The New Republic Magazine was
first published in 1914.
it has been a fixture of American
political commentary ever since.
in May of 1998, its staff was
comprised of 15 writer/editors.
Their median age was 26.
The youngest among them was
Stephen Glass.
There's so many show-offs
in journalism...
...so many braggarts and jerks.
They're always selling,
always working the room...
...always trying to make themselves
look hotter than they actually are.
The good news is, reporters like that
make it easy to distinguish yourself.
lf you're even a little bit humble...
...a little self-effacing or solicitous,
you stand out.
So you bring a co-worker lunch
if he's under deadline.
You remember birthdays.
it's true, journalism is hard work.
Everybody's under pressure.
Everybody grinds to get the issue out.
Nobody gets any sleep...
...but you are allowed to smile
every once in a while.
Even Woodward and Bernstein
went out for a burger now and then...
...and they won a Pulitzer.
Some reporters think political content
makes a story memorable.
l think it's the people you find,
their quirks, their flaws...
...what makes them funny,
what makes them human.
Journalism is just
the art of capturing behaviour.
MONlCONDOMS
To Wrap Around Your Slick Willy!
You have to know
who you're writing for.
And you have to know
what you're good at.
l record what people do.
l find out what moves them,
what scares them...
...and l write that down. That way,
they're the ones telling the story.
And you know what?
Those kind of pieces
can win Pulitzers too.
HlGHIAND PARK
HlGH SCHOOL
HARPER'S - Rolling Stone
THE NEW REPUBLlC
Contributing writer
for Harper's Magazine...
...contributing writer
for George Magazine...
...contributing writer
for Rolling Stone...
...and, of course...
...associate editor
of The New Republic Magazine...
...in Washington D.C.
Sorry if I'm beaming,
but l was his journalistic muse.
it's true.
-Just seven years ago, he was sitting--
-Right there.
I'm sorry.
Right there.
And l was doing the exact same thing
you guys are doing:
Grinding out pieces and then...
...having horrid nightmares of
Mrs. Duke and her infamous red pen.
And see what happens
when greatness is demanded of you?
Now he's at The New Republic.
And now I'm at The New Republic.
in May, the editors
of The New Republic Magazine....
The Washington Post, The New
Republic, The Boston Globe--
But the bill was blasted
in The New Republic this week.
PEDDLING POPPY
BY STEPHEN GLASS
MAIN TITLE
HACK HEAVEN
By Stephen Glass
So l said, ''Network news,
network news....
That's that show that's on between
those Fixodent commerciais, right?''
Shut him up.
-Hey, Steve.
-Hey, Steve.
Hey, guys.
-Gloria, that necklace is you.
-Thanks, doll.
l got some new merchandise
for your girlfriend.
When l get this piece done.
-How's it coming?
-Horrible.
it's the fundamental nature
of the magazine, Lew.
MeIanie, can l get some copies,
please?
People want photographs,
they can buy Newsweek.
They do buy Newsweek, and Time
and U.S. News & World Report...
...and our losses are a joke.
Let me guess,
he's on you again about a redesign.
-Cover page and graphics.
-And photographs.
Let me remind you, Steve...
...this magazine hasn't
changed its look since the '80s.
-How is it?
-it's good.
-You hate it.
-No, it's good. it's just a little rough.
No, it's the worst thing l ever wrote.
That's horrible.
lf you don't help me, l won't send it in.
When's it due?
Tomorrow.
l may have to kill myself.
l mean,
The New York Times Magazine.
Will you guys help me with it? Please?
-Of course.
-Of course.
Thank you.
Call for you on three, sweetie.
Someone from Policy Review.
When did you start
talking to Policy Review?
I'm not. it's probably nothing.
Send it to my voice mail.
And, sweetie...
...Caitlin just told me that she needs
gifts for two showers next week.
-Think you have something for her?
-I'll get my box.
-l couldn't resist.
-So you want to do this now?
Yeah, in a second. l just have
to return a quick phone call.
l got you some gum.
lf l were to throw a party...
...where all we did was play Monopoly,
would you guys come?
-Could l be the little shoe?
-Of course.
The lawyers have asked us
to tone down the cover on Serbia.
Yeah, they fear charges of libel.
l know a little bit of libel law.
it's only relevant if said person
has been out of the public eye.
Well, yeah, so there's Serbia, hidden,
unknown to the world at large...
...until it appeared on the cover
of The New Republic.
-With our weekly circulation of 80,000.
-Eighty-one five.
-You done with it, Rob?
-Two days, tops.
Yes, two days from Hanukkah.
Hey, it's basically finished,
for the most part.
Next up. Amy?
Just finished the piece
on ethanol subsidies.
There are 16,800 magazines
in this country...
...but only one calls itself the in-flight
magazine of Air Force One.
And that's the thrill of working
at The New Republic.
You're underpaid,
the hours are brutal...
...but what you write gets read
by people who matter.
Presidents, lawmakers--
Your work can actually
influence public policy.
That's an amazing privilege
and a huge responsibility.
I'm sorry, they don't want the whole
journalistic-responsibility speech.
Do you?
You just wanna know how
to get your name in print, right?
Sounds familiar.
Okay. Let me take you through
the life of your typical piece...
...so you can see
where the hurdles are.
We'll use one l wrote last year...
...about a bunch of young Republicans
at a conservatives convention.
Journalism is about pursuing
the truth...
Spring Breakdown
...and l would never encourage you
to do anything sneaky or dishonest...
...in pursuit of a story,
such as assuming a phoney identity.
1997 CPAC Conference,
Washington's Omni Shoreham Hotel
l don't know, man, it seemed like
a pretty good turnout to me.
No, man, conservatism's dead.
-Dead?
-We're lost.
Damn straight!
On a story like that,
your notes are crucial.
You have to record
everything you see and hear...
...every quote, every detail...
...all the way down
to the mini-bottles in the fridge.
We're like this guy who has to pee:
Lost in the desert looking for a tree.
-it's true.
-Completely true.
You guys know what
you're shopping for, right?
Totally.
Get us a real heifer.
The fatter the better.
Bad acne would be a bonus.
Let's do it!
Let's get the harpoon !
TITLE: Young Conservatives Project
Spring Breakdown
-Hey, Steve.
-Hey, Chuck.
What are you working on?
The piece Gabriel Garca Mrquez
wrote about the FalkIands war.
How about you?
Young Republicans
at the CPAC conference.
Pretty standard stuff.
Hotel ballrooms, boring speeches,
chicken dinners.
Which is why everybody spends
their time in the suites upstairs...
...committing felonies.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah, l went to one.
The ballroom is empty.
Every delegate under the age of 25...
...was up on the fifth floor
getting loaded.
Drugs, binge drinking, hookers....
Gets pretty ugly.
-Sounds great, Steve.
-So does yours.
Okay, well.... l gotta get back to work.
-Have a good lunch.
-Thanks.
Hold it. l have to give myself
a demerit for poor scene-setting.
Let me explain. A year ago,
Chuck Iane and l were peers.
He hadn't become editor yet.
Michael Kelly was editing
the magazine then.
Sorry, Mrs. Duke.
l know how you feel about clarity.
We've gotta start
calling some other places.
l don't think l can
eat this stuff every day.
it was the Cannon Building.
You had it as Russell. l fixed it.
Thank you.
-l really liked it, Ames.
-But boring, right?
No, l really, really liked it.
-Yes, dear?
-Somebody for you on three.
Someone from Harper's.
-When did you start talking to them?
-I'm not. it's probably nothing.
-Send it to my voice mail.
-Very good.
By the way, Glo,
that lipstick is the bomb.
Thanks, doll.
What is it, Midnight Mist?
-l really got to stop doing that.
-What?
All l do is give people
more reasons to assume I'm gay.
l mean, lately, it's everyone.
The other night, l went to dinner
with this guy from The Post.
-Who?
-l can't tell you. He made me promise.
We're walking around afterwards...
...talking about Medicare
for God's sakes.
Then, the next thing l know, we're
standing on the corner of 18th and T...
...and he somehow managed to slip
his tongue down my throat.
And I'm like, ''Wait a minute,
how'd this happen?''
-l don't understand.
-Yeah, neither did l.
-Hey.
-Michael.
-Got a minute?
-Of course.
We have a problem with
the ''Spring Breakdown'' piece.
Just got a letter from David Keene.
He ran the CPAC conference.
-He's made some--
-Are you mad at me?
He's made some pretty serious
charges. We need to answer them.
Okay. My notes are at home. l can be
back in 20 minutes. is that too long?
Do your notes have anything
about the minibars? That would help.
l think so. No, I'm sure. Why?
He claims the Omni Shoreham
doesn't even have minibars.
l saw them. No, there were little
bottles of booze all over the room.
Okay. I'll get Aaron and Rob into it
and start the fact-check again.
-I'll get my notes.
-Thank you.
I'm sorry, we'll have to finish this later.
No, no, l understand. Thank you.
What's wrong?
Just tell me.
Keene was right, Michael.
l messed up. l made a huge error.
l don't know what to say.
lf you want me to resign, l will.
l want you to tell me what happened.
They don't have minibars
at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.
l guess l just saw all those little
bottles and l made an assumption...
...which l know we're never
supposed to do.
I'm really sorry.
Those guys were drinking out
of a rented refrigerator, a mini-fridge.
-That's it?
-Yeah.
-The rest of the piece is solid?
-Well, yeah, of course.
Go home, Steve.
Your resignation will not be required.
-Really? You're not mad?
-Of course not.
-Do you want my notes?
-Have a good night.
Thanks, Michael.
Thanks for backing me.
it's what editors do.
Good night.
Hi. Front desk, please.
Hi, l need some information.
Do the suites at your hotels
have minibars?
Well, can a guest
rent something like that...
...like a mini-refrigerator
or something?
They can.
Okay, thank you very much.
She says, ''l didn't invite
Vernon Jordan that evening...
...because my guests of honor
were girls from Smith College.
Some of them were virgins,
and l wanted to keep it that way.''
You're gonna put that
in the article, right?
Gosh, Alec, l don't know.
l mean, you know, George is such
a dignified publication.
You wouldn't want something
that gossipy?
No. Absolutely not.
Of course I'm putting it in.
Thank you, Stephen. You're going
to make me look very, very smart.
The Fritos are running
dangerously low. I'll be right back.
You can't hide in here all night, Ames.
Can l ask you something?
What is this? l found it in the freezer.
You said you hated how
the Diet Coke at parties...
...was always at room temperature.
How if you wanted it cold,
you'd have to put it on ice.
Then it would get too watery.
Don't you remember?
Yeah, l do, but l said that
a couple of years ago.
Steve, I'm gonna call it a night,
but thanks for having me.
-Thanks for coming.
-Alphabetized beer. That's perfect.
Drive safe, Alec.
-Who's he?
-Associate editor of George.
When did you start talking to George?
I'm really not.
it's probably nothing.
lf they stoop any lower...
...soon there won't be a difference
between Time and People.
You say that like there is a difference
between Time and People.
-Exactly.
-Thank you, Steve.
What?
GEORGETOWN UNlVERSITY
LAW CENTER
Are you mad at me?
l told you, l do not respond to,
''Are you mad at me?''
I'm not your kindergarten teacher.
We've been over this
a thousand times already.
You can't go to law school.
You don't wanna
go to law school, remember?
l know. it's only nights. l wouldn't
have to stop working or anything.
-I'll just put these down. I'll be back.
-No! l wanna talk about this.
l told you, it's my parents, okay?
They never shut up about it.
lf l don't go,
they won't let me be a journalist.
''Let you''?
You're 24 years old, Stephen.
You don't know how things go where l
grew up, Caitlin. There are rules there.
lf your son's not a doctor or lawyer,
you're nothing.
You're writing for The New fucking
Republic. isn't that good enough?
Not in Highland Park.
-I'm sorry, l--
-Stop apologizing for everything.
l was looking through your mail.
You should be pissed at me.
-I'm not.
-You're gonna throw this out, right?
l can't. I'm sorry.
Every station on the radio
is talking about it:
Mike Tyson biting Evander Holyfield.
And these are supposed
to be news stations.
So on Tuesday l started calling a few,
and finally l got through to one...
...a Bible talk station in Kentucky.
l managed to convince the screener
that l was a behavioral psychologist...
...who specializes
in human-on-human biting.
l told the guy I'd done all this
extensive research...
...on people who chomp flesh
under extreme stress.
What did they say?
They put me on the air.
l took calls for 45 minutes.
Oh, my God.
Where does he find these people?
it's kind of stupid, l know. it's silly.
I'll probably just kill it.
-That mean you'll help me with it?
-Why, do you have finals this week?
Okay, moving right along. Chuck.
What do you have for us?
That's a bit of a hard act to follow.
Very hard act to follow. Okay....
I'm starting the piece on Haiti...
...and I'll be going to....
Don't let me interrupt.
-Hey, Marty.
-Michael.
I'm gonna be going down to
Port-au-Prince for a few days.
Marty Peretz. Our boss.
He's a little scary.
How about the commas in dates?
Are we supposed to circle those too?
Let's just get this done, okay?
What the hell is this?
Marty told us to circle
all the commas in the last issue...
...to show us
how we used them improperly.
-What?
-He said they should appear in pairs.
Apparently, the issue
is rife with errors.
-Rife.
-That's what he said.
l see.
I'm not angry, Marty,
I'm embarrassed for you.
These people work gruelling hours
for meager pay.
They deserve a thank you...
...not another one of your
world-famous tantrums.
I'd resign before I'd let you bully
them like that again, and l will.
Do you understand that?
Okay. Thank you.
The great comma debate is history...
...so we can all go back to work.
There are good editors, there are
bad editors. You'll have both.
My hope for you, though,
is that once...
...at least once,
you get a truly great one.
A great editor defends his writers...
...against anyone.
He stands up and fights for you.
Michael Kelly was that kind of editor.
He had that kind of courage.
And that's what hung him.
-Hello?
-Chuck, it's Marty Peretz.
-Got a minute?
-Of course, how are you?
I'm in a bit
of an uncomfortable situation...
...and l thought you
might be able to help me out.
-Sure.
-it's about Mike.
He and l-- it hasn't been working
out for some time now, as you know.
The tone of the magazine,
l think it's gotten too nasty.
it's strayed from the traditions
that make it great...
...and I'm gonna be making a change.
l see.
I'd like you to step in for him, Chuck.
I'd like you to become editor.
Editor?
There's a catch, of course.
Mike doesn't know any of this yet.
it'll be two or three days
before l tell him.
it'll have to remain between us
till then. Would that be a problem?
-Mike's a friend.
-l appreciate that, Chuck.
But l can't remove him until l know
who will be his replacement...
...for continuity's sake.
So this is how it has to be.
I'm gonna have to think about this
and discuss it with Catarina.
Of course, of course. Listen--
Marty, have you thought about the
impact this might have on the staff?
-He's earned a lot of loyalty there.
-Mostly by fighting with me.
The point is, l haven't earned
that kind of loyalty--
I'll be in New York tomorrow.
We'll go over all this in detail.
-Will you call me at the hotel?
-Yeah.
l really appreciate this, Chuck,
your discretion.
-Night.
-Night, Marty.
So l just got off the phone with Marty...
...and I've been fired,
effective immediately.
I'm to be out of the building by 5 p.m.
Chuck Iane has been chosen
to replace me.
Chuck is not an editor.
He's barely even a writer.
There's no way I'll be able
to work for him.
We should have seen this coming.
The way he laughs whenever Marty
tells a joke in the meetings.
They're never funny,
but there's Chuck, completely howling.
-He's so political.
-And stiff. And humorless.
And how pissy does he get when you
try to fact-check one of his pieces?
I'm sorry, but we have an obligation
to get our facts straight.
Okay, let's not overdo it.
This is still a great magazine. it's still
an important magazine, and...
-...Monday morning he'll be running it.
-I'm gonna barf.
All right, let me get out of here, okay?
Well, l just want
to thank you all again. Truly.
I've loved every second of this.
-Good luck, Mike.
-You too, Chuck.
Hi.
Hi.
-Hey.
-Hi.
I'm sorry about what happened
when he left.
l just didn't know what to do.
Thanks.
You need a hand with the boxes,
I'll be in my office.
So Chuck took over.
And the job, for the first time ever,
began to feel like a job.
But I'm being unfair.
The truth is l wrote 14 pieces while
Chuck was editing the magazine.
And the last of them
was the biggest story l ever wrote.
is anyone interested in hackers?
Because l met this kid
named Ian Restil.
Biggest computer geek of all time.
He hacked his way into the database
of a company called Jukt Micronics...
...and posted naked pictures of women
and the salary of all Jukt employees...
...on Jukt's website with a note saying:
''The Big Bad Bionic Boy
has been here, baby!''
Outstanding!
Jukt decided it'd be cheaper
to hire him...
...as a security consultant
than to try to stop him.
They met with him at the hotel where
the National Hackers Conference was.
it was the chairman from Jukt, Restil,
Restil's mother and Restil's agent.
-No.
-Yes. Hackers have agents too.
l was at the table with these guys.
Restil's just laying out
all of his demands.
l want a Miata.
-l want a trip to Disney World.
-l want X-Men comic book #1.
l want a lifetime subscription
to Playboy.
And throw in Penthouse.
They're complying with every word.
Excuse me, sir.
Pardon me for interrupting.
We can arrange more money
so you can buy the comic book.
And when you're of a more
appropriate age...
...you can buy the car and
pornographic magazines on your own.
Cool.
After they have the meeting...
...he goes back into the conference,
where all the hackers have gathered.
And they're treating him
like he's a rock star.
Then Restil jumps up on a table,
and he's like:
l want a Miata!
And he's gyrating his hips like this:
''l want a Miata!
l want my Playboys!
l want a trip to Disney World!
Show me the money!
Show me the money!''
Turns out there are now 21 states
considering versions of a law called...
...the Uniform Computer Security Act,
which would criminalize...
...immunity deals between hackers
and the companies they've torched.
Meanwhile, Restil's agent claims
a client list of over 300...
...one of whom was once paid
a million dollars and a monster truck.
That's unbelievable.
it's really silly, l know.
I'm not even sure if I'm gonna finish it.
HACK HEAVEN
By Stephen Glass
The offices of Forbes Digital
(New York City)
Wednesday, May 6, 1998
Shit.
-You rang?
-Yes, l rang.
Why didn't you get this?
Yeah...
...that....
l don't know.
Ian Restil - Jim Ghort
''Big Bad Bionic Boy''
Nevada law-enforcement officials
big-time software firm - called Jukt
Jukt Micronics - Search
There were no matches
for ''Jukt Micronics''
Hey?
Hey.
is it pronounced ''juked'' or ''jukked''?
it's pronounced
''give me back my article.''
Dang.
Adam, can you give a man a minute?
Oh, yeah. I'm sorry.
it's just that this New Republic piece
is a fucking sieve.
l checked on Jukt Micronics...
...which is supposedly
a major company in California.
l went through every search engine
on the web. No matches found.
So l called 411,
every area code in the state.
There's no listing
for a company called Jukt Micronics.
Tried the
California Tax Franchise Board.
There's no record of taxes ever being
paid by a company called Jukt.
Tried the state comptroller's office.
No license was applied for...
...by a company using that name.
l called all the hackers l know...
...asking if any had heard of a National
Assembly of Hackers...
...or of a hacker named
Big Bad Bionic Boy.
Nothing. l even tried
Ian Restil himself.
There's no listing for the kid in D.C.,
Virginia, Maryland....
There's no record of him
ever attending a public school before.
-More?
-Please.
This guy, Joe Hiert, was described
by Glass as a former basketball agent.
No one by that name was ever
registered with the NBA.
And none of my hackers knew of him.
Look, l even checked the names
of every government--
l was just getting some coffee.
l checked names of every
government employee quoted...
...against a book listing the names of
all government employees in the U.S.
None of the Glass sources were listed.
-But there is one thing that checks out.
-What's that?
There does appear to be a state
in the Union named Nevada.
Stephen Glass
David, for Chrissakes.
Oh, God, I'm sorry, Stephen.
l just wanted to see if you'd read it yet,
and it was sitting right here.
-Don't hate me, okay?
-Stephen, you shredded it.
I'm trying to spare you
a spanking, David.
You've got blind quotes
all over the place.
Your facts are shaky. l mean...
...the line about the turnover at DO was low by 4.5 percent. l checked.
Of course you did.
Rob and Aaron would kill you
over that kind of stuff.
This is The New Republic,
remember? Nothing slides here.
lf you don't have it cold,
you don't turn it in, ever.
-Okay.
-Look...
...bring me your notes later.
We'll go through it.
There's a lot about it that l liked.
-Really?
-Really.
And get back to work, okay?
The mailroom floor needs scrubbing.
Okay. Hey, thanks, Stephen.
You have one unheard message.
First message.
Hi, Stephen, this is Adam Penenberg
from Forbes Digital Tool.
l just got done reading
your hacker article.
First of all, congratulations.
l mean, everybody here just loved it.
But we wanted to do a companion
piece to it, sort of a day-two story...
...and I'm having some trouble
tracking down Ian Restil.
You think l could get
a phone number on him from you?
Look, l think it's good
that you tried this.
it's good to stretch.
l just....
l don't think you're writing
to your strengths.
-Can l...?
-l mean....
l wonder why you'd wanna stray
from the things you do so well.
Have you noticed the way Steve's
phone has been ringing lately?
Did you see all those editors
at the correspondents dinner?
-The way they were circling him?
-is that what you want, Amy?
To get a bunch of smoke blown
up your ass by a pack of editors?
Yes. Yes, it is.
Caitlin...
...he's going to double his salary
freelancing like that.
These guys don't want
policy pieces anymore.
They want color.
They want nuance, humor.
Amy...
...you don't write funny.
it's a little funny.
isn't it?
-l was just looking for Stephen.
-He's in his office.
-You got a minute, Steve?
-Yeah.
You have numbers for your sources
on ''Hack Heaven''?
But they're at home.
-Can l get them?
-Of course.
Did l do something wrong?
Are you mad at me?
No, l just need the phone numbers.
Okay.
Okay. Okay, I'm trying to keep cool
about all this.
But you know the Uniform Computer
Security Act in the Glass piece?
Supposed to be under debate
in 21 state legislatures?
l just checked all 50. No such act.
-Beautiful.
-And Julie Farthwork...
...from the Computer Security Center?
Not too sure she exists either.
Same with Jim Ghort of the Center
for interstate Online investigations.
And I've got nothing on the National
Assembly of Hackers or Frank Juliet.
-Man.
-Do you know why this is so great?
Do you see the irony?
The snobbiest rag in the business,
in-flight magazine of Air Force One...
...and their star goes
and gets completely snowed...
...by a bunch of hackers.
God couldn't have written this
any better.
-Adam?
-Yeah?
Long as I'm grinding away on this,
any chance you'd share your byline?
Forget it.
We are in uncharted
territory here, Adam.
An online magazine
going after a giant.
You should have someone beside you
to take some flak in case it blows up.
-Gosh, that's touching.
-You're completely swamped.
-You're behind on the Polese piece.
-I'll get to it.
Look, everything
that I'm working on is so...
...dull.
-And this is spectacular.
-Andy, no.
it's not like you found
this story yourself.
Kambiz just handed it to you.
lf l hadn't been at the dentist,
it'd be me about to get famous.
Why don't you just
share the wealth, okay? Shit.
That came out a lot uglier
than l meant it. Sorry.
-Hey.
-Hey.
Well, Ian Restil
e-mailed me right back.
it might be tough to put you
in touch directly...
...or at least until next week.
This is his email:
''Your story screwed up my deal.
l don't to talk to you.''
l think he meant
''don't want to talk to you.''
''I'm on vacation with my parents,
so leave me alone.''
What kind of parent goes on vacation
with their kid in early May?
That's a good question.
l guess you have to know his mom.
She's a little quirky.
That's his email address
if you want to write him yourself.
These are all my notes.
That's for the
National Assembly of Hackers.
Don't be thrown if all you hear is like
a dark, deep, heavy breathing. it's--
l don't know, their outgoing
voice-mail message.
Don't ask me why.
And then that's the number
for Jukt Micronics.
The chairman's name is George Sims.
l can't figure why this Penenberg guy
would have such a hard time finding it.
But you know, whatever.
That's the URL to their website.
And then l can't seem to find
Joe Hiert's number.
l was looking all over at home.
it's somewhere, l know.
I'll get that tomorrow.
-lf that's okay.
-Sure.
He's Restil's agent.
Should l...? I'll give you some privacy.
No, have a seat.
650, is that Palo Aito?
No, Silicon Valley.
You'll probably get a voice mail.
l usually do.
You've reached the offices
of Jukt Micronics.
Please leave a message.
it's Charles Lane from The New
Republic in Washington D.C.
I'd like to speak to George Sims,
if l could.
They already have our number.
l guess you already have our number.
Thank you.
I'm sorry.
We've just spoken a million times now.
it's actually his voice
on the answering machine.
Sims is so hands-on...
...that he won't even let his secretary
do an outgoing message.
-Who's next?
-Penenberg.
-This is Adam.
-Hi, it's Chuck Lane.
-Hi, Chuck.
-I've got a phone number for you.
-A phone number for what?
-For George Sims at Jukt Micronics.
-You got a pen?
-Yeah, sure.
Okay, thanks.
it's a phone number
for Jukt Micronics.
You've reached the offices
of Jukt Micronics.
Please leave a message.
Do me a favor.
Call this number
the same time l do, okay?
Ready? Go.
You've reached the offices
of Jukt Micronics.
Please leave a message.
-What'd you get?
-it's a voice mail.
l get a busy signal. Hang up.
Try again, okay? Redial.
-Busy signal.
-l got a voice mail. Hang up.
A major software company
with one phone line?
-How you doing?
-Good.
He's up to 103.
Oh, shit.
Come here, buddy.
-Should l give him a bath?
-That would be great.
Yeah.
How you doing?
-Hello?
-Hello, this is George Sims.
-May l speak with Charles Lane?
-One moment, please.
Honey, it's George Sims.
I'll take him.
Come on, sweetheart. Yes, yes, yes.
-Oh, you're such a good boy.
-Hello?
Yeah, this is George Sims from Jukt.
Am l speaking with Charles Lane?
Mr. Sims, thank you
for calling me back--
l don't have time for this, actually.
We're trying to have an office party.
Look, if you were calling
for a comment on your story...
...l don't have one other than to say
l wish you never ran the stupid thing.
That stuff was off the record, and your
reporter knows it. That Glass guy.
-I'm calling to verify information.
-I'm not verifying anything.
Bottom line is I'd like you guys
to basically get lost, okay?
Hello?
-Hey.
-David.
-Oh, I'm sorry, Steve.
-Shit.
l didn't mean to startle you.
Thought you'd like some coffee.
-What are you doing here?
-Working late. Working on my article.
-So l don't get shredded again.
-Thank you.
You're welcome.
So l always forget to ask you :
How are your studies coming?
They're fine. I'm just buried.
You're buried. Right. Okay,
l should probably let you get back to it.
-is there anything else you need?
-No. Good night, David.
All right. Night, Steve.
l got it.
-Hello?
-Chuck, it's Steve.
-Hi, Steve.
-Hey, sorry to be calling so late.
l was just wondering,
did you get a call...
-...from the Jukt guy, George Sims?
-l did, yeah.
Yeah, l was sitting here,
and l realized that I'd given him...
...your home number without asking
you first, and l wanted to apologize.
it's fine.
Sort of a prick, you think?
l couldn't really tell,
because he hung up so fast.
Are you at home, Steve?
-No, why?
-l left a message on your machine.
The Forbes guys want to talk
to us again.
There's a conference call at 9 a.m.
Sure. Sounds like a party.
Yeah.
-Okay. Night, Chuck.
-See you in the morning.
That's weird.
Friday, May 8, 1998
THE NEW REPUBLlC
-Morning.
-Hey.
-Want a laugh?
-Sure.
-The website for Jukt Micronics.
-Oh, good.
Yeah, you might not think so
when you see what's on it.
l don't think Mr. Sims
liked our piece that much.
it is with great frustration that we read
the article ''Hack Heaven''....
And l found this, too,
on my fridge for some reason.
Ian Restil's agent, Joe Hiert.
JOE HlER Super-Agent to Super-Nerds
I'd like to pause.
You can't really go into journalism...
...without first understanding how a
piece gets edited at a place like TNR.
This is the system Michael Kelly
brought from The New Yorker...
...a three-day torture test.
lf your article's good,
it'll make it better.
lf your article's shaky,
you're in for a long week.
A story comes in,
and it goes to a senior editor.
He or she edits it on computer...
...then calls in the writer
to make revisions.
Then it goes to a second editor,
and the writer revises it again.
Then it goes through a fact-check,
where every fact...
...every date, every title, every place
or assertion is checked and verified.
Then it goes to a copy editor,
where it is scrutinized once again.
Then it goes to lawyers
who apply their burdens of proof.
Marty looks at it too.
He's concerned with any comment
the magazine makes.
Then production lays it out
in column inches and type.
Then it goes back on paper, back to
the writer, back to the copy editor...
...back to editor one and editor two...
...back to the fact-checker, back to the
writer and back to production again.
Throughout, the lawyers read
and re-read...
...looking for red flags,
anything that feels uncorroborated.
Once they're satisfied, the pages
are reprinted, and it happens again.
Every editor, the fact-checkers,
they all go through it one last time.
Now, most of you will start out
as interns somewhere...
...and interns do a lot of fact-checking,
so pay close attention.
There's a hole in the fact-checking
system, a big one.
The facts of most pieces
can be checked...
...against some type
of source material.
lf an article's on ethanol subsidies...
...you can check against
the congressional record...
...trade publications, LexisNexis,
footage from C-SPAN.
But on other pieces...
...the only source material available...
...are the notes provided
by the reporter himself.
Steve.
This doesn't look
like a real business card to me.
Yeah, l know.
That's the kind of clown this guy is.
He won't even pay
to have real cards made.
All right.
-My office at 9, okay?
-Yeah.
Good morning.
A few others we can't seem to locate:
Julie Farthwork, Frank Juliet and
Ian Restil's agent, Joe Hiert.
We called the numbers you gave us
and got voice mails.
And the e-mails were sent back
no address or account closed.
Really? Because I've e-mailed them
about a million times each.
Hiert's online all day long.
Did you ever get them directly?
No. l always left messages and spoke
to them when they called back.
And the references in the article to
Nevada law-enforcement officials....
You only spoke to Jim Ghort?
-Yes.
-You have a number for him?
-Yeah, definitely.
-By the way...
...what was your basis for writing that
Jukt was a big time software company?
l didn't. That was added
by the copy desk.
Was the hackers conference where
you met the Jukt executives--?
That part of the article is misleading.
l was never in the Restils' home.
You weren't there
with the Jukt executives?
No. l didn't mean to imply
that l had been.
Sorry about that.
Did the fax come through okay?
Yes, it did.
l think the address was garbled.
We can't find the site.
-You wanna read it back to me?
-Sure.
You gave us,
''members.aol.juktn.html.''
-Wait. Was that an M?
-I'm sorry?
After ''Jukt,'' was that an M
as in ''Micronics''?
No, it was an N, as in ''not working.''
-Try M.
-Okay.
-Sorry about that, l was just rushing.
-Of course.
But l do find myself
wondering, Stephen...
...why would a major software
company put their site...
...where only AOL members access it,
as opposed to the entire web?
l have no idea.
l don't have a site.
l don't know about them.
l would trust you guys
know better than me.
Okay.
Looks like we have the Jukt website
up now.
Jukt Micronics
l have to say, Stephen,
this looks very suspicious to me.
-How so?
-Quite frankly, it doesn't look real.
it looks like a site
that was created to fool someone.
l don't know much.
Could they do that?
-Of course.
-Very easily.
So easy, in fact, it's incredible.
Do you still want that number
for Jim Ghort?
Because l just found it in my notes.
Yeah, sure.
-All right. 605-84--
-Oh, wait.
Sorry?
605, that's not Nevada.
l guess l got him mixed up
with another source.
Sorry about that one.
Oh, you know what it was?
Jim Ghort was the guy who told me
about the law-enforcement officials.
l don't know what l was thinking.
-I'm gonna have to get you that--
-Steve.
Give him the number.
This guy is toast.
All right, Stephen, in light of all this...
...how confident are you
in this story of yours?
Are we off the record?
-lf you like.
-Well...
...off the record...
...some of the things
that you've brought up...
...the website...
...the idea that l was always speaking
to these people through voice mail....
That is, that they were
always calling me....
it didn't seem strange before,
but clearly there are problems.
You've pointed them out.
One portion of it was structured
in a way that....
l just, well, in light of all this....
it's just I'm increasingly beginning
to believe that I've been duped.
So we hang up after he's basically let
these guys interrogate me for an hour.
And l go, ''Chuck, what happened?
l mean, why didn't you back me up?''
And he goes, ''I'm sorry, Steve. l gotta
protect the magazine. I'm the editor.''
-Typical.
-He's being such an asshole.
So I'm dead, pretty much.
Yes, this is Kambiz.
Can we have a talk here,
just editor to editor?
Sure, go ahead.
Completely off the record and really
almost human being to human being?
Of course.
You guys have discovered something
that a troubled kid has done...
...but l still don't know
how you plan to play it.
l have no interest in embarrassing
you or The New Republic.
I'm not worried about me
or the magazine. That's fair.
But there's a kid here who basically
just plainly screwed up, big time.
His reporting was sloppy, we know.
But we're trying to handle it
internally at this point.
-Just as you would.
-Listen.
We're going to run something
along the lines of a trick was pulled...
...and some hackers
created an illusion.
l can't tell you what to print or not
to print. You guys are journalists.
But he could be very hurt
by what you guys publish. His career.
Chuck, l understand. l do.
l would hope if l made
the mistakes he made...
...people would be generous with me.
But this concerns
the very field we cover.
We have to run it.
And when we do, we're gonna
need a comment from you.
So given everything that's happened...
...how strongly are you gonna stand
behind this story?
I'm looking into it.
it's really not that big a deal.
You got fooled by a source.
it happens. They'll print a retraction,
and that'll be that.
Steve, it won't hurt your career.
Of course, if you weren't so distracted
by your classes....
Yeah, l know, l really gotta quit.
You're right.
-Can l speak to you for a minute?
-What about?
Let's do it in private.
We need to take a drive to Bethesda.
-What for?
-l wanna meet Joe Hiert.
l told you, nobody knows where he is.
Well, maybe if we go to the hotel
where he met with Restil and Sims...
-...someone will remember him--
-There were hundreds of people there.
These Forbes guys
wanna come down on you.
-This is ridiculous.
-They're very suspicious of that article.
-You know that.
-Yeah.
But they're gonna go online
with their piece tomorrow.
-Okay?
-Yeah.
-Yeah.
-Now....
-Steve? Steve.
-Yeah?
lf we can find Hiert,
l can back them off for a day or two.
-Okay?
-Okay, I'll get my notes.
-Let's go.
-All right.
We were at this table.
Restil sat here. His mother
was on his left. Hiert--
Sorry, his mother was on his right.
Hiert sat there.
But Restil wanted him closer,
so he slid his chair over.
Sims sat here.
He had a lawyer next to him.
l forget his name. it's in my notes.
Somebody smoked at this table.
So then Restil's mother insisted
that we move to one farther away.
Over there.
The hacker conference
was near here, right?
Yeah, the building next door.
l don't remember, how many people
did you say were at this?
Looked like a hundred,
might've been two. it's in my notes.
Two hundred people. Here.
Yeah, they moved in and out.
l mean, most of them were kids.
That doesn't seem credible to me.
All l know is, l was here.
All of us were right here.
Excuse me, sir, can l help you?
Yes, you can.
We're looking into a conference
held here a couple Sundays ago.
Computer hackers.
You remember anything like that?
Are you sure you're
in the right building?
-Yes, we're sure.
-Why is that?
Building's closed on Sunday.
All l know is l was here.
The conference was right here.
That's why the Restils
only stayed a few minutes.
Because it was such a dumb place
to squeeze into.
So they went to a restaurant for dinner
with some of Ian's hacker friends.
Thank you.
How many?
People at the dinner, how many?
About 10, l think, including me.
Ian even put on a jacket.
-Hiert was there too?
-Yeah.
-is it near here?
-Yeah, it's across the street.
Good. Let's cross the street.
l don't like the way you're treating me.
it's like you won't even talk to me.
-This is the place?
-Yes.
l didn't do anything wrong, okay?
l didn't do anything wrong. You saw
my notes. Everything was in there.
l got tricked. l got fooled, I'm sorry.
What are you being so mad for?
-it was 10 people.
-Yes.
-For dinner.
-Yes.
They're closed at 3 on Sundays.
Yeah, l know. l know.
They almost didn't let us in.
But it was a couple minutes before 3,
Ian looked like he was ready to cry...
-...and so they said okay.
-But for dinner?
Go in and ask them yourself, Chuck.
Okay, go in and see if they would
serve a party that came in at 2:58...
...and the answer would be yes.
Forbes is gonna have all this too.
They'll dig through the records
of that building.
I'm sure they have cameras,
and they're gonna check them.
-l didn't do anything wrong, Chuck.
-l really wish you'd stop saying that!
Steve....
-Anyone can make a mistake.
-You know, this is not right, Chuck.
Okay, l feel really attacked.
You're my editor.
You should support me.
And you're taking their word
against mine?
You're supposed to support me!
Criticism of the president's
program has been--
Leave it off.
I'm sorry l yelled at you back there.
Chuck?
Steve!
Pull the goddamn car over.
Yeah.
All right.
There's been so much pressure.
-l didn't mean to get anyone in trouble.
-Okay.
Okay.
You weren't at the conference.
No.
l had a description of it from so
many sources, l thought l had it solid.
Okay? And l wanted the piece to have
an eyewitness feel to it for color.
So l said I'd been there myself.
And everything we told
the Forbes guys--
I'm so sorry, Chuck.
l just panicked.
lf you want me to say
that l made it up, l will.
lf that will help you, I'll say it.
l just want you to tell me
the truth, Steve.
Can you do that?
I'm suggesting that there might be
facets that you're not considering.
-Why are you defending him?
-Nobody's defending him, Chuck.
-Of course you're defending him.
-He's a kid.
He doctored his notes, Lew.
Just consider that for a second.
You know? He sat down and he
hand-wrote a bunch of phoney quotes...
...and he handed them in as
source material for the fact-check.
- Doesn't that offend you?
- Of course it does.
He lied to his editor.
That's supposed to offend you too.
He's a confused, distraught kid,
obviously, Chuck.
So suspend him for a couple months,
but let's not bury him.
Suspend him.
There are also political considerations
to take into account here:
The rest of the staff,
the way they feel about him.
l already know all that.
What I'm saying is, if you fire him,
some of these people will leave.
l don't know if we'd still have a
magazine at the end of the day.
-Hey, Caitlin.
-Not now, David.
-How's he doing?
-Well, he's a wreck, of course.
-l want him in here, Caitlin.
-He's too scared to come in here.
He thinks you want to destroy him.
He knows what he did was horrible.
He knows how badly he messed up.
The part he's most upset about
is lying to you, Chuck.
He knows you took it as a sign of
disrespect instead of as a panic move.
Think about the workload
he's been carrying.
All this and classes.
He hasn't slept more than
two hours in nine months.
He got a little sloppy
and lied to cover his tracks.
-He's sick about it.
-Caitlin...
...the building he described,
it doesn't even exist.
He just made it up.
So....
Obviously, he needs some help.
-He needs help.
-Just get him in here.
You can't fire him.
l don't think he'll survive. You don't
understand, we're all he has.
You can't fire him, Chuck.
Thanks, Lew.
Would you guys excuse us
for a minute?
Chuck isn't firing Steve...
He's just suspending him
for two years.
l think l have to quit.
Caitlin
SEND TO:
michael.kelly@nationaljourn
Sending...
--watered-down stock and,
you know, within....
Steve.
What are you doing here?
I'm so dead.
l mean, I'm over.
Nobody's ever gonna
hire me again, are they?
l was so sloppy,
trusting my sources like that.
And then lying about it.
And to Chuck of all people.
l mean, the one guy
who's hated me all along.
I'm sure that it's not personal.
No?
Chuck keeps a list in his head...
...of everybody who's
a Michael Kelly person.
A couple of times...
...l said some things
l shouldn't have said about you.
So now I'm on it.
That's why he's so set
on killing me now.
Well, l have to tell you, Steve,
he's within his rights.
The things you did
were fireable offenses.
l know. I'm not saying
that they weren't.
l did some terrible, terrible things.
But believe me, Michael,
Chuck doesn't care about any of it.
it's my loyalty to you
that he's punishing me for.
I'm such an idiot.
Now who's gonna hire me?
Steve, l have to ask you something.
Did you ever cook a piece
when l was your boss?
Did you ever lie to me?
The young-conservatives piece,
the mini-bottles....
Was that true?
-Hello?
-Chuck, it's David Bach.
I'm really sorry to bother you,
but it seemed important.
- it's fine. is there a problem?
- Well, l don't know.
l just got off the phone with Stephen.
He sounds horrible.
-Did you suspend him, Chuck?
-David....
What is the problem?
He asked me if l would drive him
out to Dulles later tonight.
He wasn't sure he'd
be safe driving by himself.
l just thought l should
draw your attention to that.
Did he say where he was going?
Yeah, he said he'd be staying
with family for a while.
-That can be only one of two places.
-His parents live in Highland Park.
Yeah, or his brother out in Palo Aito.
-I'm sorry?
-Yeah, his brother at Stanford.
Chuck?
You had your brother pose
as George Sims.
-What?
-The phoney recording...
...from Jukt Micronics.
it's a Palo Aito number...
...and your brother's at Stanford.
He posed as Sims.
No, Sims is a real guy.
I've talked to him a million times.
-My brother and l aren't speaking now.
-Stop it. You faked Sims.
-You faked the website, voice mails...
-You don't know, Chuck.
-...Restil, Hiert, Ghort.
-You got this backwards.
it's all crap. l can trace it.
I'll find it all billed to you--
What are you talking about?
Those are all real people.
-They are?
-Yeah.
Look at me...
...and say that again.
Those are all real people.
Okay.
l want you out of here.
-What?
-l want you out of here.
And you can't take anything with you.
There are some files.
l have to put them on a disk.
-No.
-No, they're mine. Personal stuff!
l don't care.
l know you don't.
-Can l shut down--?
-Don't!
I'm in the middle of a file.
-Goddamn it.
-Back away from the desk.
-Leave it, or I'll call security.
-Christ.
Okay?
Can l take my Rolodex?
Steve....
-Can l take my law books?
-Sure.
Look, I'm gonna need to have
your security key.
I'm not a criminal, Chuck.
Okay?
-I'm not a criminal.
-Oh, l heard you.
Come on.
Chuck?
l said l was sorry.
l know.
But you have to go.
Bond traders, as a rule, do not have
much time to loaf around.
And the Wall Street
investment house RVL...
...takes its work ethic
to a particularly--
One trader is now testing
a hand-held urinal...
...normally used by cops
on stakeouts--
After Mike Tyson was disqualified...
...for biting Evander Holyfield,
l offered several talk shows...
...my services as a biting expert.
I'm someone who knows--
The minibar is open,
and empty bottles of booze...
...are scattered on the carpet--
it was the monthly gathering...
...of the Commission to Restore
the Presidency to Greatness--
Patriotic profits
will have a hard time...
...holding back this
merchandising bonanza--
Western Union now
has a stop the Cassini hotline...
...which forwards anti-Cassini
telegrams to the White House.
--called ''Loving Lewinsky'' that looks
and works like a child's doll....
-Thanks, George. Sorry for the trouble.
-No problem, Steve.
Chuck?
The thing with George Sims...
...that was....
The voice you heard
on the telephone...
...that was my brother. I'm sorry.
There really is a George Sims.
I've spoken to him a million times.
He just stopped talking to me.
You know, because of the article.
He was so mad about it.
l didn't know what to do.
The guys from Forbes
were putting pressure on me.
You know? And you were so mad.
l just thought that if l could
get everybody off my back...
...okay, for just a day....
Just a day would give me
enough time to go and find him.
You can understand that, can't you?
You're fired, Steve.
What?
You're fired. You've lost your job.
But you can't--
Chuck...
...will you please
take me to the airport?
Jesus.
Please, okay?
You don't have to talk to me
if you don't want to. it's fine.
But l can't be by myself right now.
Okay? I'm....
I'm afraid of what I'm gonna do.
And you know,
l can't get there by myself.
I'm not going anywhere with you.
lf you feel you're a danger to yourself,
you can sit down...
...until you feel calm enough to go.
But I'm not going anywhere with you.
But I'm afraid that I'm gonna
do something, okay?
-Did you hear what l said?
-Yeah.
it's a hell of a story.
Chuck, please?
Stop pitching, Steve. it's over.
Okay.
''Spring Breakdown,'' ''The Jungle''...
...''A Fine Mess,'' ''After the Fall,''
''Peddling Poppy''...
...''CheapSuits,'' ''Kicked Out,''
''No Free Launch''...
...''Ratted Out,'' ''State of Nature,''
''Clutch Situation''...
...''All Wet,'' ''Plotters,''
''Praised be Greenspan''...
...''Monica Selis,'' ''Hack Heaven.''
What the hell did you do to Steve?
He just called from his car, hysterical.
-l asked what was wrong. He said--
-l fired him, okay?
Not suspended, fired.
This wasn't
an isolated incident, Caitlin.
He cooked a dozen of them,
maybe more.
We're gonna have to go through them.
All of them.
The only one was ''Hack Heaven.''
He told me that.
lf he were a stranger, a guy you
were doing a piece about...
...pretend that guy told you
he'd done it once.
Would you take his word for it?
Of course not.
You'd dig, and you'd bury him!
You'd be offended
if anyone told you not to.
-All those pieces were fact-checked--
-So was ''Hack Heaven''!
You're a good reporter.
You've always been a smart,
thorough reporter.
Why can't you be one now?
Because what you're telling me
is impossible, Chuck.
Go upstairs.
-Read them again.
-This is bullshit!
Go all the way back, because half
of them ran when Mike was still here.
That's what this is. Of course.
What are you gonna do, Chuck?
Pick us off one by one...
...everybody loyal to Mike, till you
have a staff belonging to you?
is that the kind of magazine
you'd run?
When this thing blows,
there won't be a magazine.
lf you wanna make this about Mike,
l don't give a shit.
You can resent me, hate me,
but come Monday morning...
...we'll all have to answer
for what we let happen here.
We're all gonna have
an apology to make.
Jesus Christ! Do you have any idea
how much shit we're about to eat?
Every competitor.... They're gonna
pounce, and they should.
Because we blew it, Caitlin.
He handed us fiction after fiction,
and we printed them all as fact.
Just because...
...we found him entertaining.
it's indefensible.
Don't you know that?
Monday, May 11, 1998
is everyone in the conference room?
You know what
could've prevented all this?
No, what?
Pictures.
How could you make up characters...
...if everyone you wrote about
had to be photographed?
You know, Stephen, if you wanted to,
you could do these kids a giant favor.
-Yeah?
-Yeah.
You could write something boring
one of these days.
Give them a little less to live up to.
l suppose l could.
l mean, we don't want a bunch of
teenagers getting ulcers, do we?
Morning.
THE NEW REPUBLlC
AN APOLOG Y TO OUR READERS
it's funny.
l thought l was gonna
have to explain all this to you.
Well....
What do you think of this guy?
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thanks. Thank you. Thank you.
Steve?
Stephen?
We've read through all the pieces
now, the entire staff.
And we've come up with a list
whose facts and sources...
...we couldn't verify independently.
l know you can't admit guilt
of any kind...
...but l want you to confirm
a few titles for me.
We won't confirm or deny
anything now--
What I'm gonna do is this:
I'm going to read to you a list
of suspicious titles, one by one.
lf you raise an objection
to a particular title...
...we'll fact-check it again in the hope
of removing it from the list.
lf you remain silent,
we'll assume that piece is fabricated...
...either partially or entirely,
and it will stay on.
is that clear to everyone?
Okay.
''Hazardous to Your Mental Health.''
That means it stays on the list
of suspicious pieces.
Fabricated pieces.
We understand. Can we move along?
''Holy Trinity.''
''Probable Claus''?
''Don't You D.A.R.E.''
''Spring Breakdown.''
''State of Nature''
''Rock the Morons.''
''After the Fall.''
You have to know
who you're writing for.
And you have to know
what you're good at.
l record what people do.
l find out what moves them,
what scares them...
...and l write that down. That way,
they're the ones telling the story.
And you know what?
Those kind of pieces
can win Pulitzers too.
Steve?
Adam Penenberg's article appeared
on-line on May 10, 1998.
it was hailed as a breakthrough for
internet journalism.
That June, The New Republic printed
an apology to its readers...
...admitting that 27 of the 41 pieces
that Stephen Glass had written...
...for the magazine had been either
partially or entirely invented.
Michael Kelly went on to become
editor of The Atlantic Monthly.
in April of 2003, he was killed while
covering Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Stephen Glass graduated from
Georgetown Law School...
...and is now living in New York.
in May of 2003, he published his first
novel, ''The Fabulist''...
...about an ambitious journalist who
invents stories and characters...
...in order to further his career.
Chuck Lane now writes
for the Washington Post.