Torture Jet and Portland connection getting more press

Now the Chicago Tribune is getting in on the torture jet story, which bloggers around the world are keeping alive.  In a previous post on this story I introduced you to Leonard T. Bayard, the new proud owner of a US registered Gulfstream jet that ferries terrorist suspects to countries that allow torture.  The problem is Mr. Bayard doesn't appear to exist.  The Tribune story starts out with:

"The first question is: Where is Leonard T. Bayard? The next question is: Who is Leonard T. Bayard? But the most important question may be: Does Leonard T. Bayard even exist?"

Of course the Tribune's investigation led them to Portland, Oregon where Scott Caplan, of  Jordan, Caplan, Paul & Etter, acts as Bayard Foreign Marketing's registered agent.  The Tribune finally found a phone number:

"The telephone number on Bayard's annual report is listed to a private residence in a rundown section of northeast Portland whose doorbell went unanswered earlier this week. Calls to that number, however, appear to be answered by a bank of operators."

 "An initial call was answered as "Baynard Foreign Marketing" by an operator who insisted she never had heard of Leonard Bayard. A second call two minutes later was answered as "Bayard Foreign Marketing" by a different operator, who said that 'Mr. Bayard is away from his desk'."

Does the CIA think Americans are stupid?  The CIA can't even train its own telephone operators do to their jobs correctly!  How many guys do you know who live in a rundown part of town and own a Gulfstream jet?  And make that an 'executive jet'.

Back to Mr. Caplan, Bayard's attorney:  Based on the records at Oregon state's corporation division, which is overseen by our beloved Secretary of State Bill Bradbury (D), Mr. Caplan filed Leonard's incorporation papers for Bayard Foreign Marketing, LLC.  According to Ann Martens, Bradbury's spokesperson, "knowingly filing a false corporate document in Oregon is punishable by up to six months in prison and a $1,000 fine."

Well then, let's get to it.  We don't want some creep lawyer or his creep-gay-hating-evangelical-law-firm supporting illegal CIA operations in our state.  If we blog hard enough, make phone calls, send e-mails and bring attention to this, we can get it out for all to see.

If you're an Oregon resident, please call or e-mail attorney general Hardy Meyers at:
503.378.4400
[email protected]

Just say you want to know if Leonard T. Bayard exists and if he doesn't exist then why did Portland lawyer Scott Caplan create false records for him.  Hopefully an inquiry will be opened.

Comments

[Deborah]

I have reason to believe I may know a British man who may have been directly involved in the extraordinary renditions as well as extractions and possibly torture, I would like to make contact with Associated Press writer Rukmini Callimachi in the Portland area who has researched Premiere Executive Transport Services to see if applicable dates co-incide.

[Tom Gerald]

Please note: correct spelling for the name of the Attorney General of Oregon is
Hardy MYERS.
Important for any of us who hope to have him or his staff pay any attention to a communication we may address to him.
And DO please write him immediately regarding this matter.
Thank you for the insightful, alarming article.

[Anonymous]

Well, this story is very interesting to say the least, but as I see it, its just MEDIA HYPE and your looking for someone to blame! I can say that I personally know Scott D. Caplan and he is one of the most upstanding people I know. He is smart, dedicated, he does his research and his job very well! Jordan, Caplan, Paul & Etter is an outstanding firm with great attorneys and staff. I am sure you wonder how I know all of this? Well because I used to work there!! So to assume that false records were filed is NONSENSE!! To assume that Scott D. Caplan is shady, is competely false. He is one of the most respected attorneys I know. So instead of just assuming and trying to point your finger, maybe you should research your facts a little more. Thanks and have a great day!

[Jay Stone]

Does anyone else find it odd that the above posting is filed by "Anonymous"? Yet they claim to have worked there, and claim to know Scott Caplan personally. Very fishy, indeed. Maybe someone is trying to make this story sound bogus, because they know the truth, and want to discredit the author before it gets out and becomes widely known? Perhaps if "Anonymous" knows that Scott Caplan is a fine, outstanding citizen, then they will know the whereabouts of a certain Mr. Leonard T. Bayard, and how the author can get a hold of him to clear up this "nonsensical" article, and all of this "media hype". Who knows? Scott Caplan could have just been an unwitting participant, used in a CIA cover-up scheme, completely unbeknownst to him. But if that was the case, then wouldn't he have some information on the person he thinks was Leonard T. Bayard? Or at least some kind of records on that man besides just a name with no face? I mean, he did set up a company for this man, right? I don't know, it's just a thought.

[charter jet]

Thank you for the insightful, alarming article.

Luke Hamilton