4 chapters across the catalog
Iranian Hostage Crisis and Regime Change Strategy
Pieczenik discusses the lead-up to the Iranian Revolution, claiming he warned the State Department to evacuate the embassy months before the hostage crisis. He resigned after refusing to join a delegation to see Ayatollah Khomeini. Following his resignation, he worked at the RAND Corporation to develop formal strategies for military, political, and cultural regime change.
Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr. Investigation
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. defends his 2015 decision not to prosecute Harvey Weinstein despite an NYPD sting operation involving model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez. The segment examines the lack of criminal intent cited by the DA and the expiration of the statute of limitations for misdemeanor charges.
Abacus Bank Prosecution and Matt Taibbi's "The Divide"
Matt Taibbi discusses his book "The Divide," focusing on the prosecution of Abacus Federal Savings Bank in Manhattan's Chinatown. Despite being a small community bank, it was the only financial institution indicted in the wake of the 2008 mortgage crisis. Taibbi argues the case was a "photo op" for District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. while major Wall Street banks avoided criminal charges.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn Case and Cyrus Vance Jr.
The sexual assault case against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is collapsing, leading to intense media scrutiny of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. Connections are drawn between Vance, Nicolas Sarkozy, and the CIA, suggesting the case may have been a setup. The resignation of sex crimes unit head Lisa Friel and graphic descriptions of the alleged assault by the victim's lawyer are highlighted as evidence of the case's "fishiness."
