In 2020, investigative journalists from Vice started questioning the legitimacy of Operation Underground Railroad’s claims. They filed a request for documents after the Attorney’s Office of Davis County opened an investigation looking into complaints that the organization used illegal fundraising tactics. Although that case was dropped, Ballard still stepped down from his position with O.U.R this summer — and that’s really when things began to unravel. This Friday at 11 a.m. we speak with Vice reporters Tim Marchman and Anna Merlan about their reporting on O.U.R and Tim Ballard.
Content warning: There is mention of child sex abuse in this episode. Please know that help is available for free at the Utah Crisis Line. Call 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) [toll free] or 801-587-3000 [local]. Read more about the Utah Crisis Line on their website.
GUESTS
- Anna Merlan | Journalist, author and co-author of a series of articles on O.U.R and Tim Ballard published at Vice.com. Her latest book is “Republic of Lies: American Conspiracy Theorists and Their Surprising Rise to Power” [AnnaMerlan | Amazon | Bookshop]
- Timothy Marchman | Journalist and co-author of a series of articles on O.U.R and Tim Ballard published at Vice.com
Airdate: Friday, October 6, 2023 at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.