Post Follow Up

Legal threats and internet hackings, what to expect when you're exposing

Sketches by @jarvalund

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"But to live outside the law, you must be honest." 

A line from the song "Absolutely Sweet Marie" - pulled from Dylan's landmark album Blonde on Blonde, printed on a bumper sticker in boldface western font that I proudly slapped onto the back of my 1964 Ford Falcon my senior year. During my peak obsession with Bob, when his soundtrack dominated all of my waking hours. Lyrics engrained in my brain thanks to endless hours on repeat, igniting an early devotion to social fairness, and the assumption that the desire for truth transcends society's set of boundaries, rules, and exceptions. Especially for those who have the means to live above (or outside of) it. Dylan was big on social equality. Even bigger on truth. His songs programmed me to view the world from a poet's perspective. To embrace the tragic and the absurd, and ignore what is popular, when "popular" isn't authentic. 

If I were going to put a bumper sticker on the back of my car today, it would read: "Everything I learned in life I learned from a Bob Dylan song." 

I offer this as a simple point of clarity to add to the ongoing debate surrounding me and my work. I know there is a hesitancy to take me seriously, people who still don't know what to make of this space, which I don't resent. The repeated accusation that I'm "not a journalist" is meant to undermine my credibility but doesn't offend me the way it's intended. I don't view myself as one either. I know my faults and I know my strong points. I'm not polished or predictable. I always (accidentally) take a novel's tone in reporting, often ignoring expected journalistic "rules" and protocol. Plus, I'm awful at grammatical arrangements and spell check. Impulsive, reactive, easily distracted, and typically opinionated. 

The good news? In addition to all of those things, I am genuine. Driven by an innate sense of curiosity I suppose speaks to people in an age where media feels increasingly disconnected, divisive, overly "safe," and politically rooted when it doesn't need to be. I'm attracted to oddities, complexities, and nuance threaded inside layered life experiences. I don’t like a clear-cut “good vs. evil” narrative. And I respect gossip as the word of the people shaping the stories that unfold here. 

Love it or leave it, truth is always the main engine.  

All this to say that the past few days have been an absolute whirlwind. Can we all just pause for a moment to envision the absurdity of this whole scenario? Elon's lawyers gathered around a mahogany table in a space-themed office in Silicon Valley, discussing how best to address accusations made in this little corner of Substack that spread to the outer edges of the internet, infecting Tik Tok and Twitter with equal intensity. Or Amber Heard with Elaine on speed dial, informing her of another lawsuit she's chasing but cannot win (suing for defamation, of all things?)

After the Sex Party piece was published, I was alerted by three different sources (claiming to be close to Musk) about rumors of possible legal action pending. I've gone from laughing on phone calls with friends to nearly vomiting from nausea in bathrooms at Target. I have been comforted by respected journalists reaching out, offering praise and support, and members of Substack calling to solidify their intent to fight on my behalf should the issue prompt a lawsuit. As of now, I'm not sure how serious any of these rumored threats are, but I did vow that if I ended up on trial against the richest man and craziest woman in the world, it was going to be one loud, outrageous, hilarious event. A courthouse circus erected in support of the freedom of speech. Supporters outfitted in black berets and owl costumes, gypsies with crystal balls, and lie detector booths staged next to the homeless guy who plays the violin at all of our holiday parties debuting an instrumental version of "Rocket Man" AND Carly Simon's "Vain." Loud music, circus chaos, chanting, and 5g wifi hookups to secure ideal live streaming opportunities. 

As for the claims, when I reviewed the post yesterday, after sifting through emails, texts, and DMs collected from the sources I included, it gave me a revived sense of confidence that I could testify with a clear conscious to all of it under oath. The only correction I'd like to add at this point? There were eight embryos, not six.  

What I presented was a watered-down version of what I could have shared. And I’m not done yet. A legal dive dissecting the topics inside the piece would be the opening of Pandora's Box. And they know it. This is why my IG is riddled (again) with suspicious activity. Attempted hackings, nonstop flaggings, and new warnings every time I log in or attempt to access my inbox. 

For now, I am locked behind the protective shield of a private account that puts everything on hold, but on the other end of that block, the numbers that will push me well past the 1 million mark have piled up. An online army to front a media war waged with virtual swords. Where silence and censorship are their chosen weapon. But truth, sharper still.

*back here the end of this week with part 4