The Muckraker's Manual: How to Do Your Own Investigative Reporting 0915179032, 9780915179039

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THE MUCKRAKER'S MANUAL HANDBOOK'FOR I NVESTI GATIVE

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BY M. HARRY

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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 perspective."

-Alternative

Media

"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 experienced, 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

THE MUCKRAKER'S MANUAL o 1980, 1984 by Loompanics Untimited All Rights Reserved Printed in U.S.A. Published by: Loompanics Unlimited P.O. Box 1197 Port Townsend, WA 9g36g Cover by Kevin Martin ISBN: 0-915179-03-2 Library ol Congress Catalog Card Number: 84-80233

Forward: From the Author .. ... Chapter '1: lnvestigative Reporting, Fact & Fiction Chapter 2: What to Look For . . Chapter 3: Do Your Homework .. Chapter 4: Developing "lnside" Sources Chapter 5: Documents: Your Gold Mine Chapter 6: Who Are You..'When Chapter 7: lnterviewing Techniques Chapter B: lnfiltration .. Chapter 9: Special Sources Chapter '10: lnformation Analysis . Chapter 11: When to Stop an lnvestigation ' Chapter 12: Protecting Sources . . . Chapter 13: Can You Prove lt? ... Chapter 14: Do lt ElectronicallY Appendix 1: HarrY's Laws Appendix 2: Editing for Accuracy. . . Appendix 3: The Citizen lnvestigator's Library Appendix 4: A Note from the Author

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25 36 54 59 70

IJ 79 91

97 111

117

121

128 132 133

142 145

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 organizations, both on the political "right" and "left". Along theway, 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 I

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commission, and.a congressional committee or two. All of the techniques descri.bed ii tnis minrar are ones that r have actuaily used, and ail of the are true. "n""Joi". So here is Harry,s Third Law: ll Harry can do if, anyone can. College degrees and journalism'tn" useress to the citizen investigatoi. ..clas.ses are practically oirti"urties of invest_ ,,"Oorting are vas,y ovir_rateO. A'that is rea,y invotved i91,1:: rs some common sense, a dose of stubbornn"*, with the basic information-gathering tecnniques"no'i"mi,iarity described in this manual. Once you have mastered the in this manual, you will find that your abititv to Jig material ;i'i;" dirt on peopte and organizations has many apprications that have no'iingiiarrto do with writing. you't irso iinJinai tn""" same be apptied to finding information'ii;i;r pretty techniques can weil hidden, but doesn't qualify as ,,dirt". , ln a society that is -burying itself in megatons of information daily, the abitity to find set ot Oata is r"piOfV becoming an extremerv marrbtaor" ""p"iti"ui"i .r,'irr virtua,y unknown inlh;p;;i;" sector untit "ll""r, 111, y:r: years a few "information manager" anO ;;iniormation ago: analyst,,. Aside from these c.a.reers you can, if you tit