Customer Reviews

The Franklin Scandal: A Story of Powerbrokers, Child Abuse & Betrayal

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"Deep politics" is scholar Peter Dale Scott's term for historical machinations such as drug-running and assassinations which form covert if systemic features of the contemporary state and which are all-too naively dismissed as "conspiracy theories." A number of people who study such matters seriously have long suspected that the scandal centering on Omaha, Nebraska's Franklin Credit Union in the 1970s and `80s forms the conceptual linchpin to a truly critical understanding of the perverse, brutal and predatory nature of power in late-imperial America. Having read former Nebraska State Senator John DeCamp's brave if somewhat desultory 1992 book on the subject, THE FRANKLIN COVER-UP, and watched the unaired British television documentary CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE on the internet, we have also sensed, with a certain despair, that the nature and details of this scandal were so shocking, ugly, confusing and strange as to forever defy broader public credulity and scrutiny. It is with a profound sense of relief, admiration and gratitude, then, that one reads Nick Bryant's THE FRANKLIN SCANDAL, which accomplishes the seemingly impossible: an eminently gripping, thorough and accessible account of perhaps the grimmest aspect of contemporary U. S. history.

It is amusing to see the sole negative reviewer on these pages (as of this writing) suggest that Bryant has gullibly relied only on the apparent victims of the scandal, when in fact the author has taken pains to bolster accusations voiced in his book with the testimony of law-enforcement, governmental, mental health, legal and social-service officials, as well as journalists and others whose professions and/or personal relationships brought them into the orbit of this lurid story.

Anything but the ramblings of a susceptible naïf, Bryant's book appears as a model of journalistic integrity and a triumph of the investigative craft. Relying on official court and law enforcement documents and an extensive array of interviews with those involved in a variety of aspects of the scandal, it conveys a massive amount of carefully corroborated and meticulously researched data while maintaining all the tension and drama of the very best true-crime narratives. Bryant's own natural skepticism allows him to ultimately ground what appear to be Franklin's most far-fetched elements--Satanism, mind control, and the trafficking of children among our nation's elite for the purpose of sex--in an historical context that casts these admittedly outlandish phenomena in an intelligible and empirical light. Bryant's treatment of these subjects is deft, and his light touch and firm command of the overall material combine to a disarming effect that is sure to challenge all but the most recalcitrant of doubters.

While it provides well over a hundred pages of documentation in support of its disturbing thesis that there appears to be validity to the wrenching accusations of gravely scurrilous behavior on the part of an elite element in our society, among the other merits of Bryant's book is that it dispels certain myths that have accrued about Franklin over the years, even as it deepens our understanding of little-appreciated aspects of the story, such as Alicia Owen's protracted legal nightmare. The author's treatment of the scandal is highly comprehensive, but also circumspect; aficionados will want to consult DeCamp's THE FRANKLIN COVER-UP to fill in the names of certain apparent perpetrators, a few of whose identities Bryant--unable to finally track down every source he pursued over the several years he has worked on this story--only alludes to. (As the skeptical reader will no doubt appreciate, Bryant does not overstep his bounds, though given the vast amount of information he has collected, he hardly needs to.) There are certain other details found in DeCamp's book, pertaining for example to the exact nature of the extreme abuse apparently suffered by certain victims, which Bryant does not reiterate; given the acute nature of these violations, Bryant's overall eschewal of the sensational, and his palpable concern and respect for the victims' dignity, this elision appears understandable, especially as these horrific accounts have found a life of their own on the Web. This said, the author's description of the abuse conveys its iniquity, and there is much in this book that will be new to readers of DeCamp, who as an attorney close to the case lacks Bryant's journalistic precision, clarity, sense of narrative structure, and critical distance. This is not said to detract from DeCamp's compelling book, but to point out that Bryant brings a great deal that is new to this important story.

In all, this is an enraging book, and toward its conclusion the reader reels in disgust at its main point: the subsequent abuse suffered by victims when they were subjected to the federal and state legal systems during the cover-up phase of the scandal. What this suggests about the state of our public institutions is one of the most disturbing aspects of this book. Still, aside from a cast of shameless villains there are heroes and heroines who emerge in the story, whose efforts in the face of obdurate corruption, selfishness and cruelty are--though it might seem a trite word in this context--inspiring. That these examples of human fortitude and decency finally have the chronicler in Mr. Bryant that they deserve is enough to reaffirm the faith in our species that this book otherwise shakes to its core.

Bryant's account of the Franklin scandal joins David Ray Griffin's extensive analyses of 9/11 and James Bamford's exposures of military-industrial and intelligence agency malfeasance as one of the most important historical documents of our time. In its own way, given the extremities of the depravity it confronts THE FRANKLIN SCANDAL is, if possible, even bolder than those valiant efforts. It is most highly recommended to anyone willing to face vicious realities that too many others remain too complacent, timorous or arrogant to acknowledge. It is must-reading for those seeking to comprehend the madness of our cultural moment, and who yearn for an example of a meaningful and courageous response to it.

Nick Bryant's book is an excellent, even-handed investigation of a decades old scandal that is still being covered up to this day, and rewards the reader with even greater levels of detail and corroboration than the previous books on the subject (Franklin Cover-up and Carefully Crafted Hoax, both written well over a decade ago). Witness after witness corroborates the story of child trafficking and prostitution used to blackmail and ensnare powerful politicians, and the blatantly obvious cover-up that was "carefully crafted" by the FBI, law enforcement and the media. Readers of ex-Senator John DeCamp's book were probably already completely convinced of the corruption and cover-up surrounding Franklin, but Bryant's book nails that point home with even greater corroboration and updated information from the past few years. I would consider this book required reading and recommend it to everyone!

The Franklin Scandal is a comprehensive account of how a few, powerful, conceited individuals can abuse children, strip them of there dignity, leave them voiceless, and then hide their evil deeds through a campaign of fear, intimidation and bribes. Nick Bryant is one of the few individuals who has had the resolve to stand up to these bullies and not be intimidated to write this gut-wrenching story. People can't believe something this sinister could happen in the "Heartland," Omaha, Nebraska. However, as a youth, I remember hearing warnings that I should "stay away" from Alan Baer's Brandeis department store. If people in Omaha knew about Alan Baer's pandering, why didn't someone do anything about it? I dare you to read this book. Read, not only Nick's stories, but, also, read the actual notes from the trials and the original documents found in the appendices.

Nick Bryant's book is finally here after 7 years of research and it's the book you should read first after viewing the unfinished, not for broadcast & suppressed documentary film "Conspiracy of Silence" by Tim Tate, working for Yorkshire Television in the early 90's. This book gives the central uncovering of the scandal a readable and clarifying structure that will leave you in no doubt that what happened to these poor kids, the abuse they suffered at the hands of powerful people in US government, the judicial system, social services, education and more, is truthful and horrifying.

Bryant lays the key events of this case in front of us with an open, skeptical and rigorously unbiased investigative attitude, exactly what that it needs, so we can deduce for ourselves what really happened with the facts we know at this time. This case needs to be reopened no matter where it leads, the use of children as a commodity for whatever purpose is just unacceptable and is indicative of how western society now consumes everthing, absolutely everything, including it's own children, for the base satitation of any perverse human desires, the trafficking of others, drugs and much more by power elites.

The book also the documents how such a nefarious system works and how hard it is to stop because of the machinations of this sytem of abuse. It also asks questions of the other dark areas this case seems to be some sort of nexus for.

There is just too much evidence in the public domain alone to even suggest that this was some "carefully crafted hoax...", then and now.

Nick Bryants' book,The Franklin Scandal, is a hard hitting thoroughly researched and documented expose' of a a long running pedophiliac scandal which should be read by everyone and should shock the conscience of the nation. The book is very well written. Mr. Bryant is to be congratulated for his hard work and research. He should be thanked by all of us for bringing these facts into the light of day.

Mr. Bryant has done an excellent, courageous, and painstaking job of documenting and exposing the darkest form of organized crime that continues to operate in North America, virtually unchecked.

If you don't want to learn more about the systematic terrorization, enslavement, sexual assault, degradation, torture, and murder of fellow US citizens - particularly children - in individual and group formats; this book is not for you. If you do not want to learn very ugly truths about the continuing cover-up of such criminal activities and human rights atrocities; this book is not for you. And if you do not want to be troubled by the awareness that fellow humans have suffered in the worst possible ways while you've enjoyed your comparatively safe and peaceful life; this book is not for you.

If, however, you have a courageous heart and are ready to learn about the worst imaginable (and unimaginable) acts of evil that fellow citizens in our "civilized" society have been performing against more vulnerable humans; The Franklin Scandal may very well become your primer.

Similar to selecting a small sample from a larger culture, Mr. Bryant puts the communities of Franklin and Omaha, Nebraska under his virtual microscope and exposes the intricate web of connections between groups, organizations, businesses, and individual players that have enabled the darkest forms of organized crime to flourish in those communities, and far beyond the borders of of those communities, for decades.

Not surprisingly, most of the perpetrators named in the Franklin Scandal and in its predecessor, The Franklin Cover-Up, have yet to be prosecuted. Equally unsurprising, some of their former victims continue to suffer in terrible ways for daring to identify them and say what they've done. Those survivors, who are named by Mr. Bryant, are my personal heroes, although I suspect they do not view themselves as such. Each one has paid a terrible price for standing his or her ground and refusing to recant their stories and testimonies. For years, I've been horrified by what these brave, and deeply wounded and betrayed, souls have continued to suffer. The politically driven retaliation they've experienced is remarkably similar to stories of survivors of Communist Gulags.

I have a dream that I'd like to share with you, if I may. Although I'm possibly deluded to think my dream could ever become solid reality, here are the details of my hopeful dream.

- Top-ranking government officials publicly admit - in open congressional hearings and reports to the public through the mainstream media - that such dark forms of organized crime do exist, and that some of the involved perpetrators have been high-ranking politicians and other powerfully influential citizens.

- Former victims of these perpetrators become safe and protected enough to name the perpetrators in court, in the mainstream media, and before Congress in open hearings; without fearing vicious retaliation against ourselves and our loved ones -as has already been experienced by Paul Bonacci, Alicia Owens, and other outspoken Extreme Abuse survivors.

- The US government authorizes AND FUNDS effective, respectful, long-term rehabilitative services and related resources for Paul, Alicia, and many thousands of other Extreme Abuse survivors - with no strings attached.

- The public is sufficiently educated and energized to actively work towards ensuring that all forms of organized crime are exposed and stopped in their tracks - once and for all.

Thank you Mr. Bryant for helping to lift the lid of secrecy off the darkest part of our modern society. Thank you for taking my dream one step closer to becoming a solid reality. God bless you for your courage and selfessness.

Kathleen Sullivan
president, North American Freedom Foundation (NAFF)
[...]
moderator, Concerned Citizens against Extreme Abuse (CCEA)
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Hi. This book was so Moving I Gave it to my Pastor. We Christians need to Stop Siding with the Powerful Against the Weak.
Daniel

i have lived in Omaha during the period reported in this book. I have worked as a police officer in the Omaha area and at the Villiage of Boys Town. I considered myself to be very objective and hold a BA, BS and MS degrees. I know many of the people mentioned in this book and many others involved in the investigation who are not mentioned in this book. I have spoken to the author. I believe the information in this book is ACCURATE! The exposure of evil depicted in this story is very plausible and a reflection of the highest level of integrity shared by author Nick Bryant. Kudos to Bryant for his selfless and couragous documentation of facts so incredible and unpleasant that most people choose to look the other way. How sad when money, politics, business interests and personal sexual conquests are more important to some than the well-being of children. Wake up and smell the stench! A must read for everyone.

First off, I applaud Nick Bryant for bravely and selflessly investigating the inner workings of local, state, and federal officials to conceal the sexual terrorism, murder, and blackmail of many Nebraskan underage children by some of America's most affluent, successful, and revered men in government, law enforcement, education, and clergy. To label the slew of government-endorsed crimes occurring in the state of Nebraska and fanning out to various parts of the country (including the nation's financial capital and political capitol) a "scandal" is arguably a misnomer. When kids are forced to a) witness the ritual slaughter of other children, b) kidnap their prepubescent peers, c) perform abominable, licentious acts with their peers as "model" adults either watch, participate, or both and, d) use and distribute various forms of dope for perverted, Pederast, pedophiles, I think this dark and (unfortunately) ongoing chapter in American history should be referred to as something like "The Franklin Tragedy", or "The Franklin Horror".

In this utterly disturbing work, Bryant deftly elucidates the confluence of the "real" powers within our taxpayer-funded government to craftily coordinate assets within key judicial, media, and law enforcement agencies to effect its will to suppress worldwide exposure of a possibly CIA-sponsored (blackmail) operation pandering minors to some of the country's most influential, affluent, and powerful men in business, media, and government. This network of judges, policemen, lawyers, FBI agents, and media figures is so extensive, so deep, that the "powers" seemingly have an inexhaustible supply of "assets" ready to carry out their assigned tasks at a moment's notice. (I reckon these "assets" also have been compromised in one form or another). The reverberations of the potential exposure of this vast network of vanguard Pederast elite reached into the very gut of the Reagan/Bush White House.

In the chapter entitled "State vs. Owen", Bryant dedicates nearly 100 pages to Franklin victim Alisha Owen due to the deliberate, callous destruction of her character, testimony, and reputation by none other than the public officials charged with ensuring justice and integrity throughout the state of Nebraska. The entire pre-trial/trial perjury hearings, as well as the post-trial efforts to vacate Owen's lengthy sentence were a veritably premeditated conspiracy to consummate the Franklin "investigation" by putting the proverbial "final nail in the coffin" and Owen away for a very long time. With the help of the alacritous Omaha World-Herald, ulterior Washington Post, biased GQ Magazine, "trusted" CBS's 48 Hours (in the spirit of the late Walter Cronkite ...), et al, Mrs. Owen was brutally lynched many times over.

What is to be said about the American citizenry which continually stand aside and either looks on with detached disgust or, blatantly ignores such high-level acts of malfeasance or, are too busy dealing with their own concerns to show genuine, committed interest in such egregious crimes? Are we invariably to blame the criminal ... the Pederast ... the pedophile ... the venal public "servant" for transgressing spiritual and temporal laws? Or are we going to pick-up ourselves by our own boot straps and say "enough is enough!"? Is it time for the people to put an end to the rampant, wanton corruption which has consumed the entire world? Or do we continue to point the finger at the perpetrator(s) and wait for some lone paragon of justice ... i.e., political Messiah, to come along and make right the decades (... centuries) of corruption and injustice? Why don't you find the Messiah within yourself?

i cant stress strongly enough: the future of America rests in our ability to rebuild from the ground up. In this case the ground floor is the corruption of every imaginable sort permeating our government. Everyone enters the building with an opinion as they seek or are propelled towards the "up" stairs. In the basement though, our foundation rots and festers, cracking and compromising the structural integrity of our great work. No one asks about this basement, and many of those who know of it often regret even this knowledge. It is shunned. It is another example - an archetype in truth - of the great "other" which is perpetually sought by us out of fear of the unknown and unfamiliar. The perception of "otherness" brings ease in the comfort of disassociation and subsequently... lack of responsibility. "This is not us." we say. "That is not me," we think. For this reason do we remain a small people to this day, cowards as a species, barren of those bounties derived through love, slaves to fear.