.Investors' losses and the speculation surrounding the bank's activities led to three major government investigations over the next five years. The bank's co-founder, American Michael Jon Hand, and two other bank employees were indicted for conspiring to pervert the course of justice by destroying or removing bank records. Hand fled abroad in June 1980. In 1985, a Royal Commission of Inquiry found that while the bank had committed numerous violations of banking laws, the allegations of drug-smuggling, arms dealing and involvement in CIA activities were not substantiated. Politician and judge, John Dowd, states that Nugan Hand became the vehicle to quietly move drug industry money. Dowd advises that this led to dealing with corrupt governments and the CIA, but in Australia during the 1970-80s, the CIA was seen as "the good guys". Similarly, former NSW Attorney General, Frank Walker, insists that from the government's perspective, having good relations between ASIO and the CIA was more important than bringing criminals to justice.Investigative authors, Kwitney J. (1987) and McCoy A.W. (1991) asserted that Nugan Hand Bank had facilitated the international movement of illegal funds for both drug smugglers and the CIA. The Stewart Royal Commission's decision that there was no evidence to support these allegations astonished these early investigators.Revelations by the American defence industry employee, Christopher Boyce, initiated speculation that the CIA and Nugan Hand had also played some part in the dismissal of Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam. For instance, William Blum (1999) states inter alia, that the bank allegedly transferred $2.4 million to the Liberal Party of Australia which contested two forced elections in 1974 and 1975 to oust Whitlam's Labor government. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nugan_Hand_Bank