Randy Credico on Fred Dicker (12/1/2017)

Supplemental document for: "Theory that Roger Stone's back channel to Wikileaks was Randy Credico", link: https://wakelet.com/wake/2d352ae9-febe-44a1-a7bb-51674a2e4bf5

Transcript of relevant portion of "Focus on the State Capitol" with host Fred Dicker, broadcast date: December 1, 2017. Excerpt goes from 2:55 to 19:15.

File link: http://www.mediafire.com/file/dbekh77jhvly89s/FSC121171.mp3

FRED DICKER
Randy Credico, our longtime official comedian, political activist, as you know, as many people know, was in, not only national news yesterday, but international news. He was interviewed, I know, by Russian television, but others are interviewing him as well - there's a standalone story in the New York Times about him yesterday, and many other places as well, describing him as a radio talk show host and a New York political maverick. But he's, once again, this happened some ten years ago, tided in publicly with the notorious, nefarious sortof, controversial, infamous might be the best word, Roger Stone. And Stone, who is a notorious self-promoter, has positioned himself to be seen as the guy who maybe had something to do with Julian Assange and Wikileaks, having disclosed information in those emails, from the Democratic National Committee, Hillary Clinton's campaign, and Randy Credico, who's going to be with us in a minute or two, a few seconds maybe, has been fingered by Roger Stone, as supposedly his- Stone's intermediary, between himself and Wikileaks's Julian Assange. And on this show, in recent months, as recently as a week or so ago, Randy has been talking about having met with Julian Assange, he's a defender of Julian Assange, he also talks here, and he's talked in other places as well, about having recently received within the last week and a half ago or so, a subpoena from the House investigations committee [House Intelligence Committee], looking at the whole Russian connection. And I don't know if Randy heard our opening [anthem of the Soviet Union, sung by Paul Robeson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO6q_mFjEUg ], but if he did, I'm gonna ask him if it maybe brought a few tears to his eyes, or if he was singing that anthem with Julian Assange, when he was in the Ecuadorian embassy, in London. Good morning, Randy, boy, are you in the middle of the swirl, or are you in the middle of the swirl?

RANDY CREDICO
Yes, Fred. Zelig. [DICKER laughs] I talked to Zach Fink yesterday, and...I think he...he had come up with that independently, of me. You know, people call me Zelig, and it goes way back. I suddenly pop up-

DICKER
-congratulate you, you like a stage, you admit to that. Now you have an international stage. What's your performance going to be like?

CREDICO
I don't know, Fred. It's- All I can tell you, Fred, I can only say so much, but- What's my performance going to be like? I suppose I'll be reading a lot of Dostoyevsky and a lot of- a lot of Chekhov.

DICKER
You've been subpoenaed, right? Where are you supposed to appear? What committee is it?

CREDICO
House Intel Committee.

DICKER
Okay. And have they told you explicitly what they want to ask you about? [CREDICO: No! No!] Is it known that they want to ask you about Assange?

CREDICO
There's all sorts of stories out there, I'm- I don't know- You read people's columns, and you watch Chris Hayes on MSNBC, with my face as a teaser, and then again, my big story, how I was the- the big uh in-between, I was the back- I was the Alger Hiss, you know, I was in the pumpkin- pumpkin field- patch, you know?

DICKER
Papers.

CREDICO
Huh?

DICKER
In that farm in Maryland [reference to Hiss case, where secret documents were hidden in a pumpkin field]

CREDICO
At any rate- First of all, I gotta tell ya, there's some stories that have come out, I kinda overreacted yesterday, I must apologize. You know, I'm a big fan of Maggie Haberman, and she said in a column yesterday that she wrote, that she tried to contact me, and-

DICKER
I saw that!

CREDICO
Well, I- Maybe she did, but- Maybe she has an old number, but I haven't spoken to her in many years, but uh- You know, she's a very talented, smart, productive uuuh you know, hard working individual, and if I used a strong term there, I said "She lied", well, maybe she just got the wrong number, whatever. But I got no call on that one, so- And I couldn't have commented on it anyway, other than to say, "No comment."

DICKER
Why couldn't you comment on it?

CREDICO
Because I have five lawyers now. They're taking this very seriously, because I have a big mouth, Fred.

DICKER
What do you have to lose by just telling the truth?

CREDICO
[pause] Big- Well, because I don't know what- Because it's all can be used uuuuh, when you testify, anything that I say, could possibly be used, if I invoke First or Fifth Amendment. You know what I mean? To prevent me from using-

DICKER
I don't understand what you just said. If you invoke it, then it can't be used. You won't answer anything.

CREDICO
No no, there are certain things- Well, there are certain things where you waive, you already waived your- I don't know- Look, I'm not a lawyer, Fred. Alright? It gets very complicated-

DICKER
Taking guidance from your lawyers?

CREDICO
I'm taking guidance from five very talented lawyers. One of them is Marty Stoller, who is the one who was involved in the NYPD Handschu- In fact, I direct everybody to go to him. Handschu case, about the government- [Wikipedia has a good, solidly researched entry on Handschu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handschu_agreement ]

DICKER
Randy, hold on a second. As I understand it, Roger Stone, on his Facebook page, maybe, said you were an intermediary for him, with Julian Assange. Did he say that about you?

CREDICO
[pause] Did he say- I don't know, I don't look at- I don't even go to Facebook anymore [this is false - since this interview, he has posted numerous times to his page, and shared other people's postings], you know? If I go to Facebook, it's just something that I-

DICKER
But that's what the stories were about, [CREDICO: Yeah, yeah.] he even fingered you. I remember ten years ago, when he claimed you were the guy who made the call that he had made to Eliot Spitzer's father, I mean he's used you before in that way, has he not?

CREDICO
Yes. Yes. That was- That was ten years ago. [DICKER: Yes.] We're at the anniversary- I spoofed Eliot Spitzer, or his voice, and called up his phone number, I don't know who Eliot Spitzer's father is, I don't- But I was-

DICKER
He blamed you, and it wasn't true.

CREDICO
Yeah. Right.

DICKER
So he's blaming you now on this, is it true, though, is what he's saying true? You were some kind of an intermediary for him and Julian Assange?

CREDICO
Fred, I can't talk about that! All I can say is that the story- That there will be a story that will come out, that is being written as we speak by a- one individual, who has wide access to all of my- whatever document, or whatever information that I have. Uh-

DICKER
When will it come out? How come you're excluding me from getting the story?

CREDICO
Because I- I have been put- There's a gag on me right now. By my lawyers. So...this story is on hold right now, and all I can tell you, is uuuh is that the information that is out there right now, is...uuuuh, you know, it's frustrating to watch. I gotta tell you that, because it's like watching a movie and, you know, it's like watching Luca Brasi at the bar, and you wanna tell him, "Watch out! They're gonna put that icepick to your hand!" You know? There's nothing I can do about it, right now I'm under uuuuh-

DICKER
Okay, I got it. There's alot of inaccuracy out there, is that fair to say, [CREDICO: (inaudible)] because you said to me, the chronology is wrong. That they-

CREDICO
I just sa- Fred, there's a- I can tell you that what is being put out by the press, particularly by this character last night, Chris Hayes [an accurate, non-sensational report which can be found here: http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/roger-stone-s-link-to-wikileaks-and-julian-assange-uncovered-1107283011699 ], who makes his money off of- in fact, MSNBC, you know where they make all of their money, don't you? On that voyeuristic, sadistic show called "Lock-Up". Howard Fineman, who is a contributor there, I saw him at the- at the New Hampshire primary a couple of years ago, and I said, "This is a horrible show," like "COPS", showing prisoners, that are, you know, in these like horrible situations where they're in isolation and they haven't been out in the light, and they show these guys crazy...he says, "Look it is, Randy, it is a horrible show, but - it's a cash cow for MSNBC, and this is how we pay Chris and Rachel's salaries with the blood money that we make from these shows." [it is relevant here to note that Credico is a frequent and flagrant liar; and that Credico's old workplace, WBAI, sold fake cancer cures] And then I asked Chris Hayes about it, he says, "Hey, I don't watch the show." Well, at any rate, he uh he went out there, he went out there last night, like I was Alger Hiss last night. And I had my face- I can't even go out in public.

DICKER
He- By the way, Alger Hiss was a Soviet spy. So, there's no question about it.

CREDICO
Okay. Whatever. Just somebody that was [inaudible]- How about-

DICKER
As I understand it, Chris Hayes had you at the Ecuadorian embassy, speaking with Julian Assange, when you weren't even inside, you weren't even speaking with him - is that correct?

CREDICO
Fred. All I have to take a look at the date of that- [sic] Now, let me just say this, Fred. If I was speaking to him, would I, like, would _I_ publish it, take a picture of myself, and then put it out there? "Look, I just got out!" [for reference, the picture he's referring to, which he posted to twitter and facebook, is here: https://twitter.com/italkyoubored/status/861236248454856705 ] You know? I was, I was in the embassy this year. Is all I will tell you. I was in the embassy this year. The last six weeks. But I was there covering aaaaaaah covering a hearing, a major hearing, from this woman, from La Repubblica, who's a friend of mine, for Pacifica Radio. And for KPFA, and for others, Consortium News. I was there for that. And that's when I got to see him [Assange].

DICKER
Randy, there are people out there, who say, and you know this is true, we all know this is true, Roger Stone loves attention. And Randy Credico is a performer, you- you like attention. Some people are suggesting that this all about nothing, except an opportunity for Stone and yourself, to get a lot of attention, publicity...do you know anything that really will have an impact, a material impact, on investigations into Russian- alleged Russian involvment in our elections?

CREDICO
[laughter - maybe a little forced] Fred- Fred, look- Fred, you answered your own question. Probably. I just can't talk about it. I can't talk- Yes, I'm a- I'm a- We've- I would say we're both- I'm in show business, or I was in show business, and, you know-

DICKER
You're on an international stage, right now.

CREDICO
I think so. I mean, listen-

DICKER
Russian radio, Russian TV-

CREDICO
I was on the other day, I was on...this morning! I got up, just to tell these people, there's a D.C. number, I thought I was doing a local D.C. show, and I said, "Look, I can't talk about this-" I was on for just a couple of minutes, really, so, but- I told them, they gave me the number, I called them, they said "You've been listening to Sputnik News." Now, I, unwittingly, fell into that trap. Alright? So, I had no idea. You know?

DICKER
I saw Russian TV, RT News, had you on also.

CREDICO
-international, RT International, I did something, because when I got the subpoena, I got very upset uuuuh, about it, and cuz, you know, no matter what, it does uuuuh-

DICKER
When I was a college radical, we were proud to get them. We would frame them.

CREDICO
Yeah, yeah. Well, I-

DICKER
My graduate- I think I took it when I graduated college, [CREDICO says something inaudible here] they were toasting me, because I was being blacklisted from the Coast Guard. From the Merchant Marines. By the Coast Guard.

CREDICO
-[inaudible] story, that's a true story, folks. He was actually blacklisted, I got to see the information.

DICKER
Yeah, I gave Randy the documents that I could-

CREDICO
Yeah. Well, that's- You know...

DICKER
-wear it with pride, that means you're an international player.

CREDICO
All I know is, is that I got a lot of support out there, [DICKER: Really?] and then I get a lot of negative stuff, out there, like, I'm the guy who ushered in the orange man that many people don't like [inaudible]...

DICKER
Well. I mean, it does look as if-

CREDICO
[inaudible] I'm being fingered as- So, look-

DICKER
Hold on, Randy. What you're saying is part of the narrative now, is that Randy Credico, who's got leftist credentials going back many years, decades, is being seen as an agent of Donald Trump's election victory.

CREDICO
Yeah.

DICKER
And that doesn't sit too well with some of your friends?

CREDICO
[laughs] I don't think- Listen, you know that I- You know my politics. He's not my guy, you know? I'm a- Anyone who sees all these theories [inaudible]-

DICKER
And Hillary wasn't your gal either.

CREDICO
No, I was a Jill Stein supporter. I was a Jill Stein supporter, and Gary Johnson, number two. Alright? Because I don't like uh the major parties, too m- Unless...you know, look...this right now, I'll get over this, and in the meantime, it's almost like, I'm being defamed by the entire affair. My face is out there.

DICKER
When is the subpoena returnable? December what?

CREDICO
December 15th.

DICKER
Oh, so you have two weeks now. To get ready.

CREDICO
The only problem is I have jury duty that same week.

DICKER
Yeah, well, somehow I think they can arrange to excuse you from jury duty, I think that can be- Congress can make that happen-

CREDICO
Yeah. I don't know which- You'd think they'd ever pick me for a- jury duty, huh?

DICKER
I think the defense lawyers would pick you.

CREDICO
Right. But I don't think, prosecutors-

DICKER
But I don't think the prosecution would be thrilled.

CREDICO
[inaudible] not that guy again.

DICKER
By the way-

CREDICO
You know...

DICKER
You were not happy, just to end this, you were not happy ten years ago, when Roger Stone tried to blame you for that scurrilous phone call, it really was an ugly, nasty call. That was made to Spitzer's father. Do you have any bad feelings, now, towards Stone? Over his mentioning you, and getting you into the pickle that you're in right now?

CREDICO
You know, I- I'm trying not to uuuuuh exhibit...hate. Bitterness, and all of that. All I want to do, Fred, is show love and be alone [DICKER laughs]. And like I said, that's why I was upset with Maggie [Haberman] yesterday, and...you know, it's very frustrating that I can't talk. I wanted to talk to Zach Fink yesterday, I mean he actually called me up, and asked me how I was doing. You know what I mean? And-

DICKER
Yeah.

CREDICO
Concerned person. So, that was- That- He's a real mensch. And uh others have too. You have. [DICKER: Yeah.] "You okay?" So, uuuuuh, and I was, and I was unable to talk to him about it, because like, right now, I'm just giving you vague answers. You know?

DICKER
Yeah. Well, I mean, you could decide to reject your lawyer's advice, right? You could talk?

CREDICO
Well, to get to the point, you know me, it's like trying to keep Donald Trump from tweeting. At three o'clock in the morning. So.

DICKER
Have you heard from Assange? Did he contact you since you've been subpoenaed?

CREDICO
Yeah!

DICKER
Or have you contacted him?

CREDICO
Well, we...on twitter.

DICKER
Yeah.

CREDICO
You know?

DICKER
Is he support- He's supportive of you, right?

CREDICO
He's put up all these documents, on his twitter site. He put my subpoena up there. And he put up the picture of Diogenes, Julian Assange [laughs] said, "[inaudible] Randy Credico, as Diogenes, to appear-" So that picture that was taken when I was in the [New York State] Senate Hearing Room, as Diogenes, by AP, I think it was, somebody in that building, I forgot his name, but the AP photographer at the time, so that, that was, that was sent around, and then he sent around, "This is the guy who uh is going to be uh before Congress, or the Intel Committee," and he put in "60 Spins Around The Sun" [unskeptical and uncritical documentary of Credico, full movie is on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96cUhhiUhw4 ], so...

DICKER
A movie about you. Randy, somebody wrote me, asking why, "Why does Stone need somebody like Randy Credico to be an intermediary?" I mean, he could just deal with Assange himself, if he wanted to.

CREDICO
Yeah. [very low energy - and it's difficult not to surmise that Credico knows the exact answer to that question]

DICKER
I mean, this is not the day where we have human couriers, I mean we got the internet. All kinds of other ways.

CREDICO
There's some courier pigeons, that they- What are they called, they're not courier-

DICKER
Carrier. Carrier pigeons.

CREDICO
Carrier pigeons, that they have.

DICKER
But let's just end on that question. Why would anyone need you as an intermediary?

CREDICO
[laugh - again, sounds a little forced] I just...it's just, uh- Fred. Look.

DICKER
Alright.

CREDICO
It's a comedy of errors here. I have no idea.

DICKER
I wish you luck, Randy.

CREDICO
Did I answer all of your questions?

DICKER
Can we get a live broadcast of your testimony, when you invoke the Fifth Amendment, it would be like- Michael Corleone, or- Did he answer questions? Didn't he?

CREDICO
You know what it'd be like? [does Bogart in "The Caine Mutiny"] "The tea was not imaginary. And I don't know anything about mess boys eating strawberries. There was no need for that. I know exactly where to tell you lies. Captain Queeg. Ah, but the strawberries, that's where I had them. They laughed at me, and made jokes, but I proved beyond a shadow of a doubt, and with geometric logic, that a duplicate key of the boardroom did exist. I would have used that key, if they hadn't taken me out of action. I know now it's just a couple of mess boys-" [indistinct audio starts up in the background]

DICKER
I was trying to-  Bring up some audio here that I think you'd appreciate. Let me see if I can take a second here. Ummmmm...see if you recognize this. Here it is.

[famous fragment of the McCarthy hearings plays, with McCarthy defending his assistant, Roy Cohn, after he's attacked by counsel Joseph Welch]

DICKER
Did you hear that voice? I think, refers to a friend of Roger Stone's, some time ago. Ah, looks like we've lost Randy. Let me just see if I can move this ahead. This is one of the most famous confrontations that ever took place before a congressional committee. In 1954, I think. It's testimony before...not sure, the Senate Intelligence Committee. But it was Joe McCarthy.

[more from the hearing - CREDICO never comes back on, and DICKER moves on to another guest]