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Dai beats NIAC: The real David vs. Goliath story
16-Sep-2012
Sunday, 16 September 2012
Arash Irandoost, PhD
It was only a few years back, when Trita Parsi, the brash president of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) bragged about beating AIPAC and likened his victory to David versus Goliath. Flush with private enterprises, US government support, and foundation donors, NIAC’s swaggering Mafioso was determined to form the most powerful organization to advocate for policies favorable to the regime in Iran.
But, faced with the rogue regime’s iniquitous track record and strong anti-regime sentiment in the United States, Trita Parsi had to reinvent NIAC and cleverly disguise his treacherous intentions and make the bad look good! Thus, began Parsi’s campaign of lies and deception.
Unaware of Parsi’s wicked intentions, some Iranian-Americans were pleased when NIAC was initially introduced as the largest Iranian-American organization representing them in the United States. It had been almost two decades that the Iranian-American community had been unable to form a credible organization to promote their interests.
Parsi cunningly managed to convince Iranian-Americans that indeed he was a part of the opposition and was there to represent their concerns. After all, as Judge Bates noted: “any moderately intelligent agent for the regime would not want to be seen as unremittingly pro-regime, given the regime’s reputation in the United States.” However, as Iranian-American observed Trita’s actions, it became increasingly evident that NIAC was not a non-partisan, non-political, non-sectarian, educational organization dedicated to promoting Iranian-American participation in American civic life, as Parsi claimed. Soon Iranian-Americans began to realize that neither NIAC and nor its non-citizen president were the friends of the Iranians-Americans and indeed were the intermediary between the criminal regime and high level U.S. government officials.
As some activists began to question NIAC’s activities, Trita Parsi embarked on an aggressive PR campaign and a policy of cease and desist. Those who opposed NIAC and Parsi were horridly character assassinated and maliciously slandered by NIAC and its handlers as members of MEK, CIA and Mossad agents or pro-war neocons. At one time, NIAC’s midget man was pompous enough to challenge the Voice of America by threatening this government organization with a lawsuit. Intimidated by NIAC’s PR savvy, legal and financial muscle, many organizations and opposition leaders kept silent and did not dare to confront the dubious organization.
NIAC boasted itself as the largest Iranian-American organization, it claimed to advocate for human rights, it played on the Iranian national pride and cultural heritage, while it worked behind the scenes to ensure regime’s survival. A determined reporter, who had been studying NIAC began unveiling its lobby activities in his speeches and articles. NIAC’s self-assured Goliath filed a defamation lawsuit against Hassan Dai for the purpose of silencing and making an example of him.
For a while NIAC’s strategy seemed to work. Armed with the best PR firm, expert lawyer and abundant finances the lawsuit almost bankrupted the Iranian-American journalist. Miraculously, a legal firm decided to come to Hassan Dai’s aid. Filing the lawsuit against was perhaps the biggest mistake Parsi made.
NIAC and Parsi’s, house of cards began to collapse as the legal proceedings began to shed light on NIAC and Parsi’s numerous secret meetings with top level IRI officials. The Court documents painted a very disturbing picture of Parsi and his organization: lying to members of Congress, fraudulent membership numbers, tax law violations and evasions, Lobbying Disclosure Act violations, the Foreign Agents Registration Act violations, foreign bank account, defrauding of federal funds, bribing of eye witnesses, etc…, the list of abuses seemed perplex, byzantine and incessant.
NIAC and Parsi’s defamation lawsuit which started in 2008 finally ended on September 13, 2012, two days after the 11th anniversary of tragedy of 9/11 tragedy that Iran and Hezbollah said to have had a hand in it. The Court dismissed all of Parsi’s allegations that Hassan Dai maliciously published false and defamatory articles characterizing Trita Parsi and NIAC as agents of the Iranian government.
Frustrated, yet patient and diligent Judge Bates noted: "There is no question that plaintiffs [NIAC and Trita Parsi] have repeatedly tried to evade their discovery obligations, ..." Cognizant of Trita’s obfuscation tactics, Judge Bates went on to say: “In awarding sanctions, the Court is mindful not just of the need to compensate defendant, but also of the need to deter plaintiffs from future discovery abuses.”
Furthermore, the Judge, troubled by NIAC’s refusal to hand over most of its sensitive internal documents, computer hard drives and membership lists, ordered Trita Parsi and NIAC to pay for: 60% of the expenses associated with bringing the instant motion and pay for the expenses involved in bringing defendant’s motion to compel production of NIAC’s server; the expenses of serving the third-party subpoenas; the expenses involved in bringing defendant’s motion to compel production of Salesforce [customer relationship management software] data and membership lists; one-half of the expenses of the last half day of Parsi’s [….] depositions.
The beginning of the end of NIAC and Trita Parsi, thus began.
Of course, NIAC’s PR masters of deception will attempt to do damage control and spin court findings in the coming weeks and perhaps call it a victory for NIAC, but for the record, Judge Bate noted: “Defendant has subpoenaed emails to or from NIAC employees from a number of third parties. Most of these emails are to or from NIAC employees in 2008 or 2009, and none were produced by NIAC. … plaintiffs' [Parsi and NIAC] failure to produce the other five categories of emails is indefensible, and plaintiffs made no coherent attempt to explain either in their briefing or at the motions hearing why all of these emails would not have been produced.
Most disturbingly, plaintiffs apparently gathered emails for their experts that they failed to produce to defendant, which clearly shows that plaintiffs' statement at the motions hearing that "[t]here may be technical explanations" for the failure to produce these documents is untrue.
Given plaintiffs' inexplicable and unexplained behavior, it is appropriate to require them to pay the cost of serving the subpoenas […] and the costs of bringing this portion of the instant motion.
The Court is troubled by the fact that it may be awarding sanctions based on conduct for which there is an innocent explanation that plaintiffs have simply failed to give. But plaintiffs have had more than sufficient opportunity to oppose the very clear claims in defendant's sanctions motion, and the Court cannot perpetually excuse their failure to do so. Because it seems quite clear that Parsi's interrogatory responses misrepresented when he had used the desktop – and because Parsi has never managed to explain what computer he was using during that time – some sanction is warranted.... Nonetheless, the Court believes that awarding the cost of this portion of the sanctions motion is appropriate here. In awarding sanctions, the Court is mindful not just of the need to compensate defendant, but also of the need to deter plaintiffs from future discovery abuses [by Trita Parsi and NIAC].”
Parsi’s attempt to portray NIAC as the underdog David vs. Goliath, has been disingenuous. NIAC is a powerful organization, financially speaking. Parsi and NIAC are the Goliaths and not the Davids. In the Biblical story of David and Goliath, David initially put on a coat of armor, a brass helmet and girded himself with a sword: he prepared to wage a conventional battle of swords against Goliath. And that is perhaps what Parsi was counting on; to force Hassan Dai to play with NIAC’s rules and be silenced. But then David stopped. “I cannot walk in these”, he said, then shed his armor and picked up those five smooth stones. When the underdog Iranian-Americans dare not to succumb to NIAC’s might, they win!
_________
Dr. Arash Irandoost (pen name), founder of Pro-democracy Movement of Iran (PDMI) is a human rights and pro-democracy activist who advocates Regime Change in Iran. He has been published in numerous magazines around the world as well as hundreds of Internet magazines, websites and blogs. He is also a researcher and literary translator and has been a strong voice for the struggling people of Iran. www.pdmi.org and www.pdmiran.org
| Recently by arash Irandoost | Comments | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Judge Bates: Trita Parsi: A 'Moderately Intelligent Agent For the Iranian Regime' | 2 | Sep 24, 2012 |
| Islamic Republic and NIAC terrified by Timmerman's bid for Congress! | 11 | Sep 23, 2012 |
| NIAC Lost Defamation Case and Sanctioned for Discovery Abuses | 15 | Sep 16, 2012 |
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My point is that you are looking like a con artist here ...
by MaryamJoon on Sun Sep 16, 2012 09:16 PM PDTOpen letter to Arash Irandoost, Ken Timmerman, Hassan Dai, & PDMI
What is your point, Maryam joon?
by arash Irandoost on Sun Sep 16, 2012 05:05 PM PDTTalk is cheap ... I have read all Ken's books. Specially the Countdown to Crises. It was on best seller list. Ken is an investigative reporter and a Nobel prize nominee. The US government and the secret service is just catching up with what Ken was saying, then: IRI and AlQaeda plotted the 9/11, based on a MOIS defector. He was an expert witness on a recent 9/11 trial, when the judge ruled that IRI corroborated with AlQaeda and housed members of Osama,s family in Iran.
My blog doesn't
by vildemose on Sun Sep 16, 2012 04:47 PM PDT
My blog doesn't advocate ANYTHING on behalf of Muslimsby MaryamJoon on Sun Sep 16, 2012 03:03 PM PDT
If anything, the government of Iran has been way too lenient with this group and I criticize them for it.
God Business is big business: Bahai Leaders confirm not caring about Followers
This is proof that the above entity is a deranged character however, for some reason he/she is permitted to run a mok on this site 24/7...Can the admin please explain why they tolerate this so-called Iranian KKK??
All Oppression Creates a State of War--Simone De Beauvoir
Shilling for the Jewish Lobby / Timmerman is anti-Iranian
by MaryamJoon on Sun Sep 16, 2012 04:41 PM PDT"In his book, Ken [Timmerman] masterfully exposes IRI nuclear ambitions and IRI and Al-Qaeda cooperation, when Osama's family was hiding in Iran during and after the 9/11." - PDMI
Maryam
by arash Irandoost on Sun Sep 16, 2012 04:32 PM PDTI do not know you, nor do I have your email. Nor, do I care to ...
Ken does not have a hand in PDMI-I have never asked him, nor has he ever accepted it.
Ken is public figure and is running for Congress, direct your questions to him.
Trita works for any and all that pay him-money is his primary motivation first and ideology second. In a manner of speaking funders and donors are his bosses.I know who funds him and NIAC and do not need your help and do not want to play such a game with you.
He had a Swedish account where he stashed his honorariums and foreign income and did not pay taxes. Let me know if he denies it. Read his court depositions and ask him why?
On CIA: first things first:
Have you ever asked Trita if he was paid by CIA? If so, has he said yes or no.
When you have done your homework, and when Trita denies that he was paid by the CIA, then come to me and ask me again. Deal? Meanwhile: You might want to read this:
Questions to Professor Mammad Regarding NIAC, CIA, and American Fundingby Masoud Kazemzadeh
28-Oct-2010
Dear Mammad,
1. According to Eli Lake’s article
//www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/13/exclusive-did-iranian-advocacy-group-violate-laws/
"Mr. Parsi has been called to the White House, lectured at the CIA and visited Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton."
2. NIAC did get money from NED. NIAC got 3 grants from NED. The 2002
money from NED was for NIAC to use inside Iran and was $25,000.
//www.ned.org/for-reporters/statement-on-grant-relationship-between-ned-and-niac
3. NED is funded largely by the U.S. Congress and it is monitored by
U.S. Congress and the U.S. State Department. It is set up as a "unique
institution" that gets its money from U.S. tax payers but is independent
and private so that it could fund organizations in sensitive areas.
//www.ned.org/about
4. Actually what Fred wrote in his blog appears correct to me. //iranian.com/main/blog/fred/niac-lobby-answer
NIAC opposed funding for democracy promotion but itself got money from
NED to go inside Iran and do such work. NIAC says that American support
for opposition would taint them, but the President of NIAC lectured for
the CIA. Why is it bad for the American president to publically say
dictatorship is bad and he supports the establishment of democracy and
democrats in Iran, but it is perfectly fine for the President of NIAC to
provide his analysis to the CIA??????
Am I missing something? Are the above basic facts or are they disputed assertions?
I have the following questions for YOU.
1. Do YOU support Dr. Trita Parsi presenting his lecture (information and/or analysis) for the CIA? Please yes or no.
2. Would YOU go and present a lecture for the CIA?
3. Do YOU support getting funded indirectly by the U.S. government
(i.e., funds coming from U.S. Congress to NED to one’s group)? Yes or
no?
Best regards,
Masoud
Is Ken Timmerman a pro-Israeli advocate? Yes or No?
by MaryamJoon on Sun Sep 16, 2012 03:22 PM PDTDoes he have a hand in PDMI, yes or no?
By the way, Trita doesn't work for the government of Iran, but I know who he DOES work for and I can prove it.
You have my email - send me the documents that were disclosed showing what you obtained and I'll consider revealing what I know about him (This is what I want to see ----> //www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zpCaGrB6kY)
I'm no fan of PDMI (or NIAC) by the way. How's that for straight talk?
And read my blog for amusement: God Business is big business: Bahai Leaders confirm not caring about Followers
There you go again?
by arash Irandoost on Sun Sep 16, 2012 01:44 PM PDTI am not a Jew ... Besdies, what is wrong with being a Jew? Can Jews not call themselves "PDMI"?
Your perverted thinking defies logic!
Why don't you critique the article, in a semi-intelligent manner?
Jews and Iranians (Persians) have a 2,500 year history and Iranians are mentioned very favoarbly in their holy book, because of a great king called Cyrus the Great!
Your anti-Semitism belongs to the dark ages!
Do you think Iranians are going to follow a group of Jews
by MaryamJoon on Sun Sep 16, 2012 10:38 AM PDTthat calls itself PDMI?
Soosan kh. do your home work and do not obfuscate
by arash Irandoost on Sun Sep 16, 2012 10:35 AM PDTThat is the very job of good journalist to discover and reveal the truth. NIAC's words and actions do not and did not match. Hassan spoke about it in his artilces and speeches, using NIAC's own sources, activities and articles. Trita sued him to intimidate and silence him-in the end Dai was proven right. As the court rules: NIAC was shilling for the IRI. One example: Also, NIAC claimed it was for human rights, but as Dai asserted and Judge agreed, Trita only gave a lip service to human rights-to fool gullible Iranian-Americans who do not do their homework. Spend a couple of days at the:
www.iranianlobby.com
Sossan khanom as the saying goes if you cannot take the heat, better get off the Kitchen- you are doing the right thing by leaving!
Ok so Daee got access to those emails after he accused Trita.
by Soosan Khanoom on Sun Sep 16, 2012 10:18 AM PDTThen on which bases he accused him at first place? I think with the help of AiPAC and others Daee need not to worry at all. And please do not worry about this site and the level of IQs here you just watch Daee's supporters IQ don't fall even further below than the Sandeeskhorha by simply supporting MEK!
Iranian community in abroad have been here for long enough to make their voices be heard but because of the level of IQ of the Daee's stooges and worse than that their ill intentions for Iran we are in the mess that we are.
So far Iranian Americans were only good at managing the baghalee sar e kocheh and now that finally came along a group that are educated, well Spoken, organized, and moderate then here comes Daee and his stooges bashing them with baseless accusations. I am not in the mood to ruin my Sunday by even typing the name Daee.
I am out of here !!
NIAC could not prove Dai was a member of MEK.
by arash Irandoost on Sun Sep 16, 2012 09:58 AM PDTIf you read the Court findings; Judge Bates clealry say: Defendent (Dai) vehemently denid that he was a member of MEK and NIAC could not provide any documents to substantiate its claim: Polite way of saying: Trita lied! It is aprt of NIAC agenda to slander anyone who opposes NIAC.
Oon Yaroo-you are correct!
by arash Irandoost on Sun Sep 16, 2012 09:54 AM PDTYes, you might want to access these links to read all official court documents-It will keep you up all night. over 3000 pages.
//pdmi.org/category/resources/documents/
Trita Parsi Court Documents
Trita Parsi vs Hassan Dai May 11 2011 (79)
Trita Parsi Court Documents
Trita Parsi vs. Dai Vol. 1, Dec 1 2010 (89)
Trita Parsi Court Documents
Trita Parsi Vs.Hassan Dai Court Documents (126)
NIAC: Case Dismissed
NIAC: Case Dismissed, the End of NIAC (33)
Judge Sanctions NIAC and Trita Parsi
Judge Sanctions NIAC and Trita Parsi (0)
Yes, you might want to
by arash Irandoost on Sun Sep 16, 2012 09:53 AM PDTYes, you might want to access these links to read all official court documents-It will keep you up all night. over 3000 pages.
//pdmi.org/category/resources/documents/
Trita Parsi Court Documents
Trita Parsi vs Hassan Dai May 11 2011 (79)
Trita Parsi Court Documents
Trita Parsi vs. Dai Vol. 1, Dec 1 2010 (89)
Trita Parsi Court Documents
Trita Parsi Vs.Hassan Dai Court Documents (126)
NIAC: Case Dismissed
NIAC: Case Dismissed, the End of NIAC (33)
Judge Sanctions NIAC and Trita Parsi
Judge Sanctions NIAC and Trita Parsi (0)
Soosan Khanom you may not be from around here ... but
by arash Irandoost on Sun Sep 16, 2012 09:50 AM PDTDear Soosan:
In the American judical system, when someone files a lawsuit against someone else, either party can file a petition or ask the Court to issue subpenas, to defend their clients, that is how Dai and Parsi accessed each others files, documents, bank accounts and emails. NIAC lawyer(s) (Pishevari) had as much access to Dai's files as much as Dai's lawyers did to Trita's. And that is why I am referring in the article as "Trita's biggest mistake" ..
Filing a lawsuit, simply because you have the IRI money is a double edge sword and can cut both ways. Trita is not a US Citizen and perhaps does not know our legal system, but he got more education and will think twice before he threatens another Iranian-American with a lawsuit. When Dai says Trita got paid by CIA- he has access to some documents you do not and NIAC does not want to talk about. Same goes with Trita's Swedish bank account that he hid foreign income and avoid paying taxes.
This type of information is readily available on the Internet for the semi-curios:
Subpoenas are usually issued by the clerk of the court in the name of the judge presiding over the case. Additionally, court rules may permit lawyers to issue subpoenas themselves in their capacity as officers of the court. Typically subpoenas are issued "in blank" and it is the responsibility of the lawyer representing the plaintiff or defendant on whose behalf the testimony is to be given to serve the subpoena on the witness. If a witness is reluctant to testify, then the personal service of subpoena is usually required with proof of service by non-party server.
p.s. I am amazed at the low level of intellect of some of IC readers-no offense to most-just IRI sandiskhors and NIAC stooges! This is why the IRI is in such a sad shape it is today: Foresight and Ineptitude!
Soosan Khanoom!
by Oon Yaroo on Sun Sep 16, 2012 08:00 AM PDTYour statement, "Daee is an MEK supporter and has all the neocons as well as AIPAC support." doesn't prove Trita Parsi/NIAC didn't/don't have the support of IRR and its US counterparts behind them! Right!
Question! Anyone? How dod Daee get his hands on these emails?
by Soosan Khanoom on Sun Sep 16, 2012 07:52 AM PDTIf they were public then so what? If they were private then who gives him the authority to invade people's privacy?
In any case Trita seems to want to carry it through peacefully and what is wrong with that? Now if the same Trita was in Iran he would be ending up in jail as an American Agent at the same time he is being labeled here as the IRI agent. That is what a peacemaker gets accused of all the time. Now you may say there is no negotiation with IRI ... I think if it works to save lives or hardships for Iranian people and even of it works for them to reconsider some of their barbaric laws then why not? It is up to the people of Iran to stand up in anyway they think they should to bring change or reform. If the majority want the mullas then they probably deserve them and if the majority do not want them then it is better for them to do something.. Cause certainly Israeli invasion is not going to do anything for them if not even makes the situation worse. Daee is an MEK supporter and has all the neocons as well as AIPAC support. I rather see him shut up than bashing moderate Iranian Americans in this country.
PERIOD
So, it's true that Trita P. and Javad Zarif had a relationship!
by Oon Yaroo on Sun Sep 16, 2012 07:34 AM PDTOver the years, many email exchanges between TP and JZ would pop up here and we were always wondering if they were authentic or not. Are the evidences (e.g., emails, etc.) provided to court available for the public to see?
Thanks and congratulations!