Rachinger on dirty politics 4 – Ben asks for help

Written By: - Date published: 3:08 pm, May 11th, 2015 - 48 comments
Categories: Dirty Politics - Tags: , ,

[Update: About a month after this post was published, shortly after The Nation covered Rachinger’s account of being offered money to hack this blog, allegations were made about Rachinger’s past behaviour. We’re not going to give the sordid story any oxygen here, but if true Rachinger’s behaviour was appalling and inexcusable. This new context should be kept in mind if you are reading this old post.]

Ben Rachinger was a dirty politics insider, he is telling his story. For the background please read other posts in this series. Ben’s blog is here. Alastair Thompson at Scoop writes:

Arguably therefore this is an exceptionally fine piece of undercover investigative journalism into a matter of national significance.

In his most recent post Ben has asked for help:

… I am completely broke. Homeless. Living moment to moment. Being threatened by the State and by ‘unknown’ assailants. I fear for my very existence. I have nothing left to give but multiple angles for getting to story out.

I’m working with big names in MSM to bring this story to light. They have been able to check the facts that I was an informant and that I attempted to lay a complaint against Mr Slater for Conspiracy to Hack.

I need help. I’m ashamed to ask for it but I’ve been encouraged to do so. I need time to write my story in long-form and get it out to you, the public. If you can assist me financially to do so…

You will be doing good work. I’ve been unbalanced in my story and interactions because bringing this to light has cost me everything. I’ve suffered greatly from being disbelieved but I want one more shot to make this stick.

My PayPal address — benjaminstephen1@gmail.com

My ASB bank account — 12–3216–0294208–00

I CAN and WILL finish this story. It may have huge impacts on the political scene. At the very least… We will have more information about our situation.

I apologise to those I have offended. I wish only good things for the future. …

Authors at The Standard have had no contact with Ben (though we have had independent confirmation of some details). We have no idea what to expect. Over to individuals what to make of Ben’s request.

(Update: Note that your identity / account details will be visible to Ben if making a donation via PayPal or his bank account.)

48 comments on “Rachinger on dirty politics 4 – Ben asks for help ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Tracey 1
    11 May 2015 at 3:23 pm

    cant bring myself to contribute. not yet. dont see anything to give me the assurance i felt donating to Hager. Not saying not ever but not now for me.

  2. Amanda Atkinson 2
    11 May 2015 at 3:28 pm

    The entre … drip enough info to spike interest, wanting – waiting – hoping for many to want the rest of the story (the main meal), then all of a sudden … guess what … “I can’t afford to write the rest … you only get it if you pay for it??” What a crock! He should have asked for the money up front before dishing up the entre. Then there’d at least be a chance to be believed. He has no cred now. What an idiot.

    • r0b 2.1
      11 May 2015 at 3:37 pm

      I think that is unfair.

      I can’t say that I agree with the way that Ben has handled the release of his story, but I do believe that the pressure he is under, and the request for assistance, are genuine.

      Also note that he said “I CAN and WILL finish this story” – he’s not asking for anyone to pay for it, just for help.

      • Amanda Atkinson 2.1.1
        11 May 2015 at 3:48 pm

        then he should have told people what he was intending and asked for the money up front ,, instead he chose to wet the appetite then use oldest sales strategy in book selling … “the takeaway” … it’s a strategy, it carefully planned, and it’s a crock. No cred now.

        • weka 2.1.1.1
          11 May 2015 at 3:52 pm

          That’s not my reading of how things have unfolded. I doubt he was thinking he would need assistance when this started. You don’t have to like how he’s handled this but I disagree with your assessment of his character.

          • Amanda Atkinson 2.1.1.1.1
            11 May 2015 at 4:24 pm

            fair do’s, saying he’s an idiot is commenting on his character which of course, I nothing about. I re-phrase it to, idiotic strategy that has now over ridden his his intentions, even if they are genuine. It just doesn’t look right, the timing is so bad. It’s either a hell of a coincidence, or it’s the “takeaway” book selling strategy.

      • weka 2.1.2
        11 May 2015 at 3:50 pm

        I agree. I don’t like everything Ben has done and am aware of some things he’s done that are definitely not ok, but I also believe he is in a serious situation and needs help and I am glad he has asked.

    • Tracey 2.2
      11 May 2015 at 3:47 pm

      It is slateresque i grant you…

      • Amanda Atkinson 2.2.1
        11 May 2015 at 3:53 pm

        yes, thats the first thing I thought of when I saw this too, slaters donation wheel … if he wants inform us, just just typing for gods sake … gee whizz, if I had all this damaging info, I surely could plant my arse for a week a type it all out, without the need for finances.

        • weka 2.2.1.1
          11 May 2015 at 4:17 pm

          Good for you. I know I couldn’t. Not everyone has the same abilities or situation.

          • Amanda Atkinson 2.2.1.1.1
            11 May 2015 at 4:31 pm

            oh good grief, take a month then, the point is still the same … if you’ve got it Ben, just get on with it and write it. Besides, he’s working with the MSM (his words), aren’t they, according the The Standard, implicit in dirty politics? Surely you cannot support a story that is going to be caressed, screened, filtered and doctored by the conspiratorial right wing MSM in NZ.

            • weka 2.2.1.1.1.1
              11 May 2015 at 4:58 pm

              I think you are full of it and just making shit up. Nasty and not needed on this thread irrespective of whether you trust Ben or not.

  3. Mandy Hager 3
    11 May 2015 at 3:38 pm

    Just saw this on Twitter:
    John Palethorpe retweeted
    ☃Pomplesqueak Anna☃ ‏@MsAnna_Jane 55m55 minutes ago

    Hi Twitter. Ben Rachinger has made threats towards me, please do not support him. Block, ban, report. Please.
    9 retweets 5 favorites

  4. twebb70 4
    11 May 2015 at 3:44 pm

    Ben Rachinger is a grade A attention seeker and has been for years.

    While he has obviously gotten involved with some of the main players in the Dirty Politics story, it was all after the Hager book was published, and entirely of his own doing.

    He has made mileage out of pretending he knows who Rawshark is, when in fact he is relying on a fairly well circulated rumour.

    If you ask Ben any difficult questions about his story, he will attack you, block you and threaten to dox you. Ben has doxxed people in the past if their details are easily obtained from google.

    Ben pretends to be a hacker, and will provide advice to use possibly compromised security tools (such as Threema which is recommended by Ben).

    Ben has consistently big-noted the information he has, and Released snippets over and over again in various forms. Several times he has failed to finish his story.

    [r0b: With one deletion]

    Of course, this could all just be a smear job because the information he holds is so dangerous to vested interests like me, right Ben?

    • Tracey 4.1
      11 May 2015 at 3:51 pm

      what you just wrote could apply to a guy called slater who has this blog site.

    • twebb70 4.2
      11 May 2015 at 4:00 pm

      Thanks for editing that. That was a good deletion.

      I’d like to say I sincerely believe that Ben could do with some advice from his loved ones, or people with his best interests in mind, rather than the twitter followers who egg him on.

    • weka 4.3
      11 May 2015 at 4:06 pm

      Lots of of assertion there from someone I have never heard of. No back up.

      “If you ask Ben any difficult questions about his story, he will attack you, block you and threaten to dox you. Ben has doxxed people in the past if their details are easily obtained from google.”

      I agree Ben has a history of outing people online, however I’d be more interested to hear from people like Giovanni Tiso or Matthew Dentith who’ve critiqued Ben’s actions, and have engaged with him meaningfully.

      • Tracey 4.3.1
        11 May 2015 at 4:47 pm

        ““If you ask Ben any difficult questions about his story, he will attack you, block you and threaten to dox you. Ben has doxxed people in the past if their details are easily obtained from google.””

        I can see why Ben and Cameron ended up together. Both, it seems to me, indulge in at times nasty and hateful behaviours which suggests to me they both could spend more time on introspection and help to delve deeper into themselves. NIT talking about mental illness or diagnosis of same, but human nature, those who act in a nasty/vengeful way, imo experience have alot of emotional pain buried deeper.

      • Colonial Rawshark 4.3.2
        11 May 2015 at 4:48 pm

        I’ve run into Ben online a few times; IMO he considers himself a masterful, smart online manipulator and political intimidator; I personally wouldn’t give him the time of day.

  5. tinfoilhat 5
    11 May 2015 at 3:47 pm

    This is just really odd.

    Rather than money and this ongoing DP feud I can’t help but think Ben needs some kind of counselling and to stay well away from all the parties desperately trying to throw mud at each other I think they’re all toxic.

  6. weka 6
    11 May 2015 at 3:56 pm

    Given how polarising this is, and given Ben’s level of vulnerability, I’m not sure what good will be served by the standard having a thread where people can slag off Ben. Am aware I might be stepping over a line here re ts, sorry.

    • r0b 6.1
      11 May 2015 at 3:58 pm

      I think you’re right, will moderate comments from now on.

    • Tracey 6.2
      11 May 2015 at 3:59 pm

      i am ambivalent about it too and being a vehicle for the financial help request…

      • weka 6.2.1
        11 May 2015 at 4:09 pm

        I have less of a problem with the request being hosted, although i would feel more comfortable if he’d used something like givealittle. It looks like he needs some good people around him as much as money. Hard to judge from this distance though.

  7. JeevesPOnzi 7
    11 May 2015 at 4:13 pm

    CHrist! where’s my long winded rant gone???

  8. JeevesPOnzi 8
    11 May 2015 at 4:19 pm

    Why has he completely disappeared from TDB ???

  9. Rosemary McDonald 9
    11 May 2015 at 4:29 pm

    FWIW I have no sound instinct for what is really going on here.

    But Ben, as a parent, can I suggest you turn to your family for support.

    No matter what you may have done, the door to home is usually kept ajar.

    You have been associating with some seriously exploitative individuals who have no interest in your welfare.

    Now, or in the future.

    Good luck.

  10. ianmac 10
    11 May 2015 at 4:43 pm

    A long history of people being maligned online especially by those who have things to hide. So I am going on trust of Ben. Pity we aren’t all super smooth operators like certain politicians. Eh?
    (I gave a small donation via his bank account.)

  11. jenny kirk 11
    11 May 2015 at 5:18 pm

    I am remembering Ben said he was profoundly deaf.

    Being profoundly deaf is a huge disability and although he may appear okay, and appear totally in control of what he is writing using a keyboard which is much more accessible to a deaf person than is speaking, I’m wondering if his disability has had more of an impact on what he does, and how he does things , without either him or others realising.

    Ben – you say you are now homeless. Please do go back to your parents’ home and seek some expert support and advice on whatever you think is happening. You need to have some friends around you.

    And maybe you could try and get in touch with the Deaf Association for support.

  12. jdickinson 12
    11 May 2015 at 5:20 pm

    I have met him before – [r0b: deleted] he is depressed.

    He cannot be trusted [r0b: deleted – too many unfounded personal accusations]

  13. jenny kirk 13
    11 May 2015 at 5:26 pm

    I am remembering that Ben said he was profoundly deaf.

    Being profoundly deaf is a huge disability which is not immediately obvious to normal hearing people. Despite Ben’s ability in using a keyboard (computer, internet, twitter, etc) there is a possibility that his deafness may have had more of a negative impact on how he puts things, or how he does things, than either he or others with normal hearing ability might realise.

    Like ianmac, I don’t like the maligning of others online (other than certain real politicians, that is !) and like Rosemary McDonald above – Ben, I would also like to suggest that you get back in touch with your parents and perhaps also you could seek support from the NZ Deaf Association.

  14. r0b 14
    11 May 2015 at 5:29 pm

    I have to go, can’t moderate any more. I’m closing comments on this post – a full range of views has been expressed!

    I think it’s fair to say that discussion here is characteristic of the controversy that surrounds Ben on social media – see the first post in this series:
    http://thestandard.org.nz/rachinger-on-dirty-politics/