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It’s rare that I will attack people on my own side. But that’s because it’s rare that they rip me off so blatantly. In this case, the offenders are Frank Gaffney, head of the Center for Security Policy–whom I normally like, and IsraelNationalNews.com (the English version of Arutz Sheva)–of which I and my parents are strong supporters.
But there seems to be a problem giving credit where credit is due. In this case, that credit is due me.
Almost two weeks ago, I wrote about , which owns and operates FOX News Channel. While several blogs and sites that picked up my story gave me credit, some did not.
The main offender, Israel National News a/k/a Arutz Sheva, has, at least, several days after my pointing it out, apologized and finally given me credit (though it’s kind of too late, since it’s already been ripped off far and wide, including by Gaffney).
But Frank Gaffney did not.
In Gaffney’s latest syndicated column, out today, not only does he rip off a Rudy Giuliani quote–down to MY edits and insertion of ellipses from the original quote which I featured in a 2001 column, when Giuliani returned the check to Prince AlWaleed–but other details are the same as well.
Here’s a sample of Gaffney’s “work,” as regurgitated from me, down to the editing of the quote and the placement of the ellipses:
SCHLUSSEL:
“Giuliani promptly returned the check with a statement: ‘There is no moral equivalent for this attack. The people who did it lost any right to ask for justification when they slaughtered . . . innocent people . . . . Not only are those statements wrong, they’re part of the problem.'”
GAFFNEY:
” ‘America’s Mayor’ immediately returned the prince’s check with a statement: ‘There is no moral equivalent for this attack. The people who did it lost any right to ask for justification when they slaughtered . . . innocent people . . . . Not only are those statements wrong, they’re part of the problem.'”
Sound familiar?
I ended my blogpost, “You decide.” What a coincidence!–Two weeks later, so does Gaffney. I wrote about AlWaleed giving a $10 million check to Giuliani and Giuliani returning it. Two weeks later, so does Gaffney. And, again, two weeks later, Gaffney uses my edits in the Giuliani quote. I wrote about AlWaleed’s appearance on “60 Minutes.” Two weeks later, so does Gaffney. Sure, he gave more details, but that’s because he used my work as his outline, and he merely filled in the details. So glad to see I’m now his unpaid, uncredited researcher/ghostwriter.
If he got it from INN/AS–who took it from me–then he ripped it off from them (who originally did not credit me). Either way, it shows that neither of these parties checked the veracity of the quote. They just took it, complete with my edits–as well as the rest of the story–and reported it as true, without verifying.
Below is Israel National News/Arutz Sheva’s apology, which is still incorrect. In fact, there was no “investigation” of the original source needed, because they did not “quote,” as they claimed, the Gulf News story. The Gulf News, in fact, does not feature the Giuliani quote or even anything about the incident with Giuliani and the $10 million check. Not a word. INN/AS just copied that off my site, period.
I’m still waiting for Gaffney’s apology–but not holding my breath.
Sometimes I think my site’s trademark slogan should be, “I report. They plagiarize. You decide.” The next time you read either of those parties’ “work,” you should wonder if you read it here first.
Sometimes, imitation is NOT the sincerest form of flattery. It’s just flat-out thievery.
—– Original Message —–
From: en-ezra@inn.co.il
To: Debbie Schlussel
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2005 7:15 PM
Subject: Apology and edited link from A7
link: http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=90439
Dear Debbie,
Thank you for bringing to our attention the fact that the report we were forwarded was copied from your web page. We apologize for not attributing it. Please see the above link, which has been amended to include both attribution and a link to your site.
Please realize that the quoting of Gulf News without investigation of the source of the commentary was an accident that we would gladly have remedied . . . . We, like you, are interested in spreading truth and have no interest in stealing from others . . . .
Keep up the good work,
Ezra HaLevi
News Editor
IsraelNationalNews.com
THE ORIGINAL: