Pellicano Shadow Hangs Over Reporter Whose Digging Started it All
Speaking as someone who once had his own life threatened by a fairly powerful, decidedly unhappy source, I particularly empathize today with Anita Busch, the former star trade reporter whose receipt of a dead fish, a rose and a note screaming "STOP" foisted the Anthony Pellicano investigation horror on an unwitting Hollywood nearly six years ago. Rapidly approaching her testimony date in the Pellicano trial, Busch granted a rare interview in a NY Times profile that is about the biggest bummer we've read since, well, maybe ever:
Ms. Busch's discovery of the tap on her phones, prosecutors say, led to another search of Mr. Pellicano's offices and a new phase of the investigation — one that metastasized into racketeering and other charges against him and more than a dozen accused co-conspirators.
It also cost Ms. Busch dearly. First, she said, she called news informants and friends and told them that their confidentiality had been compromised. Some deserted her, she said. One man broke down, she related, saying he was scared for his life.
"It was, literally, watching your career disappear in front of your eyes, and you can't do anything about it," Ms. Busch said.
The story goes on to note how Busch still drives the same car Pellicano allegedly visited in 2002, though she occasionally starts it "from across the street, just in case." Also: " [U]nable to find permanent employment, Ms. Busch does research, marketing and other odd jobs." Unswerving blog optimists that we are, surely there must be an outlet for someone of Anita Busch's talents, tastes and hard-driving style. I mean, if we can (possibly) cure Patrick Swayze, can't we find this woman a URL somewhere? Denton, are you listening?
