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American Spectator Editor Admits to Being Agent Provocateur at DC Museum
The following photograph taken by opednews.com shows a confrontation in the lobby of the National Air and Space Museum between two individuals and an officer shortly before video shows officers with the Museum’s security forces rush outside indiscriminately pepper-spraying numerous individuals.
It appears that one of the two in the confrontation with the security officer is Patrick Howley, Assistant Editor of The American Spectator. [See the following photograph in which Howley's Facebook Profile Photo is side-by-side with the person pictured at the Air and Space Museum]
Immediately after the incident began hitting the newswires Howley published a “Breaking News” story with The American Spectator online in which he reveals that he had consciously infiltrated the group on Friday with the intent to discredit the movement. He states that “as far as anyone knew I was part of this cause — a cause that I had infiltrated the day before in order to mock and undermine in the pages of The American Spectator — and I wasn’t giving up before I had my story.”
According to Howley’s story he joined the group in its march toward the Air and Space Museum but the protesters on the march were unwilling to be confrontational. He states “they lack the nerve to confront authority. From estimates within the protest, only ten people were pepper-sprayed, and as far as I could tell I was the only one who got inside.”
He claims that upon arrival at the Museum the group of approximately one hundred protesters split into two factions with the smaller of the two “rushing the doors,” the majority “staying behind.” Howley then admits in his piece that he snuck past the guard at the first entrance in order to “infiltrate” the building and then confronted another guard. He then “sprinted toward the door” at which time he was first hit with pepper-spray.
As he describes his next actions “I forced myself into the doors and sprinted blindly across the floor of the Air and Space Museum, drawing the attention of hundreds of stunned khaki-clad tourists (some of whom began snapping off disposable-camera portraits of me).”
Fully inside, despite the orders of the security guards that the Museum was closed to the public, Howley made his way upstairs – to the location where a banner was unfurled protesting the Museum’s exhibit of unmanned drone weapons.
“I strained to glance behind me at the dozens of protesters I was sure were backing me up, and then I got hit again, this time with a cold realization: I was the only one who had made it through the doors. As two guards pointed at me and started running, I dodged a circle of gawking old housewives and bolted upstairs.”
He then found himself “stumbling around aircraft displays with just enough vision to keep tabs on my uniformed pursuers. “The museum is now closed!” screamed one of the guards as alarms sounded. “Everyone make your way to the exits immediately!” Using my jacket to cover my face — which I could feel swelling to Elephant Man proportions — I ducked through the confused tourists and raced out the exit. “Hey, you!” shouted a female guard reaching for my arm. “Get back here!” But I was already down the steps and out of sight.”
Howley refers to the Museum as “the scene of my crime.” In light of his detailed description of his activities today the fact that they clearly document the commission of the crime of trespassing on federal property, if not the intent to incite a riot there, these admissions should not be taken lightly or ignored. As a result of Howley’s activities a large number of people were subjected to pepper-spray attacks including journalists and tourists who had nothing to do with the protest. Given the negative light that the press is attempting to spin this incident with regard to the ongoing occupations, from Wall Street and D.C. and now spreading to Main Streets across the country, the presence and admitted activities of this self-proclaimed agent provacateur should be brought to the attention of federal law enforcement officials.
It is highly likely that the events that occurred would not have taken the turn they did if it were not for Howley’s admitted adventure in an effort to discredit the Occupy movement. So before the public, the media, and officials turn their attention negatively towards the protests and the protesters there needs to be a critical eye turned on the role of the American Spectator and the role played in these events by its editorial staff. If arrests were made at this incident, and even if none were, the admissions of Howley published brazenly in the pages of his Conservative magazine and bragged about on his Facebook page should lead to an official investigation into his role and that of his employer in the events in Washington D.C. today and should be seen as at least part of the causal nexus that led to the inappropriate use of force that along with Howley negatively affected many who were innocent of any crime other than being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Ironically Howley concludes the story of his adventure mocking the lack of courage of the protesters, who he admitted did not seek – as he did – to confront the authorities, by praising the courage of the guards who twice pepper-sprayed him.
“As I scrambled away from the scene of my crime, a police officer outside the museum gates pointed at my eyes, puffed out of his chest, and shouted: “Yeah, that’s right. That’s right.” He was proud that I had been pepper-sprayed, and, oddly, so was I. I deserved to get a face full of high-grade pepper, and the guards who sprayed me acted with more courage than I saw from any of the protesters. If you’re looking for something to commend these days in America, start with those guards.”
The admissions of Patrick Howley, published in The American Spectator for all to see, require those across the country, both the public and its officials, to take a closer and more critical look at today’s event’s in the Nation’s capitol. Who was really to blame for the chaos and disruption of a Federal Museum? Who should be held responsible for those who were harmed in the melee that took place after Howley admits he defied the orders of the legal authorities and stormed into the building? And how should the story of today’s events unfold in the Nation’s media over the next several days?
UPDATE: Since Howley and the American Spectator were caught and exposed - they have begun a nifty editorial dance to try and rewrite the story - doing away with all of the confessions of unethical journalism and criminal liability. But here is a screengrab I took of the original story last night (anticipating such an attempt): http://i789.photobucket.com/albums/yy178/cgrapski/StandoffinDC2011-10-0901-42-38.png
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104 Comments so far
Show AllSo has Patrick Howley been arrested for criminal trespass and inciting a riot, or will he be? Will he identify with the Prosecutor when he pleads Guilty in Court?
He's a funny boy....
Howley is a fascist. They won't touch him.
In Weimar Germany, the same double standard allowed the Nazis rise to power.
The judiciary as was mostly rightist in orientation, and tended to go easy on the fascists.
Exactly. If memory serves, the ratio of assassinations of left-wing to right-wing politicians was close to 350 to 1, and not one of the assassins of left-wing politicians was prosecuted, let alone convicted. Not one.
Laws are arbitrary.
Exactly. The purpose of law is to protect the strong from the weak.
Denruter, Some sure, I know what you mean, but others depend on who dunnit. Would they prosecute you if you kidnapped and tortured someone? Or tapped into someone's phone line? Started a war, even just a little one in the neighborhood? Swindled an old lady out of her savings? Sold a house without a title? Murdered someone with a remote airplane?
They pick and choose.
The symbolism is stark. Mussolini's followers were known as the "black shirts," and they aggressively killed Democratically elected officials to further the cause of Fascism. The guy in the black shirt is a clear reminder of what the right is prepared to do. It's already begun. The OCCUPY movement must plan now to counter these threats. My suggestion is to recognize that the participants in the movement must be educated regarding these tactics and use non-violent means to discredit them. Essentially the amorphous decentralized nature of this revolution has massive numbers of diverse people engaged via new communications. Therefore an overwhelming response in favor of peaceful change must be heard in the face of these attacks. People must respond strongly, collectively, and peacefully. Do not give voice to the disruptors by engaging them.
He will be Faux New's newest hero wait and see.
".He will be Faux New's newest hero wait and see."--gnken1
too funny! i do not subscribe to cabel, but on sunday mornings my sons catch and curse at dsl's face the nation, a faux noise, fairly unbalanced presentation. this morning i overheard the bubble heads discussing that "angry protesters" had forced the museum to close for the day and "that's not going to sit well with the public!"
"... the presence and admitted activities of this self-proclaimed agent provacateur should be brought to the attention of federal law enforcement officials."
How about if we here wait three days to see whether the Feds act, then contact them ourselves?
Howley is a media whore with a clear agenda. He is there to serve his paymasters. Jack London wrote about the media in IRON HEEL: "You have forgotten the editors. They draw their salaries for the policy that they maintain. Their policy is to print nothing that is a vital menace to the established. The press in the United States? It is a parasitic growth that battens on the capitalist class. Its function is to serve the established by moulding public opinion, and right well it serves it.”
Manufacturing consent in a nutshell.
Kinda creepy how much Howley salivates for forceful authoritarianism.
I'm going to guess in his spare time he enjoys BDSM and batons where the sun don't shine.
Never ceases to amazes how the creepy twerps are the ones with the most bloodlust.
I bet Howley could take about an hour on the tower of power, as long as he gets a little golden shower.
LOL.
I dunno. Looks like his eyebrows might get in the way.
"they lack the nerve to confront authority."-- patrick howley
so speaks the toadie
its not 'nerve' they lack, its 'disrespect'
The article inquires, " And how should the story of today’s events unfold in the Nation’s media over the next several days?" Indeed. Will any of the so-called experts and talking heads on the Sunday morning talk shows dissect and analyze and condemn what Howley did? Will they demand that Howley be prosecuted for practically inciting a riot? That would be going too far as they would not want to be viewed as challenging and criticizing those who attempt to discredit the working class in this country.
What a freakin pig headed SOB. Obviously...I mean OBVIOUSLY, he has not a clue about 'non-violence' nor comprehends why these people are there. He has made an utter mockery of TAS, as if they needed more ammo to look stupid. But he's one of the morons typical of the right. They just aren't able to read,listen, nor comprehend the reality of the US situation. They are still stuck in their misguided belief in their own authority. Oh, and he showed us how the right operates...with violence.
Howley is an amateur.
The real provocateurs, who are paid by the government, are patient. They will insinuate themselves into a group for months or years, studying how to do the most damage. I have seen them in action.
And they don't reveal themselves.
The only ways to be protected from them is to be train everyone in non-violence, so that the agents will immediately stand out, and to strictly adhere to democratic procedure, because that is the one thing they have trouble with.
Unfortunately, however, a "consensus" which is blockable by one person is a gift to agents. It is a childish habit which we have to grow out of.
And I have a mea culpa to make. i have been advocating in the past for Libertarians to have an a-prori right to attend Occupy but on deeper reflection I have discovered a substantal flaw in Libertarian theory such that I withdraw that support.
In a Libertarian society the property owner has an a-prori right to dispose of trespassers as they please including killing them so the face to gatherings necessary for liberty to flourish would not be an a-prori right on private property but contingent on the whim of the property owner. Yet because Libertarians do not believe in collectively held property there would be no public square to protest on either it would privatized. Conclusion in a purist Libertarian/Austrian School based society there on pragmatic grounds would be no right of free expression but rather a contingent possibility of expression based on the whims of property owners. The same would be true in the electronic realm with the owners of servers. A society where there is not an a-prori guaranteed Agora for free expression is a non starter. The founding fathers recognized this, and that's why there was a PUBLIC square in American towns in the revolutionary era, Libertarians are thus stealth tyrants and no friends of any sort of movement for true universal human liberation.
I thus withdraw my support for Libertarians having the unconditional right to attend Occupy movements, I believe rather they must be heavily questioned to see if they are property "rights" extremists and if so told they are not welcome, as this is a liberation and democracy for ALL people movement, including non property owners, to return to the 18th century where non property owners are not considered full rights holders in society is a non starter.
Mea culpa I am sorry I have acted as an apologist for potential bad actors. :(
Interesting...but since the Occupiers (outside of Washington) have no cohesive single issue or agenda, on what grounds would you exclude them? Each occupier is there for his own reasons.
Michael F, The common thread is the Future, which will be considerably worse than the present if the corruption, greed, and brutality which defines the 1% at the top is not dealt with, and soon. Most libertarians I have spoken with remain content with the status quo and have negative environmental policies.
You raise a good point, it is just that I dont think it is quite that simple. Libertarians are all for non-coercive voluntary associations AND local government, so I hardly think they would be opposed to the citizens of a city agreeing to mutually fund and maintain a town square.
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How this would work on a federal level I am not sure, but to be consistent, Libertarians would have to agree that the land on which sit government buildings belongs to we, the people.
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But consider this. In a libertarian society - and keep in mind that people like Ron Paul are not stupidly unaware that it would be a long transition - there would not be: a federal government dominated by crony capitalism, TBTF banking cartel, a military-industrial complex and an Imperial foreign policy, so there would be no need to protest US government use of drone aircraft that is killing innocent civilians, because Libertarians do not believe in interfering in the affairs of other countries and think we should engage in trade and diplomacy and otherwise mind our own damn business.
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Also, keep in mind libertarians are staunch defenders of the Constitution and of YOUR property rights, and this includes opposition to the Patriot Act and government surveillence, your right to not be subjected to unwarranted government search and seizure. The point is, again, that all of this is a very indepth and complex philosophical debate, and it cannot be done justice in this kind of limited discussion format.
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My approach - which many here seem to think is unreasonable, is to, one, represent the philosophical position of other people accurately and not on the basis of mis and disinformation, in order to have a fair and intelligent debate. And two,I find myself looking at everything - socialism, anarchism, libertarianism, communism etc. - and looking for good ideas wherever they might be, and for the purpose of thinking outside the box and looking at everything in new ways.
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And so, one of the things I do like about Libertarianism is that it asks us to think outside the box, to question certain things we all (unconsciously) take for granted, just as other points of view do the same for other issues. I personally dont think the future belongs to an "ism" but that it is going to be something beyond our present imagination and ALL our points of view. In the meantime, I think the best preparation for the future is to open one's mind to many different points of view so that one can learn to better become aware of one's own (unconscious) biases and predjudices.
I was not necessarily anti Libertarian to start with, in fact I was dialoging with them as a left anarchist, but their lack of an a-prori provision for an Agora for people to speak is a serious issues IMO. And that is not to mention their total non recognition of the rights of eco-systems to exist, which is not only brutally destructive, but short sighted for our own survival.
IMO Libertarians ought not to be a-prori shut out but they ought to be questioned if they believe in full human rights for ALL people including non property owners. Unequal rights for non property owners, and no public Agora for speech acts, are non staters. So is lack of environmental responsibility or abuse of working people.
Well said guitarist. I too have dialoged with a few Libertarians and have come to the same conclusions. Their brand of "anarchy" will never jive with me. They believe we still need a police and military apparatus to protect their property.
guitarist,
thank you for bringing up the root of the matter, property rights.
"Conclusion in a purist Libertarian/Austrian School based society there on pragmatic grounds would be no right of free expression but rather a contingent possibility of expression based on the whims of property owners."
"The founding fathers recognized this, and that's why there was a PUBLIC square in American towns in the revolutionary era,"
the founding fathers were steeped in english common law. i was reading the encyclopedia earlier before i read this article, the query was 'riots in britian'. which naturally led me here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enclosure
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diggers
it isn't necessarily returning to the 18th century as much as it is restoring rights that were taking away from us as feudalism disintegrated, as property rights (definition of who controls land) evolved in britian.
- - - - - - -
http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/winstanley/1649/levellers-standard.htm
Gerrard Winstanley (1649) - The True Levellers Standard Advanced: Or, The State of Community Opened, and Presented to the Sons of Men.
- - - - - - -
the commons cease to exist on many levels b/c they were forcibly taken from the people - not b/c they were voluntarily relinquished. we're brainwashed to assume that we're 'entitled' to private property ; simultaneously, we're told there are no common spaces.
you can't sit on the sidewalk, you can't sleep in a public park, you can't speak in the public square (now the private shopping center). federal parks and forests require fees....
the tea party crowd are moral cowards because they're unwilling to place their confidence and trust in their fellow man/woman. the masses are feared b/c the want to 'take' something (contrived and protected by violent state sanctioned violence) from me.
it's pure evil/morally repugnant to collect bobbles and toys while ignoring the suffering other people are experiencing. of course, we've been trained to do this since we were small children
...peace...
http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/song-midis/Levellers_and_Diggers.htm
- - - - - - - - - -
Levellers and Diggers
(Gerard Winstanley)
You noble Diggers all, stand up now, stand up now,
You noble Diggers all, stand up now,
The wast land to maintain, seeing Cavaliers by name
Your digging does maintain, and persons all defame
Stand up now, stand up now.
Your houses they pull down, stand up now, stand up now,
Your houses they pull down, stand up now.
Your houses they pull down to fright your men in town
But the gentry must come down, and the poor shall wear the crown.
Stand up now, Diggers all.
With spades and hoes and plowes, stand up now, stand up now
With spades and hoes and plowes stand up now,
Your freedom to uphold, seeing Cavaliers are bold
To kill you if they could, and rights from you to hold.
Stand up now, Diggers all.
Theire self-will is theire law, stand up now, stand up now,
Theire self-will is theire law, stand up now.
Since tyranny came in they count it now no sin
To make a gaol a gin, to starve poor men therein.
Stand up now, Diggers all.
The gentrye are all round, stand up now, stand up now,
The gentrye are all round, stand up now.
The gentrye are all round, on each side they are found,
Theire wisdom's so profound, to cheat us of our ground
Stand up now, stand up now.
The lawyers they conjoyne, stand up now, stand up now,
The lawyers they conjoyne, stand up now,
To arrest you they advise, such fury they devise,
The devill in them lies, and hath blinded both their eyes.
Stand up now, stand up now.
The clergy they come in, stand up now, stand up now,
The clergy they come in, stand up now.
The clergy they come in, and say it is a sin
That we should now begin, our freedom for to win.
Stand up now, Diggers all.
The tithes they yet will have, stand up now, stand up now,
The tithes they yet will have, stand up now.
The tithes they yet will have, and lawyers their fees crave,
And this they say is brave, to make the poor their slave.
Stand up now, Diggers all.
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst Priests, stand up now, stand up now,
'Gainst lawyers and 'gainst Priests stand up now.
For tyrants they are both even flatt againnst their oath,
To grant us they are loath free meat and drink and cloth.
Stand up now, Diggers all.
The club is all their law, stand up now, stand up now,
The club is all their law, stand up now.
The club is all their law to keep men in awe,
But they no vision saw to maintain such a law.
Stand up now, Diggers all.
The Cavaleers are foes, stand up now, stand up now,
The Cavaleers are foes, stand up now;
The Cavaleers are foes, themselves they do disclose
By verses not in prose to please the singing boyes.
Stand up now, Diggers all.
To conquer them by love, come in now, come in now
To conquer them by love, come in now;
To conquer them by love, as itt does you behove,
For hee is King above, noe power is like to love,
Glory heere, Diggers all.
From A Ballad History of England, Palmer
Note: Gin: trap
See also World Turned Upside Down}
...peace...
Great post, and good history background.
Yes I think the commons will be the next matter for discussion after OWS wins in our communities. The commons including but not limited to town squares, parks, wilderness areas, libraries (intellectual commons), community gardens, community centers, granges, art performance spaces, is the difference between civilized conviviality and mere survival. Just talking about feels like freedom, real freedom for all including freedom for the non humans in eco-systems, not the phony "freedom" to be selfish (sell fish :)) Libertarians are trying to sell us. I also believe like professor Chomsky that we do not need a large state to do this, that we can do it though local self rule and building it together.
"that we can do it though local self rule and building it together. "
i agree, but an oxymoron of sorts -
- - think globally, act locally
- - From each according to his ability,
to each according to his need (or needs)
how to do it through local self rule - with the recognition that the prevailing structure on the planet is encumbered by the structure of the nation state system itself, by that which we want to dismantle and recreate (i would say equal rights for all - globally).
the nation state system (and it's enduring shadow - patriotism) is the impediment to resolving many of our greater global catastrophes (war, starvation, lack of shelter, education).
and affluent americans , living in the epicenter of global capitalism, enjoy the perks of that military/imperial role (decadent consumption). a transformation of consciousness in america (a war mongering country, the imperial superpower of today, the source of waste) is practically essential to begin to address the very life threatening perils that threaten humanity.
...peace...
His account of being pepper sprayed read like fiction to me. He did a lot of sprinting and stairs after being sprayed. With "elephant man like swelling" his resperation should have been affected. Pepper spray affects all mucuous membranes. Most people end up violently coughing and vomiting for up to 30 minutes.
I had similar thoughts myself.
Yes, it's like he's been reading too much Tom Clancy or whatever other government fanboy fiction there is out there. I'm really hard-pressed to come up with another name, but I'm sure Howley's prepubescent bookshelves have plenty.
For him to have navigated the museum so furiously, he may have been hit with one drop on the corner of his eyeball. Or his delicate peachfuzz'd face. Kid hasn't graduated to stubble yet.
I thought the same thing. Having been maced before ( at a rock concert not a demonstration...goddamn skinheads) I can assure you that you are in no condition to sprint. You also will not be "praising your assaliants" for being "so brave". Remember the source. The American Spectator is mostly fiction anyway.
This story needs to be sent around the world....so people do your duty. Anything that resides under a rock and causes harm to the people needs to be exposed to the sunlight where nature takes care of the unfit.
P.S., I am not sure if turning people into the Feddies is the right response as is advocated in this article, but provocateurs must be confronted and shunned, and not in some nicey nice p.c. wyt, but by burly people willing to get as heavy with them in a non violent fashion as possible. Intimidation as long as force isn't used is NOT violence, and provocateurs and right wing extremists of all types DO need to be intimidated to be no shows IMO. IMO we ought to be self enforcing and not relying on the cops who and government who are beating on us for justice. A new world means not being dependent on the oppressive old world for justice IMO.
He should also be shamed in the media and every effort made to humiliate him and make sure his face is know to all Occupiers so he can't infiltrate again. I still think using state coercion against him is the wrong approach though. Haven't we ourselves felt the ugly talons of state violence in our flesh recently?
"Intimidation as long as force isn't used is NOT violence"
I don't buy that and think you ought to consider that carefully because some might say exactly the same about anti-abortion protesters as long as they don't use force...
Just say'n.
What's the alternative let infiltrators destroy movements by deliberate provocateur moves? You'd like that wouldn't you?
I for example think Adam Kokesh WAS handled well here despite his whining. He was told he could video but not peoples faces. I frankly don't blame activists for not wanting to hvae their faces documented close up which can be put in database. An interesting exchange all around IMO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoPwo3STiXo
No. I wouldn't like that actually. I think this movement, like most going on right now, needs to continue and get its voice out.
My point is that if you advocate intimidation for OUR side, then you need to accept it for the other side. Although it may seem lame, pointing out that someone is an agent provocateur and keeping tabs on him or even following him and pointing that out to anyone that comes near, might be a better alternative than trying to intimidate people. Intimidation is violence really whether or not a hand is lain on someone or not.
Rights don't exist in some progressive vacuum. If we expect a right, we have to be willing to extend that same right. In this case it is not right to be intimidated or intimidate.
I am consistent in this statement and have been for years. Violence is violence regardless of who perpetrates it for whatever justification.
Good point. To some extent, we don't have an accurate history of non-violent movements. I wish Ward Churchill was listening in on this discussion and would jump in; he knows quite a bit about the facts behind the myth. Apparently in the civil rights movement marches, armed "deacons" walked on the outer edges of the march.
Churchill's little book The Pathology of Pacifism is worth a read.
I really don't understand why someone boasts about doing things like this. If it were one of us doing this to the tea party, we'd not be boasting about it I hope. How stupid.
It is natural to boast of things one got away with.
I'm not one for any violence, however a quick kick in the cohones might do some good with this prick. This is the lowest form of human activity other than murdering for the same effect. Howley, you are lower than excrement.
It sounds to me like you are advocating violence. Your words are dehumanizing, which is a mental prelude to violence. Just noticing. Have you learned nothing from the nonviolent leaders like Gandhi and MKL Jr? I recommend that you treat people with care as human beings, no matter how much you don't like their behavior.
' Non-violent' does not mean 'punching bag'. I will act to defend myself, answering force with force. Push me, I'll push back. Threaten me and mine... well, turn about is fair play.
And as for BOTH of your examples, they were both murdered by the status quo. Oops.
"he reveals that he had consciously infiltrated the group"
Ever study journalism? There is NO mention of what "the group" might be until several paragraphs later, which makes it impossible to follow this without reading some presumably prior article or rereading it several times. But the never name it, afaict.
That's the problem with blogs - the "journalism" is rankly amateur.
Historically, many have believed that eternity will save a space most unpleasant in nature for people who act as did Mr. Howley.
So, according to Howley, protest groups should force confrontations with those in authority, preferably violent confrontations, and those in authority should use violent methods to fight back against the protesters (he praised the guards for using pepper spray)? So, those being oppressed and repressed should engage in violence and the authorities should respond with greater violence?
Is this all because Howley needs a good show to stir his paleolithic imagination and other human beings are just playthings or props? It appears that Howley has some serious personal issues.