Moore trouble

[SLCPUNK]

Michael Moore Faces U.S. Treasury Probe

May 10, 6:26 AM (ET)

By DAVID GERMAIN

(AP) Director Michael Moore poses for a portrait Oct. 9, 2002, in Los Angeles. Academy Award-winning...
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LOS ANGELES (AP) - Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore is under investigation by the U.S. Treasury Department for taking ailing Sept. 11 rescue workers to Cuba for a segment in his upcoming health-care documentary "Sicko," The Associated Press has learned.

The investigation provides another contentious lead-in for a provocative film by Moore, a fierce critic of President Bush. In the past, Moore's adversaries have fanned publicity that helped the filmmaker create a new brand of opinionated blockbuster documentary.

"Sicko" promises to take the health-care industry to task the way Moore confronted America's passion for guns in "Bowling for Columbine" and skewered Bush over his handling of Sept. 11 in "Fahrenheit 9/11."

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control notified Moore in a letter dated May 2 that it was conducting a civil investigation for possible violations of the U.S. trade embargo restricting travel to Cuba. A copy of the letter was obtained Tuesday by the AP.

"This office has no record that a specific license was issued authorizing you to engage in travel-related transactions involving Cuba," Dale Thompson, OFAC chief of general investigations and field operations, wrote in the letter to Moore.

In February, Moore took about 10 ailing workers from the Ground Zero rescue effort in Manhattan for treatment in Cuba, said a person working with the filmmaker on the release of "Sicko." The person requested anonymity because Moore's attorneys had not yet determined how to respond.

Moore, who scolded Bush over the Iraq war during the 2003 Oscar telecast, received the letter Monday, the person said. "Sicko" premieres May 19 at the Cannes Film Festival and debuts in U.S. theaters June 29.

Moore declined to comment, said spokeswoman Lisa Cohen.

After receiving the letter, Moore arranged to place a copy of the film in a "safe house" outside the country to protect it from government interference, said the person working on the release of the film.

Treasury officials declined to answer questions about the letter. "We don't comment on enforcement actions," said department spokeswoman Molly Millerwise.

The letter noted that Moore applied Oct. 12, 2006, for permission to go to Cuba "but no determination had been made by OFAC." Moore sought permission to travel there under a provision for full-time journalists, the letter said.

According to the letter, Moore was given 20 business days to provide OFAC with such information as the date of travel and point of departure; the reason for the Cuba trip and his itinerary there; and the names and addresses of those who accompanied him, along with their reasons for going.

Potential penalties for violating the embargo were not indicated. In 2003, the New York Yankees paid the government $75,000 to settle a dispute that it conducted business in Cuba in violation of the embargo. No specifics were released about that case.

"Sicko" is Moore's followup to 2004's "Fahrenheit 9/11," a $100 million hit criticizing the Bush administration over Sept. 11. Moore's "Bowling for Columbine" won the 2002 Oscar for best documentary.

A dissection of the U.S. health-care system, "Sicko" was inspired by a segment on Moore's TV show "The Awful Truth," in which he staged a mock funeral outside a health-maintenance organization that had declined a pancreas transplant for a diabetic man. The HMO later relented.

At last September's Toronto International Film Festival, Moore previewed footage shot for "Sicko," presenting stories of personal health-care nightmares. One scene showed a woman who was denied payment for an ambulance ride after a head-on collision because it was not preapproved.

Moore's opponents have accused him of distorting the facts, and his Cuba trip provoked criticism from conservatives including former Republican Sen. Fred Thompson, who assailed the filmmaker in a blog at National Review Online.

"I have no expectation that Moore is going to tell the truth about Cuba or health care," wrote Thompson, the subject of speculation about a possible presidential run. "I defend his right to do what he does, but Moore's talent for clever falsehoods has been too well documented."

The timing of the investigation is reminiscent of the firestorm that preceded the Cannes debut of "Fahrenheit 9/11," which won the festival's top prize in 2004. The Walt Disney Co. refused to let subsidiary Miramax release the film because of its political content, prompting Miramax bosses Harvey and Bob Weinstein to release "Fahrenheit 9/11" on their own.

The Weinsteins later left Miramax to form the Weinstein Co., which is releasing "Sicko." They declined to comment on the Treasury investigation, said company spokeswoman Sarah Levinson Rothman.

[GeorgeSteele]

Until this news item broke, I had no idea this film was even in the works.  The additional money he'll make on the movie from this publicity will be exponentially higher than whatever civil fines he ends up having to pay.

By the way, apparently, the movie premieres on June 29th.  Seems interesting, I'll probably go see it.

[fuckin crazy]

If they can't silence him , they will try to discredit him . Psuedo-facsist assholes

[stolat]

If they can't silence him , they will try to discredit him . Psuedo-facsist assholes

That's just typical isn't it. I really found Bowling For Columbine very insightful.

[polluxlm]

If they can't silence him , they will try to discredit him . Psuedo-facsist assholes

Why silence those doing your bidding...

Moore is a fraud.

[stolat]

If they can't silence him , they will try to discredit him . Psuedo-facsist assholes

Why silence those doing your bidding...

Moore is a fraud.

You didn't find the interviews with the children who were actually in the shootings interesting. I really felt for them. One child still has a bullet lodged in his back close to his spine. Imagine living with that feeling everyday!

[polluxlm]

If they can't silence him , they will try to discredit him . Psuedo-facsist assholes

Why silence those doing your bidding...

Moore is a fraud.

You didn't find the interviews with the children who were actually in the shootings interesting. I really felt for them. One child still has a bullet lodged in his back close to his spine. Imagine living with that feeling everyday!

Interesting enough, but nothing new. I've seen victims of violence on the news for 20 years.

Instead of going to the root of the problem he draws attention away from it by focusing on superficial details. When asked about some of the more 'juicy' aspects of 911 and why he didn't adress them in his film he replied "that would be unamerican". Really now? Asking questions is unamerican? Guess I missed that paragraph in the constitution.

He's clearly a tool.

[stolat]

If they can't silence him , they will try to discredit him . Psuedo-facsist assholes

Why silence those doing your bidding...

Moore is a fraud.

You didn't find the interviews with the children who were actually in the shootings interesting. I really felt for them. One child still has a bullet lodged in his back close to his spine. Imagine living with that feeling everyday!

Interesting enough, but nothing new. I've seen victims of violence on the news for 20 years.

Instead of going to the root of the problem he draws attention away from it by focusing on superficial details. When asked about some of the more 'juicy' aspects of 911 and why he didn't adress them in his film he replied "that would be unamerican". Really now? Asking questions is unamerican? Guess I missed that paragraph in the constitution.

He's clearly a tool.

Moore knows when he can speak and when he can't speak. He is highly intelligent. I guess he took the 5th amendment......
Clearly, he doesn't see the point of discussing 'juicy' details. Now that would truely be 'unamerican'. Whatever that means.....refer to the paragraph in the constitution.

[polluxlm]

Moore knows when he can speak and when he can't speak. He is highly intelligent. I guess he took the 5th amendment......

Others speak, so can he.

But he chose not to. Meaning he's afraid, or he's paid off. Either way it makes him redundant.

Clearly, he doesn't see the point of discussing 'juicy' details. Now that would truely be 'unamerican'. Whatever that means.....refer to the paragraph in the constitution.

The only thing that's clear is that he didn't go into those subjects. As to why, that's not clear at all.

[stolat]

Moore knows when he can speak and when he can't speak. He is highly intelligent. I guess he took the 5th amendment......

Others speak, so can he.

But he chose not to. Meaning he's afraid, or he's paid off. Either way it makes him redundant.

Or he's smart. or he's saving the details for a juicy book.......If you see the work that Moore has done, he is certainly NOT afraid. Geez, I wouldn't just walk into Charleton Heston's house, he's got guns you know! and he is a little loopy.....

[stolat]

Moore knows when he can speak and when he can't speak. He is highly intelligent. I guess he took the 5th amendment......

Others speak, so can he.

But he chose not to. Meaning he's afraid, or he's paid off. Either way it makes him redundant.

Clearly, he doesn't see the point of discussing 'juicy' details. Now that would truely be 'unamerican'. Whatever that means.....refer to the paragraph in the constitution.

The only thing that's clear is that he didn't go into those subjects. As to why, that's not clear at all.

Exactly, although you did try to give a reason 'meaning he's afraid or paid off'. Maybe he didn't want people taking him out of context.

[polluxlm]

Or he's smart. or he's saving the details for a juicy book.......If you see the work that Moore has done, he is certainly NOT afraid. Geez, I wouldn't just walk into Charleton Heston's house, he's got guns you know! and he is a little loopy.....

If what he's done is to be considered smart I'd rather be stupid.

And the rest of that sentence is hardly an argument ^

Exactly, although you did try to give a reason 'meaning he's afraid or paid off'. Maybe he didn't want people taking him out of context.

Or maybe he should stop pretending to be the world wide exposurer of truth, and cashing in big, when all he does is not adressing the truths people want, and need to know about.

[stolat]

Or he's smart. or he's saving the details for a juicy book.......If you see the work that Moore has done, he is certainly NOT afraid. Geez, I wouldn't just walk into Charleton Heston's house, he's got guns you know! and he is a little loopy.....

If what he's done is to be considered smart I'd rather be stupid.

And the rest of that sentence is hardly an argument ^

Exactly, although you did try to give a reason 'meaning he's afraid or paid off'. Maybe he didn't want people taking him out of context.

Or maybe he should stop pretending to be the world wide exposurer of truth, and cashing in big, when all he does is not adressing the truths people want, and need to know about.

No that was just an attempt at humour - the Charleton Heston thing. 

[polluxlm]

No that was just an attempt at humour - the Charleton Heston thing.?

Ok, but I still think he's a fat fuck

[stolat]

No that was just an attempt at humour - the Charleton Heston thing.?

Ok, but I still think he's a fat fuck

Who, Charleton Heston? You get my humour then. We don't seem to have anything else in common.

[polluxlm]

Moore that is. Heston rules.

[Bodhi]

not the biggest Michael Moore fan...some of his views are way out there...but i honestly am looking forward to seeing this new movie of his..

[wink]

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control notified Moore in a letter dated May 2 that it was conducting a civil investigation for possible violations of the U.S. trade embargo restricting travel to Cuba.

so does this mean, US citizens are not allowed to go to cuba without special permisson from their government?

[stolat]

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control notified Moore in a letter dated May 2 that it was conducting a civil investigation for possible violations of the U.S. trade embargo restricting travel to Cuba.

so does this mean, US citizens are not allowed to go to cuba without special permisson from their government?

Australians can still travel there (maybe) - definately not David Hicks though. Moore should travel to Australia and make a movie about that one. He's 'home' in a few weeks.

[fuckin crazy]

quote]

so does this mean, US citizens are not allowed to go to cuba without special permisson from their government?

Yes , it is illegal for any Amerikan citizen to travel to Cuba except for humanitarian purposes .