Rachel Marsden
Encyclopedia
Rachel Marsden
is a Canadian conservative political columnist, geopolitical strategist, author and television commentator based in Paris. She writes an internationally syndicated weekly column for Tribune Media Services. She also teaches at Sciences Po University in Paris. In the 2000s, she was a columnist for publications such as The Washington Times, National Post, Toronto Sun and the New York Post. She has appeared as a co-host and contributor on Fox News and also on CNN
, and currently runs the website Grand Central Political, which syndicates and distributes commentary by figures such as Bernard Kerik
and Mark Cuban
. Her weekly political commentary appears in the online edition of Daily Telegraph
, Human Events
magazine, Spectator Magazine, and Townhall.com
. She has also been published in the Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, and Spectator Magazine. She is currently a regular panelist on LCP Politique Matin carried on the state-owned parliamentary television channel La Chaîne parlementaire
in France, and writes regular analysis pieces for Hudson Institute publications. In November 2011, she published the book, American Bombshell: A Tale Of Domestic And International Invasion, described as a roman à clef
.
Marsden first came to public attention for her role in the Simon Fraser University 1997 harassment controversy
, and was the focus of media coverage for tumultuous breakups with a Vancouver radio host, an Ontario police officer, and the co-founder of Wikipedia
, Jimmy Wales
.
. In 2002, she worked for the Free Congress Foundation
, and resigned when her employer learned of a harassment charge against her related to her former boyfriend in Vancouver.
Prior to the 2004 federal election in Canada, she was hired by Gurmant Grewal
, a Conservative member of the Parliament of Canada
, to assist his constituency office with press releases.
She was a regular National Post
columnist for two months
in 2005 before joining the Toronto Sun
as a weekly opinion columnist, a position held until November 2007. In 2006, she moved from Toronto to New York
. Her political commentary has been reprinted by other journals, including the New York Post
and NewsMax Media
.
Marsden was a frequent guest on Dennis Miller Live
when she was tapped to become the Canadian pundit for The O'Reilly Factor
on the Fox News Channel
. Marsden was employed by the Fox News Channel
from 2004
to May 2007.
She was promoted to panelist on Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld
, a late-night talk show. A producer on Red Eye praised Marsden, saying that "she has very passionate opinions...she's articulate, intelligent, and we get a lot of favorable mail about her". Marsden has been compared to Ann Coulter
in opinion, presentation and appearance.
On May 30, 2007, Marsden was dismissed from Red Eye and escorted out of the Fox studio by security guards. She explained that her departure was due to a change in the show's format, and that being escorted out is standard procedure. In October 2007, she was a panelist on CNN
's The Situation Room
.
suburb of Coquitlam. She was an avid competitive swimmer. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science
degree from Simon Fraser University
, Marsden earned a diploma in broadcast journalism
from the British Columbia Institute of Technology
. Marsden has said that growing up listening to Canadian radio personality Jack Webster
inspired her move into journalism.
She also attended the National Journalism Center
.
As a student, Marsden came to public attention when she was at the center of the Simon Fraser University 1997 harassment controversy
, in which she and a swimming
coach
publicly accused each other of sexual harassment
.
The coach was dismissed, then re-hired by the university after doubts were raised about the credibility of the accusations against him. Over ten years later, Marsden was interviewed by the university's newspaper and said of the events: "[The administration] were more interested in quelling negative PR than defending the truth. I was told by SFU to keep quiet and say nothing to the media. My only regret is that I listened to them."
In 2004, Marsden was given a conditional discharge
with one year of probation
for criminal harassment of her boyfriend, a Vancouver radio show host, following a breakup.
In September 2007, a relationship between Marsden and an Ontario Provincial Police
officer ended. She posted his photo and identified him on her blog as an anti-terrorism officer who had leaked secret anti-terrorism documents to her. The officer filed a complaint of harassment against Marsden, but this was later dropped. The OPP launched a separate internal investigation into the alleged conduct of the officer.
On more than one occasion Marsden asked Wikipedia
to delete her biography
on the site. Her concerns led her to contact Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales
in 2006, claiming that it was wrong and libelous. Wales stated his involvement with her article was handled through the normal channels, and was "routine". He also says he "recused [himself] from any further official action", after their relationship became personal.
On February 29, 2008, the technology gossip blog Valleywag
claimed Wales and Marsden had entered into a relationship, and published instant messaging chats they allegedly exchanged. On the following day Wales announced on his Wikipedia user page that he was no longer involved with her. In return, Marsden, who claimed to have learned about the breakup by reading about it at Wikipedia, turned to eBay
and put up for auction a t-shirt and sweater with white stains that she claimed belonged to Wales.
is a Canadian conservative political columnist, geopolitical strategist, author and television commentator based in Paris. She writes an internationally syndicated weekly column for Tribune Media Services. She also teaches at Sciences Po University in Paris. In the 2000s, she was a columnist for publications such as The Washington Times, National Post, Toronto Sun and the New York Post. She has appeared as a co-host and contributor on Fox News and also on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, and currently runs the website Grand Central Political, which syndicates and distributes commentary by figures such as Bernard Kerik
Bernard Kerik
Bernard Bailey "Bernie" Kerik is a former New York City Police Commissioner, Secretary of Homeland Security nominee, and now a federal felon. Kerik was New York City Police Commissioner from 2000 to 2001, under Mayor Rudy Giuliani. In December 2004, President George W. Bush nominated Kerik as...
and Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is an American business magnate and investor. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet....
. Her weekly political commentary appears in the online edition of Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, Human Events
Human Events
Human Events is a weekly American conservative magazine. It takes its name from the first sentence of the United States Declaration of Independence...
magazine, Spectator Magazine, and Townhall.com
Townhall.com
Townhall.com is a web-based publication primarily dedicated to conservative United States politics. It was previously operated by the Heritage Foundation, but is now owned and operated by Salem Communications...
. She has also been published in the Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, and Spectator Magazine. She is currently a regular panelist on LCP Politique Matin carried on the state-owned parliamentary television channel La Chaîne parlementaire
La Chaîne parlementaire
La Chaîne parlementaire is a French television network responsible for broadcasting activity from the National Assembly of France and the Senate of France . It is available through digital terrestrial television "TNT"...
in France, and writes regular analysis pieces for Hudson Institute publications. In November 2011, she published the book, American Bombshell: A Tale Of Domestic And International Invasion, described as a roman à clef
Roman à clef
Roman à clef or roman à clé , French for "novel with a key", is a phrase used to describe a novel about real life, overlaid with a façade of fiction. The fictitious names in the novel represent real people, and the "key" is the relationship between the nonfiction and the fiction...
.
Marsden first came to public attention for her role in the Simon Fraser University 1997 harassment controversy
Simon Fraser University 1997 harassment controversy
The 1997 Simon Fraser University harassment controversy was a series of events at Simon Fraser University. In the case at the center of the controversy, Rachel Marsden, then a student, and Liam Donnelly, a swimming coach, accused each other of sexual harassment...
, and was the focus of media coverage for tumultuous breakups with a Vancouver radio host, an Ontario police officer, and the co-founder of Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
, Jimmy Wales
Jimmy Wales
Jimmy Donal "Jimbo" Wales is an American Internet entrepreneur best known as a co-founder and promoter of the online non-profit encyclopedia Wikipedia and the Wikia company....
.
Career
Marsden first broke into print journalism in the early 2000s, writing for conservative web sites and The Washington TimesThe Washington Times
The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, and until 2010 was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate associated with the...
. In 2002, she worked for the Free Congress Foundation
Free Congress Foundation
The Free Congress Foundation , is a conservative think tank founded by Paul Weyrich. It was based near Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C...
, and resigned when her employer learned of a harassment charge against her related to her former boyfriend in Vancouver.
Prior to the 2004 federal election in Canada, she was hired by Gurmant Grewal
Gurmant Grewal
Gurmant Singh Grewal, is a Canadian politician and former Conservative Party of Canada Member of Parliament. Gurmant and his wife, Nina Grewal, were the first married couple to serve in the Canadian House of Commons at the same time...
, a Conservative member of the Parliament of Canada
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
, to assist his constituency office with press releases.
She was a regular National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
columnist for two months
in 2005 before joining the Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...
as a weekly opinion columnist, a position held until November 2007. In 2006, she moved from Toronto to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Her political commentary has been reprinted by other journals, including the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
and NewsMax Media
NewsMax Media
Newsmax Media is a conservative American news media organization founded by Christopher W. Ruddy and based in West Palm Beach, Florida. It operates the news website Newsmax.com and publishes Newsmax Magazine.Christopher W...
.
Marsden was a frequent guest on Dennis Miller Live
Dennis Miller Live
Dennis Miller Live is a weekly talk show on HBO, hosted by comedian Dennis Miller. The show ran 215 episodes from 1994 to 2002, and received five Emmy awards, plus an additional 11 Emmy nominations...
when she was tapped to become the Canadian pundit for The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
on the Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
. Marsden was employed by the Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
from 2004
to May 2007.
She was promoted to panelist on Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld
Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld
Red Eye w/Greg Gutfeld is a late-night/early-morning satirical talk show on the Fox News Channel, airing at 3:00 am ET Tuesday through Saturday. The show features panelists and guests discussing the latest news in politics, pop culture, entertainment, business, sports, and religion...
, a late-night talk show. A producer on Red Eye praised Marsden, saying that "she has very passionate opinions...she's articulate, intelligent, and we get a lot of favorable mail about her". Marsden has been compared to Ann Coulter
Ann Coulter
Ann Hart Coulter is an American lawyer, conservative social and political commentator, author, and syndicated columnist. She frequently appears on television, radio, and as a speaker at public events and private events...
in opinion, presentation and appearance.
On May 30, 2007, Marsden was dismissed from Red Eye and escorted out of the Fox studio by security guards. She explained that her departure was due to a change in the show's format, and that being escorted out is standard procedure. In October 2007, she was a panelist on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's The Situation Room
The Situation Room
The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer is an afternoon/early evening newscast on CNN and CNN International hosted by Wolf Blitzer that first aired on August 8, 2005. The show replaces three politics and hard news programs: Judy Woodruff's Inside Politics, Crossfire and Wolf Blitzer Reports.At first,...
.
Personal life and education
Marsden grew up in the VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
suburb of Coquitlam. She was an avid competitive swimmer. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
degree from Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
, Marsden earned a diploma in broadcast journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
from the British Columbia Institute of Technology
British Columbia Institute of Technology
The British Columbia Institute of Technology , is a public, coeducational, academic institution of higher education in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. The polytechnic has five campuses located in the Metro Vancouver region, with the main campus in Burnaby...
. Marsden has said that growing up listening to Canadian radio personality Jack Webster
Jack Webster
John Edgar "Jack" Webster, CM was a Scottish-born Canadian journalist, radio and television personality.-Life in the United Kingdom:...
inspired her move into journalism.
She also attended the National Journalism Center
National Journalism Center
The National Journalism Center, established in 1977 by conservative journalist M. Stanton Evans, runs programs and internships for journalism students to help them to become professional journalists, and to educate them on topics which relate to conservative political issues and values.-...
.
As a student, Marsden came to public attention when she was at the center of the Simon Fraser University 1997 harassment controversy
Simon Fraser University 1997 harassment controversy
The 1997 Simon Fraser University harassment controversy was a series of events at Simon Fraser University. In the case at the center of the controversy, Rachel Marsden, then a student, and Liam Donnelly, a swimming coach, accused each other of sexual harassment...
, in which she and a swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
publicly accused each other of sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
.
The coach was dismissed, then re-hired by the university after doubts were raised about the credibility of the accusations against him. Over ten years later, Marsden was interviewed by the university's newspaper and said of the events: "[The administration] were more interested in quelling negative PR than defending the truth. I was told by SFU to keep quiet and say nothing to the media. My only regret is that I listened to them."
In 2004, Marsden was given a conditional discharge
Conditional discharge
A discharge is a type of sentence where no punishment is imposed. An absolute discharge is unconditional: the defendant is not punished, and the case is over. In some jurisdictions, an absolute discharge means there is no conviction despite a finding that the defendant is guilty...
with one year of probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
for criminal harassment of her boyfriend, a Vancouver radio show host, following a breakup.
In September 2007, a relationship between Marsden and an Ontario Provincial Police
Ontario Provincial Police
The Ontario Provincial Police is the Provincial Police service for the province of Ontario, Canada.-Overview:The OPP is the the largest deployed police force in Ontario, and the second largest in Canada. The service is responsible for providing policing services throughout the province in areas...
officer ended. She posted his photo and identified him on her blog as an anti-terrorism officer who had leaked secret anti-terrorism documents to her. The officer filed a complaint of harassment against Marsden, but this was later dropped. The OPP launched a separate internal investigation into the alleged conduct of the officer.
On more than one occasion Marsden asked Wikipedia
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
to delete her biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
on the site. Her concerns led her to contact Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales
Jimmy Wales
Jimmy Donal "Jimbo" Wales is an American Internet entrepreneur best known as a co-founder and promoter of the online non-profit encyclopedia Wikipedia and the Wikia company....
in 2006, claiming that it was wrong and libelous. Wales stated his involvement with her article was handled through the normal channels, and was "routine". He also says he "recused [himself] from any further official action", after their relationship became personal.
On February 29, 2008, the technology gossip blog Valleywag
Valleywag
Valleywag was a Gawker Media blog with gossip and news about Silicon Valley personalities. It was initially launched under the direction of editor Nick Douglas in February 2006. After Douglas was fired, the blog was taken over by Owen Thomas. Thomas himself left in May 2009, to be replaced by Ryan...
claimed Wales and Marsden had entered into a relationship, and published instant messaging chats they allegedly exchanged. On the following day Wales announced on his Wikipedia user page that he was no longer involved with her. In return, Marsden, who claimed to have learned about the breakup by reading about it at Wikipedia, turned to eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
and put up for auction a t-shirt and sweater with white stains that she claimed belonged to Wales.
External links
- Grand Central Political – business website
- Rachel Marsden's page about herself on Google Knol
- This article uses content licensed under the GFDL from deleted revisions of Wikipedia's article on Rachel Marsden. A list of previous authors of the page can be found at Talk:Rachel Marsden/GFDL History.