Buzz
When it comes to politicians, policymakers, and public figures, it's natural to resist believing the worst. Yet, even when the truth of their wrongdoings is undeniable, it remains difficult to accept.
The individuals featured here have accounts that are uncomfortable to hear. While not all of them are fully verified, their stories seem to confirm the darkest truths about the figures and organizations in question.
10. Leon Panetta - CIA Contract Assassinations
The mysterious CIA hitman has often been portrayed in fiction, but we prefer to believe that the agency does not engage in unlawful contract killings. However, in 2009, many Americans overlooked when former CIA Director Leon Panetta disclosed to Congress that President George W. Bush had approved a top-secret assassination squad following 9/11, to be operated by private contractor Blackwater under the CIA's authority.
The squad's mission was to target and eliminate Al-Qaeda operatives. In 2010, the operation received continued backing from President Barack Obama, even as Blackwater's executives became embroiled in illegal arms trafficking. The Obama administration sought to suppress evidence in the case, citing national security concerns, and the company was granted a $250 million contract extension to carry out 'unspecified services' for the CIA.
9. Frank Scotti - Bill Cosby Settled With Women
In recent years, over 50 women have come forward accusing entertainment legend Bill Cosby of sexual assault. While it's hard to believe that so many women could be fabricating their stories, it's equally hard to reconcile such accusations with the image of a man who has long been seen as a paternal figure.
In 2016, Frank Scotti, a former NBC employee, revealed to People magazine that Cosby had groups of young models sent to his dressing room during the 1980s and ’90s. On each occasion, Cosby would select one woman and send the others away.
Scotti was instructed to close the door and not allow anyone inside. Afterward, he would pay the distressed women off with bags full of $100 bills provided by Cosby. Scotti recalled, “I felt dirty. [ . . ] I felt like a pimp.”
Cosby’s legal team argues that the 90-year-old Scotti is merely seeking a fleeting moment of fame.
8. Stephanie Cegielski - Trump Never Meant To Win
Since Donald Trump entered the 2016 U.S. presidential race, many political analysts speculated that his candidacy was a protest and that he never truly expected to win. According to Stephanie Cegielski, a former strategist for a Trump super PAC, this idea was more accurate than most imagined.
Initially, Cegielski was an enthusiastic supporter of Trump’s campaign. However, by March 2016, she revealed to The Washington Times that it became evident the campaign’s main goal was to boost Trump’s profile as a businessman. She also stated that Trump had never anticipated doing so well in the primaries and did not initially desire the presidency.
“But his ego is now in control, and nothing else matters,” Cegielski remarked. The Donald does not fail. The Donald is invincible. The Donald is his own worst adversary.”
7. Paul Haggis - Scientology Is A Cult
The Church of Scientology has long faced challenges in gaining recognition as a legitimate religion. Scientologists often speak glowingly about the benefits of their faith, while minimizing its more peculiar and controversial elements.
Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis, a Scientologist for 35 years, bluntly refers to the organization as a cult. He explains that moving through its 'levels' is a method of indoctrinating individuals into its unusual beliefs (which, yes, they truly hold). Haggis also shares disturbing experiences of harassment, both online and in person, by Scientology officials following his departure from the church in 2009.
Haggis confirms the church's notorious reputation for attempts to publicly discredit and demonize former members. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to search for information about Haggis online without encountering paid advertisements from Scientology-related organizations titled “The Truth About Paul Haggis.”
6. Matthew Hoh - Afghan War Is Counterproductive
Matthew Hoh, a former US Marine Corps captain who had served at the Pentagon and seen combat in Iraq, found his most recent posting with the foreign service short-lived, ending after less than a year. Upon resigning, Hoh wrote a scathing letter to his superior, condemning the ongoing war in Afghanistan.
In his letter, Hoh expressed that he no longer saw a strategic purpose in the United States' presence in Afghanistan, believing it was exacerbating the insurgency rather than helping to reduce it. Hoh also stated, “My resignation is based not upon how we are pursuing this war, but why and to what end.”
He wrote that American families “must be reassured their dead have sacrificed for a purpose worthy of futures lost, love vanished, and promised dreams unkept. I have lost confidence such assurances can be made anymore.”
5. Sarah Fischbeck - Animal Abuse At SeaWorld
While the 2013 documentary Blackfish sparked widespread anger against SeaWorld, many former employees argued that they had never witnessed the abuse or conditions depicted in the film, claiming that some scenes were taken out of context.
However, former SeaWorld employee Sarah Fischbeck described how captivity was driving the orcas at her park to madness. She witnessed them turning on one another, ripping off long, rubbery patches of skin which were found floating in the pool.
Some orcas, in an attempt to escape such aggression, managed to find ways over locked barriers and into areas where unsuspecting employees could be at risk. These animals even killed birds that accidentally entered their enclosures, not out of hunger but seemingly driven by pure fury.
The horror stories continue—whales being drugged with Valium, relentless aggression toward the divers, and even a mother whale killing her calf. “If people knew what I know or saw what I have seen,” Fischbeck said, “they wouldn’t sell another ticket.”
4. Wendell Potter - Health Care Industry Only Cares About Profits
Wendell Potter asserts that he only has information that is already publicly known. He clarifies, “I have no intention of disclosing any proprietary information,” although he is capable of doing so.
As the former corporate communications chief for healthcare giant Cigna, Potter has an insightful understanding of the industry's mechanics. However, he feels that some practices, like dropping costly policyholders with pre-existing conditions, need more exposure to highlight the profit-driven nature of the healthcare sector.
In 2007, Potter stepped down following a notorious case where Cigna denied coverage for a liver transplant for a 17-year-old girl, who tragically passed away shortly after.
Since his resignation, Potter has focused on advocating for healthcare reform through his blog and public speaking. In 2009, he appeared before Congress to explain the various tactics used by healthcare companies to safeguard their profits while disregarding the well-being of the sick.
3. George Voinovich - Republican Congress Mandated To Obstruct Obama
It is well-known that the Republican-majority Congress resisted nearly every move made by President Barack Obama throughout his time in office. While some level of opposition was expected, former Republican Senator George Voinovich has openly stated that this resistance was not just partisan, but was in fact ordered by Senate leader Mitch McConnell.
In a book by Michael Grunwald, Vice President Joe Biden recounted how seven Republican members of Congress bluntly told him at the start of Obama's presidency that cooperation was off the table, and that McConnell had explicitly instructed them to adopt a stance of “unified resistance.”
Voinovich summarized the position even more directly: “If [Obama] supported something, we had to oppose it. [ . . .] All [McConnell] cared about was ensuring Obama could never achieve a clear win.”
2. Jeffrey WigandBig Tobacco Wants People Addicted
Jeffrey Wigand, a former Vice President at Brown and Williamson, is regarded as the most notorious whistleblower in the tobacco industry’s history. In the 1990s, Wigand boldly opposed the tobacco executives who attempted to publicly downplay the dangers and addictive properties of their products.
In an explosive interview with TV news magazine 60 Minutes, Wigand revealed that he had been dismissed from his position as VP of Research and Development after discovering that carcinogenic and addictive substances in the company's products were being intentionally increased. Fearing legal consequences, CBS withheld the interview for an entire year before airing it in 1996.
The resulting media frenzy and public outcry led to congressional hearings, culminating in the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, in which tobacco companies consented to a $206 billion settlement over 25 years.
1. Michael Wood Jr.Culture Of Racism Among Police
The discussion about whether there is a deeply ingrained culture of racism within law enforcement has intensified in recent years. Some view it as an entirely corrupt system, while others attribute it to a few individuals gone astray. Former Baltimore police officer Michael Wood Jr. believes that police misconduct is much more widespread and brazen than most realize.
After stepping down in 2014, Wood shared a series of tweets outlining the shocking behavior he had witnessed in the force. In an interview with the BBC, he expanded on his claims, describing incidents such as officers physically assaulting suspects without cause, singling out young black men aged 16 to 24, and committing appalling acts like defecating and urinating on suspects' property, before falsely accusing the dogs of doing it.
The Baltimore Police Department described the accusations as "troubling" and urged Wood to file formal reports. However, Wood asserts that such reports would be pointless, as it is "unheard of" for officers to report this kind of misconduct within the department.
