he has a history of this behavior, it's a sickness.
Nader was convicted 28 years ago of transporting child pornography, a case in which he received a reduced sentence after influential figures argued privately to the court that he was playing a valuable role in national security affairs — trying to free U.S. hostages then held in Lebanon.
Born in Lebanon, Nader came to the United States as a teen and later founded Middle East Insight, a magazine dedicated to coverage of the region — a role that led him to travel frequently and interview world leaders and top U.S. politicians.
In the 1980s, he developed a reputation as a back-channel negotiator with access to top officials in Israel, Syria and Iran, as well as leaders of the Hezbollah movement, according to people familiar with his work. In the past few years, he has worked as an adviser to senior officials in the UAE.
Amid his international work, Nader had repeatedly been investigated by law enforcement officials, according to court filings.
In 1985, he was indicted by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., on two counts of mailing and importing child pornography. Court documents show those charges were dismissed before trial after Nader’s lawyers successfully argued that authorities had illegally seized evidence in the case. Records show that Nader became a U.S. citizen while awaiting trial in the case.
During two instances in 1988, Nader received sexually explicit material, featuring underage boys, sent to him via a post office box in Cleveland, according to court filings. He was not charged, although his home was searched, and prosecutors say child pornography was found in his toilet.
In the 1991 case, Nader pleaded guilty to one count of transporting child pornography and served about six months in federal custody in a facility on work release, court records show.
Nader had powerful supporters who appealed to the court on his behalf, arguing that he was engaged in high-stakes negotiations to assist the U.S. government in freeing hostages in Lebanon.
Nader was ultimately given consideration in his sentence because of what a federal judge termed his “extraordinary cooperation with the government in certain areas,” according to court documents.
More recently, the Associated Press has reported that Nader was convicted of 10 cases of sexually abusing minors in Prague in May 2003 and sentenced to one year in prison. His expulsion from the country was also ordered. Nader’s lawyers have previously declined to comment on the Prague case.
DO SOMETHING!
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