| Revision as of 17:36, 1 October 2015 editOrangemike (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Administrators126,249 edits removed inappropriate "See Also" section about other conspiracy theorists← Previous edit | Revision as of 19:35, 2 October 2015 edit undoRecordstraightsetter (talk | contribs)1 edit Corrected the record and removed defamatory and overtly biased commentary in sections determined for fact only, ie. in Main description, Career, personal opinions of why subject left a government position instead of simply stating the position held.Tag: Visual editNext edit → | ||
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| '''Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.''' (born April 5, 1953) is |
'''Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.''' (born April 5, 1953) is the founder and president of the ]. He has written for '']'', '']'', and ] and is the 2003 recipient of the "Louis Brandeis Award" from the ].<ref>{{cite web|last=Gaffney|first=Frank|title=Frank Gaffney – Security Watch|url=http://www.newsmax.com/insiders/frankgaffney/id-40|publisher=Newsmax|accessdate=16 December 2013}}</ref><ref>https://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/about-us/frank-gaffney/</ref> | ||
| A native of Pennsylvania, in the 1980s Gaffney briefly served as Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for the ] |
A native of Pennsylvania, in the 1980s Gaffney briefly served as Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for the ]. Afterwards, he founded the ] | ||
| ==Early life== | ==Early life== | ||
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| Gaffney began his public service career in the 1970s, working as an aide in the office of Democratic Senator ], under ]. | Gaffney began his public service career in the 1970s, working as an aide in the office of Democratic Senator ], under ]. | ||
| From August 1983 until November 1987, Gaffney held the position of ] for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy in the ], again serving under ], |
From August 1983 until November 1987, Gaffney held the position of ] for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy in the ] | ||
| In April 1987, Gaffney was nominated to the position of US ] for ] Policy. He served as the acting Assistant Secretary for seven months. | |||
| In April 1987, Gaffney was nominated to the position of US ] for ] Policy. He served as the acting Assistant Secretary for seven months. During this time, despite his official post, he was notably excluded by senior Reagan administration officials from the arms control talks then occurring with the ]. Gaffney was ultimately forced out of the ], with the '']'' at the time noting that, within four days of ]'s appointment as Secretary of Defense "Gaffney's belongings were boxed and he was gone."<ref name="newsw">{{cite news|last1=Watson|first1=Russell|title=At Long Last an Arms Deal|accessdate=28 September 1987|work=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Disarmed but Undeterred; His Once Pervasive Power Waning, The Hard-Liner Awaits the Summit|work=]|date=23 November 1987}}</ref> Following his departure from government, he immediately set about criticizing the Ronald Reagan's pursuit of an arms control agreement with the USSR.<ref name="newsw"></ref> | |||
| In 1988, Gaffney established the ] (CSP) |
In 1988, Gaffney established the ] (CSP). | ||
| == Opposition == | |||
| Gaffney has taken positions on many issues that are hard hitting and have upset many that seek to squelch his persistent voice for truth no matter how uncomfortable and sometimes politically incorrect they may be. The following are examples from individuals that have labeled him a conspiracy theorist and at times have mischaracterized or even fabricated unfacts attributed to him. | |||
| ===Conspiracy theories=== | ===Conspiracy theories=== | ||
Revision as of 19:35, 2 October 2015
For the American soldier, see Frank Gaffney (Medal of Honor).| Frank J. Gaffney Jr. | |
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| File:Frankgaffney.jpg | |
| Born | (1953-04-05) April 5, 1953 (age 71) |
| Occupation | President of Center for Security Policy |
| Organization | Center for Security Policy |
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr. (born April 5, 1953) is the founder and president of the Center for Security Policy. He has written for The Washington Times, Townhall, and Newsmax and is the 2003 recipient of the "Louis Brandeis Award" from the Zionist Organization of America.
A native of Pennsylvania, in the 1980s Gaffney briefly served as Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for the United States Department of Defense. Afterwards, he founded the Center for Security Policy.
Early life
Gaffney was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1975, Gaffney graduated from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University. He received his graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.
Career
Government work
Gaffney began his public service career in the 1970s, working as an aide in the office of Democratic Senator Henry M. Jackson, under Richard Perle.
From August 1983 until November 1987, Gaffney held the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy in the Reagan Administration.
In April 1987, Gaffney was nominated to the position of US Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy. He served as the acting Assistant Secretary for seven months.
In 1988, Gaffney established the Center for Security Policy (CSP).
Opposition
Gaffney has taken positions on many issues that are hard hitting and have upset many that seek to squelch his persistent voice for truth no matter how uncomfortable and sometimes politically incorrect they may be. The following are examples from individuals that have labeled him a conspiracy theorist and at times have mischaracterized or even fabricated unfacts attributed to him.
Conspiracy theories
According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Gaffney went "off the rails" sometime after being forced out at the Pentagon. The SPLC has described him as a formerly "respectable Washington insider" who has become "gripped by paranoid fantasies." According to the SPLC, Gaffney's beliefs stem from the discredited 1991 testimony of a lone Muslim Brotherhood member that he has come to believe is a "smoking gun, a mission statement pointing to a massive Islamist conspiracy under our noses."
David Keene of the American Conservative Union has contended that Gaffney "has become personally and tiresomely obsessed with his weird belief that anyone who doesn't agree with him on everything all the time or treat him with the respect and deference he believes is his due, must be either ignorant of the dangers we face or, in extreme case, dupes of the nation's enemies."
Gaffney has been called a conspiracy theorist by Reason Magazine, Georgetown University's Bridge Initiative, Steve Benen, Slate Magazine, and The Intercept, among others.
Among the conspiracy theories Gaffney has promoted include:
- The belief that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was involved in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the Oklahoma City bombing.
- Accusations that Republican Party strategist Grover Norquist is a secret agent of the Muslim Brotherhood. According to Gaffney, Norquist had, as of 2014, "been working with the enemy for over a decade." (Responding to the accusation, the board of directors of the American Conservative Union unanimously condemned Gaffney’s charges as “reprehensible” and “unfounded.” The organization also banned Gaffney from its Conservative Political Action Conference.)
- Accusations that former Hilary Clinton aide Huma Abedin is a secret agent of the Muslim Brotherhood. (After the allegation was repeated by Michele Bachmann, U.S. senators John McCain, Scott Brown, and Marco Rubio joined in dismissing it, and Speaker of the United States House of Representatives John Boehner said "accusations like this being thrown around are pretty dangerous.")
- The belief that Barack Obama is not a "natural born citizen of the United States" (popularly known as the "birther conspiracy").
- The belief that the logo of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency is a coded indicator of "official U.S. submission to Islam" because it “appears ominously to reflect a morphing of the Islamic crescent and star.”
Later career and commentary
According to a 2008 investigative report in The Tennessean titled "Anti-Muslim crusaders make millions spreading fear," Gaffney's salary as president of his Center for Security Policy was $288,300. As of 2012 he received compensation of approximately $309,000 per year from the group.
In 2003, Gaffney called on the United States military to "take out" Al Jazeera news network for inciting violence against the Western world by showcasing Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein's "calls-to-arms."
Gaffney contributes to the media site Newsmax, writing opinion pieces on topics such as politics, terrorism, and international affairs in a column titled "Security Watch." He also hosts a podcast called "Secure Freedom Radio." Featured guests have included Newt Gingrich, John Bolton, Donald Rumsfeld and many current and former policymakers and elected officials.
Personal life
Gaffney is married and has at least one child. His sister, Devon Cross, serves on the advisory board of the Secure America Now and is married to Jay Cross, formerly president of the New York Jets and now a New York real estate developer.
Bibliography
- War Footing (Naval Institute Press, 2005) ISBN 978-1591143017
- Shariah: The Threat to America (Center for Security Policy, 2010) ISBN 978-0982294765
References
- Gaffney, Frank. "Frank Gaffney – Security Watch". Newsmax. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
- https://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/about-us/frank-gaffney/
- "Frank Gaffney". TownHall. Retrieved 2012-11-23.
- Ruppert, Michael C. (2004). Crossing the Rubicon. p. 531.
- "Frank Gaffney, Jr". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ "CPAC Banned Frank Gaffney Over Baseless Anti-Muslim Charges". Talking Points Memo. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- "Leading GOP Candidates to Appear at Event Hosted by Anti-Muslim Conspiracist". The Intercept. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
- Bennen, Steve (17 June 2014). "The crumbling of the right's intellectual infrastructure". MSNBC. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- "Presidential Candidates Set to Appear at Event Hosted By Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theorist". Bridge Initiative. Georgetown University. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- Weigel, David (14 October 2008). "Frank Gaffney, Obama Truther". No. Reason Magazine. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- Woodruff, Betsy (16 March 2015). "Glenn Beck Thinks Grover Norquist Is a Muslim Brotherhood Mole. Now, the NRA Is "Investigating."". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- Benen, Steve. "It never ends". Washington Monthly. Retrieved 2012-08-23.
- Terkel, Amanda (5 March 2014). "Frank Gaffney Escalates Crusade To Take Down Grover Norquist". Huffington Post. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- Brinker, Luke (19 February 2015). "Conservative civil war: Islamophobic activist seeks to oust Grover Norquist from NRA board". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- Kay, Jonathan. "Bachmann, Gaffney, and the GOP's Anti-Muslim Culture of Conspiracy". Daily Beast. No. 23 July 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/19/huma-abedin-michele-bachmann_n_1686557.html
- Gaffney, Frank (2008-10-14). "GAFFNEY: The jihadist vote". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2012-08-23.
- "Far-right birther's secret funders: Look who's backing Islamophobe Frank Gaffney". Salon. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- Smietana, Bob (24 October 2010). "Anti-Muslim crusaders make millions spreading fear". Tennessean. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/2012-990-PDC-resize.pdf
- Gaffney, Frank (2003-09-29). "Take Out Al Jazeera". Fox News. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
- Gaffney, Frank. "Frank Gaffney – Security Watch". Newsmax. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
- "War Footing: 10 Steps America Must Take to Prevail in the War for the Free World". The Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 2012-08-23.
External links
- Center for Security Policy: Frank Gaffney
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Frank Gaffney Jr. profile at Southern Poverty Law Center
- 1953 births
- American columnists
- American foreign policy writers
- American political writers
- Conspiracy theorists
- Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service alumni
- Islam in the United States
- Johns Hopkins University alumni
- Living people
- National Review people
- Reagan Administration personnel
- The Washington Times people
- United States Department of Defense officials