John Buchanan (American politician)
Encyclopedia
John Howard Buchanan is a freelance journalist, and was a fringe Republican candidate in the 2004 Presidential election. Buchanan was previously based in Florida and currently lives in rural Georgia
.
Buchanan discovered documents related to Union Banking Corporation
's business dealings with Fritz Thyssen
, the Nazi industrialist who broke with the Nazis after Kristallnacht
in 1938 and fled to Switzerland during World War II; together with Stacy Michael, Buchanan wrote an article about it for the New Hampshire Gazette, accusing one of the directors of the bank, Prescott Bush
, of dealing with the Nazis.
Buchanan suffers from hypermania, a form of bipolar disorder
, and when the media spurned his original attempts to publicize his findings, he e-mailed a number of threats against journalists and media outlets, saying that he would expose the journalists as "traitors to the truth." Buchanan was arrested and charged with aggravated stalking
in Miami, Florida
, over a dispute of how best to publicize his theories, but the charges were dropped in 2004.
During his presidential campaign, he often referred to himself as "the 9/11 Truth
Candidate".
He also opposed the 2003 Iraq war
. A United Press International
reporter called his campaign "unhinged."
With 836 votes, Buchanan finished in eighth in the 2004 New Hampshire primary, in which incumbent George W. Bush
was not seriously contested.
Buchanan also mulled a 2004 run with the Reform Party
. The major contenders for the nomination were Ted Weill
and Ralph Nader
, the latter of whom was ultimately chosen.
Buchanan served as editor of the Blairsville, GA Union Sentinel for 13 weeks in 2005. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said:
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Buchanan discovered documents related to Union Banking Corporation
Union Banking Corporation
The Union Banking Corporation was a banking corporation in the US whose assets were seized by the United States government during World War II under the Trading with the Enemy Act and Executive Order No. 9095. According to an Oct...
's business dealings with Fritz Thyssen
Fritz Thyssen
Friedrich "Fritz" Thyssen was a German businessman born into one of Germany's leading industrial families.-Youth:Thyssen was born in Mülheim in the Ruhr area...
, the Nazi industrialist who broke with the Nazis after Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass, and also Reichskristallnacht, Pogromnacht, and Novemberpogrome, was a pogrom or series of attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on 9–10 November 1938.Jewish homes were ransacked, as were shops, towns and...
in 1938 and fled to Switzerland during World War II; together with Stacy Michael, Buchanan wrote an article about it for the New Hampshire Gazette, accusing one of the directors of the bank, Prescott Bush
Prescott Bush
Prescott Sheldon Bush was a Wall Street executive banker and a United States Senator, representing Connecticut from 1952 until January 1963. He was the father of George H. W. Bush and the grandfather of George W...
, of dealing with the Nazis.
Buchanan suffers from hypermania, a form of bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder or bipolar affective disorder, historically known as manic–depressive disorder, is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a category of mood disorders defined by the presence of one or more episodes of abnormally elevated energy levels, cognition, and mood with or without one or...
, and when the media spurned his original attempts to publicize his findings, he e-mailed a number of threats against journalists and media outlets, saying that he would expose the journalists as "traitors to the truth." Buchanan was arrested and charged with aggravated stalking
Stalking
Stalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, over a dispute of how best to publicize his theories, but the charges were dropped in 2004.
During his presidential campaign, he often referred to himself as "the 9/11 Truth
9/11 Truth Movement
9/11 Truth movement is a collective name for loosely affiliated organizations and individuals who question the accepted account of the September 11, 2001, attacks....
Candidate".
He also opposed the 2003 Iraq war
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
. A United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
reporter called his campaign "unhinged."
With 836 votes, Buchanan finished in eighth in the 2004 New Hampshire primary, in which incumbent George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
was not seriously contested.
Buchanan also mulled a 2004 run with the Reform Party
Reform Party of the United States of America
The Reform Party of the United States of America is a political party in the United States, founded in 1995 by Ross Perot...
. The major contenders for the nomination were Ted Weill
Ted Weill
Theodore "Ted" Weill was the nominee for President of the United States of the Reform Party of the United States of America in the 2008 election...
and Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader
Ralph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
, the latter of whom was ultimately chosen.
Buchanan served as editor of the Blairsville, GA Union Sentinel for 13 weeks in 2005. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said:
- To anyone with access to Google, it's the surreal story of a conspiracy theorist and fringe presidential candidate who once broke a briefly infamous story about Bush family financial links to a Nazi sympathizer — a story that nearly destroyed him.
- This journalist tried to leave his mental and legal problems behind for rustic serenity ... After Buchanan's story was published, The Associated Press investigated the allegations. Jonathan Salant, the AP reporter, said he "couldn't prove everything" Buchanan asserted, but wrote a story on what he found in the archives. The documents did show that Prescott Bush served on the bank board but was never charged with any crime.