Looted Art at the Getty

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More than half of the ancient works called "masterpieces" by the Getty Museum were purchased from dealers now under investigation for dealing in art looted from ancient ruins. That's according to Sunday's Los Angeles Times, which reported that the Getty knew it was dealing with shady operators, but bought from them anyway. The Getty says it can't respond in detail because the Times was "unethical and irresponsible" for basing its story on "stolen" information documents that could jeopardize the rights of Marion True. She is the Getty's curator of antiquities, who's scheduled to go on trial in Italy in November. We hear more from Anna Somers Cocks, a member of the British Illicit Trade Panel, and Publisher and Editorial Director of The Art Newspaper in London.Making News: California's David Dreier to Assume Some of DeLay's DutiesWhen Tom DeLay stepped down as Majority Leader after he was indicted today, the first reports said Speaker Dennis Hastert had chosen California's David Dreier to replace him. A few hours later, Dreier played second--or even third--fiddle to Roy Blunt of Missouri. Was his Dreier's moderation that got him bumped? We ask Doyle McManus of the Los Angeles Times and NBC political analyst Sherry Bebitch Jeffee.Reporter's Notebook: Identifying Victims of Human Trafficking The State Department says between 14 and 17,000 people are sent to the United States every year to be slaves, with Los Angeles a major hub for that traffic. But often their presence goes undetected because those most likely to meet them aren't trained to recognize the evidence. Now the federal Department of Health and Human Services is in the first phase of a campaign to turn that around. Steve Wagner is Director of the Trafficking in Person's Program.
More than half of the ancient works called "masterpieces" by the Getty Museum were purchased from dealers now under investigation for dealing in art looted from ancient ruins. That's according to Sunday's Los Angeles Times, which reported that the Getty knew it was dealing with shady operators, but bought from them anyway. The Getty says it can't respond in detail because the Times was "unethical and irresponsible" for basing its story on "stolen" information documents that could jeopardize the rights of Marion True. She is the Getty's curator of antiquities, who's scheduled to go on trial in Italy in November. We hear more from Anna Somers Cocks, a member of the British Illicit Trade Panel, and Publisher and Editorial Director of The Art Newspaper in London.
  • Making News: California's David Dreier to Assume Some of DeLay's Duties
    When Tom DeLay stepped down as Majority Leader after he was indicted today, the first reports said Speaker Dennis Hastert had chosen California's David Dreier to replace him. A few hours later, Dreier played second--or even third--fiddle to Roy Blunt of Missouri. Was his Dreier's moderation that got him bumped? We ask Doyle McManus of the Los Angeles Times and NBC political analyst Sherry Bebitch Jeffee.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Identifying Victims of Human Trafficking
    The State Department says between 14 and 17,000 people are sent to the United States every year to be slaves, with Los Angeles a major hub for that traffic. But often their presence goes undetected because those most likely to meet them aren't trained to recognize the evidence. Now the federal Department of Health and Human Services is in the first phase of a campaign to turn that around. Steve Wagner is Director of the Trafficking in Person's Program.

Delay indictment

Times article on Dreier assuming some of Delay's duties

J. Paul Getty Museum

LA Times article on Getty having signs it was acquiring stolen loot

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton