Opinion by Consumer Advocate Tim Bolen
…Tax Returns.
Some days I think that Stephen Barrett, the National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF), Quackwatch, Inc. , and the entire legal team defending him, don’t really focus, so much, on defending themselves from the brutal legal assault by Doctor’s Data engendered by the Doctor’s Data v Barrett, Federal Court case as they do on trying to keep information away from me, Tim Bolen. I’ll show you what I mean.
They seem to think that if I, Tim Bolen, get a hold of some information about them that that information will appear in, or attached to, an article I write for my newsletter. They sort of say so, in their court documents.
Of course it will….
So, its no surprise to me that the entire team of Barrett’s lawyers (five of them) seem to have spent most of a full day’s combined energy trying to convince the judge in the case to ONLY allow Doctor’s Data to examine Stephen Barrett‘s personal income tax returns in their legal offices. Get a mind picture of thick black drapes over the windows, low lighting making flashlights necessary, white noise units running to prevent overhearing of words in a room, armed security guards with a photo of me, Tim Bolen, in their pockets, a helicopter circling overhead.
I guess I’m not going to see his tax returns – THIS TIME. Or, maybe I will – after all, Barrett is not that bright. So far, It’s been really easy to uncover his activities.
But the fact is, that the new judge in the case has ORDERED Barrett to provide copies of his tax returns, all the way back to the year 2000, to Doctor’s Data for their examination. More, the judge has allowed additional Discovery Time should those returns provide any new areas of interest. And yes, Doctor’s Data will have to go to Barrett’s Chicago attorneys offices to see them – and, probably, bring their own flashlights.
Uh-huh….
What Doctor’s Data is looking for…
In the Tax Returns that’s pretty obvious – three things: (1) More evidence of conspiracy, (2) Evidence that can be used to add on new Defendants – like bobbie baratz (Robert S. Baratz MD, DDS, PhD) and California attorney David Wilzig, and other possible Defendants from a list of “contributors” to Barrett’s Legal Defense Fund. (3) Information to add on additional counts (charges) in the case.
The big questions here, with major efforts by the Defense, it looks to me, to hide this area of Discovery, is the answer to the questions “Who’s paying Barrett’s legal fees? Who’s paying the NCAHF’s legal fees? Who’s paying the Quackwatch Inc’s legal fees?” All of these entities, according their claims, are broke. So?
So, what they are really looking for here is the REAL DEFENDANTS. Who runs Stephen Barrett? Who tells bobbie baratz to cancel all appointments in his Braintree, Massachusetts hair removal salon business and go testify somewhere? Who REALLY designed the attack on Doctor’s Data? I don’t think Barrett is smart enough to have designed, and implemented, such a concerted assault. Neither is bobbie baratz.
How will the Tax Returns answer these questions? Easily. On Friday June 18th, 2010 Doctor’s Data filed suit against Stephen Barrett, et al. In his 2010 Tax Return there should be a Deduction for his legal costs – that is if HE, Stephen Barrett, actually paid those fees. More, the TOTAL of the “contributions” to his Legal Defense Fund would have to show up here. Same on Barrett’s 2011 Tax Returns.
Even better would be if there was NO deduction for legal expenses what-so-ever on his Return. Then, of course, Doctor’s Data would go to the judge and ask if they could have a meeting with the head of the local IRS office in the judge’s chambers. Why? Because, if someone else is paying Barrett’s legal fees it would be income to Barrett that needs to be reported to the IRS.
Either way, Doctor’s Data is about to find out who runs Barrett.
More important, it appears, is that Stephen Barrett, and the other Defendants, keep this information away from me, Tim Bolen, who would, when I get it, pass it along to my readers – YOU…
But, as Mark Twain said “there is more than one way to skin a cat.”
Another Issue the Doctor’s Data legal team is eagerly exploring….
There is a whole other question segment coming up – about the activities of California attorney David Wilzig.
It seems David Wilzig has been involved in quite a few cases involving Stephen Barrett and bobbie baratz, none of which ever seem to generate a win, or even anything beyond a nuisance settlement by an insurance company, for Wilzig. And it looks as though Wilzig expends the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of legal hours on each of those cases. So, why would an attorney spend the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of dollars of legal hours to get a five thousand dollar settlement?
Could there be a big client actually paying for those hours? Maybe the same paymaster Barrett has?
Are we getting close?
I’m told David Wilzig was suing an employee of a Texas University several times, and one day the Texas Attorney General had enough of that and sent Wilzig a letter indicating that if he didn’t drop those cases they would counter-sue him. The cases were all dropped the next day.
Wilzig is involved in another lawsuit against Doctor’s Data.
So, what else is happening?
The Defendants are whining over just about everything.
They are making their own Discovery demands to the judge – but the judge says he ‘takes their claims under advisement.” Which translates to “I’ll think about it…”
Stay tuned. And smile.
Tim Bolen – Consumer Advocate