Empty Promises

Michael Santomauro is a Holocaust denier and has been proprietor of RePortersNoteBook.com for at least six years now -- maybe longer. With Germar Rudolf now in Germany awaiting trial, Santomauro has taken over Rudolf's site also, with his characteristic flair. When I went to see David Irving in February 2003, Santomauro was "hosting" the event and confiscated several copies of a pamphlet published by the Holocaust History Project, that I had placed on an information table there.

Santomauro first caught my eye with this promise that is still posted to his site: "$1,000.00 reward (will be paid by RePortersNoteBook.com) to the first person to prove that any portion of Israel Shahak's Jewish History, Jewish Religion -- The Weight of Three Thousand Years, chapter 5 is inaccurate." I submitted this essay, which is now cited by Wikipedia, among other sources on Shahak. Santomauro refused to pay.

Now, as a "celebration" of David Irving's release from jail in Austria, Santomauro is offer $10,000 "any person to prove that any topic in the book published by Germar Rudolf who is currently in prison and on trial in Germany for writing this book titled: The Lectures on the Holocaust [Online here] where the essence of it's [sic] content by chapter or topic is not academically acceptable."

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Anyone even remotely considering taking this on should take several steps before even getting down to work

1. Get Proof that Santomauro Has the Money. If he doesn't have the money, then what would be the point?
   
2. Have Him Put the Money in Escrow. Then he can't cry poor mouse later on.
   
3. Get Specifics From Santomauro About What He Wants. In particular, get him to define "academically acceptable."
   
4. Get Him to Sign a Notarized Document That He Will Actually Pay if You Meet His Specific Demands. Then if he doesn't, you have legal recourse.
   
5. Submit Anything Intended for Santomauro to Myself or Nick Terry First. Both Nick and I have published in peer-reviewed academic journals, and I actually edit one currently for my job. That includes coordinating peer review. So we'll be able to gauge -- as experts -- whether the article you submit passes economic muster.

Maybe one of us here will take a crack at it first. Hey: Who couldn't use an extra $10,000?

More on this one later.