Where in Washington, D.C. is Reverend Moon?: Mr. Sherwood, the Reverend has some revisions for you

Author's work|RSS|Keywords|FAQ|Guide|Praise|Resources|Movies|Contact

8/27/2004

Mr. Sherwood, the Reverend has some revisions for you

Journalist Carlton Sherwood (pictured) is releasing a new TV special, "Stolen Honor," attacking John Kerry for his antiwar testimony. In 1991, Sherwood allowed a Unification Church aide to review and change a book he was publishing on Moon, to best "silence critics," according to a letter obtained by Frontline.

From tonight's WorldNetDaily, the latest exciting chapter in the unusual career of hard-hitting journalist Carlton Sherwood:

A Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist and highly decorated Vietnam veteran is behind a new television documentary that features devastating testimony by former POWs of the demoralizing impact of John Kerry's war-crimes accusations more than 30 years ago [...]

He also is known for his inside investigation of Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church. Sherwood said he entered the probe hoping to uncover dirt about the leader but ended up concluding Moon and his followers "were and continued to be the victims of the worst kind of religious prejudice and racial bigotry this country has witnessed in over a century."

Wow, I guess that would make it the worst since 1891. Anyway, a Frontline investigation in 1992 asked just how "inside" Sherwood's investigation went:

Narrator: In June,1991, Inquisition, a new, purportedly independent investigation of Moon's 1982 tax fraud prosecution, was released by a Washington publisher, Regnery-Gateway. Its author, Carlton Sherwood, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who once worked for the Washington Times.

Inquisition has a curious history. It was printed once before, by an obscure publishing house called Andromeda. The phone number listed for Andromeda in a leading publishing directory is the home phone of former Reagan National Security Council official Roger Fontaine — an ex-reporter at the Washington Times. When we called, Fontaine's wife Judy answered and said she knew nothing about Andromeda. Then she told us that the company was bankrupt and that Inquisition was published by Regnery-Gateway. [...]

The week after talking to Regnery, FRONTLINE obtained a copy of a letter addressed to Sun Myung Moon. The letter was written by James Gavin, a Moon aide. Gavin tells Moon he reviewed the "overall tone and factual contents" of Inquisition before publication and suggested revisions. Gavin adds that the author "Mr. Sherwood has assured me that all this will be done when the manuscript is sent to the publisher." Gavin concludes by telling Moon, "When all of our suggestions have been incorporated, the book will be complete and in my opinion will make a significant impact.... In addition to silencing our critics now, the book should be invaluable in persuading others of our legitimacy for many years to come."

Then again, perhaps the Moon aide was simply exaggerating the importance of his rewrites (editors like to feel useful). And perhaps he didn't read the actual galley. But as far as Sherwood's failure to find any reason to be critical of the Unification Church goes, maybe investigative journalism was harder before the Internet, when you actually had to get up, leave your desk and attend all-expense-paid banquets.

Sherwood did win a Pulitzer for exposing corruption in the Vatican.

Previously:

This post has been edited.

Permanent link posted by John

Bookmark This Using "Del.icio.us"

This post may have been updated. Please see FAQ.

Last ten items:

Springtime for Pyongyang

The Washington Times owner's paranormal research

New URL

Senator Warner's warm 1993 welcome to Reverend Moo...

Magazine: Mystery submarine company founded by Moo...

The chutzpah of the White House's Jim Towey

Washington Post's blog contest

Is this how Moon hooked Sen. Warner?

Giving credit where due dep't

Four Moon-married men, 12 submarines and a dictato...

"John Gorenfeld: The first man on the Moon"
-- Ana Marie Cox ("Wonkette," Time.com Washington editor)

"Thanks to the superb reporting of John Gorenfeld on Salon.com and his indispensable Web page, Moon's shenanigans are routinely scrutinized. Maybe some of Gorenfeld's discernment will rub off on preachers and politicians."
-- Tony Norman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist

"The scene summoned the moment in Robert Graves's "I, Claudius" when Emperor Caligula declares himself a god in the Roman Senate; a fawning solon instantly offers a prayer."
-- New York Times editorial on the Crown of Peace scandal

"I am happy that our work is being challenged and improved in consistency, openness and coordination, by the accountability your spotlight demands. I am not talking about simply removing stuff from websites..."
-- Moon spokesman the Rev. Phil Schanker

"Instead of welcoming Reverend Moon, this government put me into prison. History will reveal the truth in the future and the American government and people will realize what an evil thing they did. What will they do then? They will bow down. Again, that is the way of natural subjugation." -- Moon in 1987

"A political movement basing its appeal on old fashioned patriotism and family values simply cannot justify an alliance with a cult that preys on the disintegration of the American family and advocates allegiance to an international social order operating with cell-like secrecy."
-- Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA)