Narrator: The Times gained respect and influence throughout the Reagan years, lending editorial support to causes favored by the Administration.

Reagan: "Freedom fighters will huddle close to their radios hoping to catch word that the administration in America will remain their friend."

Narrator: The contra forces battling the Sandinista government in Nicaragua received editorial support and money from the Washington Times. Here's how it worked:

Narrator: In March 1985, Oliver North wrote this top secret memo proposing the formation of a private foundation called the Nicaraguan Freedom Fund.

Narrator: Its purpose was to circumvent a Congressional ban on aid to the Contras. Less than two months later, the Washington Times announced the birth of the Nicaraguan Freedom Fund in a front-page editorial.

Narrator: Times editor Arnaud de Borchgrave insisted he was "surprised" at the coincidence between his paper's initiative and North's secret project. The Washington Times contributed the first $100,000 to the Freedom Fund.

(Soundtrack) Oliver North: "The worst outcome we could have would be the consolidation of a communist client state in Nicaragua."

Narrator: When Oliver North was questioned by Congress about his role in funding the contras, The American Freedom Coalition rushed to his defense. The AFC produced this video, "Oliver North: Fight for Freedom," which it broadcast more than 600 times on over 100 television stations.

Narrator: The program asked for donations. Tax records reveal that the video raised more than $3.2 million for the AFC.

Heston: "It only takes 30 minutes for a missile to get here from the Soviet Union. How far do you think you can get in 30 minutes?

Narrator: Another project of the Reagan Administration was the Strategic Defense Initiative — SDI, or "Star Wars." It also received support from the Washington Times and the American Freedom Coalition.

"If you really value life, if you want your children and your grandchildren to get out from under the threat of nuclear annihilation, then please, please demonstrate your support for SDI."

Narrator: This pro-Star Wars video was paid for and distributed by the AFC.

(Soundtrack) "We can't stop it? We can't stop one damn missile? All I can do is watch a million people die, or start blowing up the whole world? They are my only choices?"

Graham: "Reverend Moon's organization has been very supportive of the Strategic Defense Initiative."

Narrator: Former Defense and Central Intelligence official Daniel Graham, who sits on the AFC national policy board, co-produced the video.

Graham: "It's called 'One Incoming,' and it includes a scenario that I got Tom Clancy to write for us, and I got Charlton Heston to do the voiceover."

(Soundtrack) Heston: "And for America, our choice will remain nuclear vengeance or nothing — until SDI is deployed."

Graham: "It cost a lot of money to produce it — $200,000 — and Grant said he could raise the $200,000. Now Grant is supported substantially by the Reverend Moon — and I'm sure that's where the money came from to produce that movie."

Narrator: According to Graham, the film has been seen on four hundred television stations.

Narrator: Besides paying for his own media, Moon sought to influence other press outlets. One vehicle was the World Media Association.

Pak: " And the founder is Reverend Moon, who is deeply concerned for the world media, particularly in the battle against communism all over the world; who sees that the role of the media is so vital and so important for the salvation of our civilization."

Narrator: The World Media Association sponsors all-expense-paid conferences and junkets for journalists all over the world. As Bo Hi Pak told public station KQED in 1984, the Unification Movement used the association as a weapon for a larger crusade.

Pak: "But is a total war. Basically war of ideas. War of mind, the battlefield is the human mind. This is where the battle is fought. So in this war the entire thing will be mobilized, political means, social means, economical means and propagandistic means, and basically trying to take over the other person's mind. That is what the third world war is all about — the war of ideology."

Narrator: While waging its global war of ideas, the Unification Movement was also fighting another battle — to overcome the stigma of Moon's 1982 conviction for tax evasion. To clear his name, Moon launched a campaign termed the "New Birth Project." Its strategy was to show that Moon's prosecution was really racial and religious persecution.

(Soundtrack) Moon/Pak: "I am here today only because my skin is yellow and my religion is Unification Church."

Durst: "It's a powerful state trying to break one religion-and what happens to Rev. Moon — watch out — will happen to many other religious figures."

Pak: "For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever, amen!"

Narrator: Church leaders charged the media were part of the problem.

Durst: "We don't like it. We don't like to be abused by any newspaper, we don't like to be abused by the media and we're not going to take it."

Narrator: But an adroit use of the media was part of the Unification plan. Moon bought full-page ads in leading newspapers, and sent videotapes explaining his theology to other religious leaders — at a cost of more than four million dollars. Press conferences outside Moon's prison helped spread the word.

Rev. Don Sills: "Today we have witnessed a travesty of the judicial system of our United States. The Reverend Sun Myung Moon has been unjustly convicted."

Rev. Joseph Paige: "Reverend Moon, like myself, is a minority here in this country. And we don't have the popular views of the mainline churches, we are about liberation."

Narrator: The New Birth Project worked, and Moon was "born again" as a martyr to bigotry. After he left prison, he was celebrated by more than 1700 clergy at this "God and Freedom Banquet" in Washington.

Durst: "Ironically — and perhaps historically — there is something similar here to other religious movements — from this persecution has come the greatest support and acceptance of the Unification movement. "

Narrator: Part of the New Birth Project employed familiar Moon tactics. In July, 1985, a front organization was formed called the Committee to Defend the United States Constitution. Moon insider David Finzer was asked to join the board.

Finzer: "We executed all of the documents, and I understand the corporation was incorporated the very next day. Now that was the last I heard of the Committee to Defend the United States Constitution for about two years."

Narrator: Finzer now claims that he didn't learn until much later that the Committee to Defend the United States Constitution was a front group.

Finzer: "All of the money was spent for publications or advertising or events that supported Reverend Moon. We found a magazine that was put out under the Committee's name. There was my name listed as one of the directors that I had never seen before. We found a check to the printer for $174,000, printed for that...The real purpose was not, I can tell you what it was not . It was not to support religious liberty. What it was, was to support and sanitize Reverend Moon's name, to give the appearance of independent support instead of wholly-owned, bought support, to make him some kind of a First Amendment hero."

Narrator: Moon ultimately went to the top in his effort to clear his name — seeking a presidential pardon for his crimes.

Narrator: The point man was Max Hugel, a former Reagan campaign official and one-time deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency in charge of covert operations.

Hugel: "It is so important to have a superb intelligence agency."

Narrator: Hugel was forced to leave the agency in the wake of a stock scandal.

(Soundtrack) PRESS CONFERENCE: Reporter off camera: "Can you tell us why you're not choosing to stay on and fight?"

Narrator: Hugel later went into business with Jonathan Park, the son of Bo Hi Pak.

ATLANTIC VIDEO DEMO REEL: Announcer: "Through two huge sound locks are the best outfitted teleproduction studios in the region." Narrator: Hugel worked with Park to expand Moon's electronic media empire, while also brokering contacts between Bo Hi Pak and Vice President George Bush.

Narrator: In this April, 1988 memo to Unification Church member Marc Lee, Hugel offers to arrange for Pak to have his picture taken with the Vice President — at a cost of $50,000. Hugel also promises to try to get Bush to write to Pak. Two months later, Bush did write to Pak, and told him, "I hope we can meet again soon." Did they discuss a pardon during their meeting? Neither President Bush nor Bo Hi Pak would comment to FRONTLINE.

Narrator: Later in 1988, Hugel also recruited the law firm of one of Ronald Reagan's best friends to assist in Moon's pardon effort — former Senator Paul Laxalt.

(Soundtrack) Ronald Reagan: "The friend who understands you creates you, a wise man once said. Paul created because he always understood and for that I am and shall always be grateful." Narrator: Laxalt's law firm was paid $100,000 up front and $50,000 a month to obtain a presidential pardon for Moon. According to billings submitted by the lawyers, Laxalt was directly involved in the pardon effort. This petition for executive clemency was delivered to the Justice Department, accompanied by letters from Senator Orrin Hatch, publisher William Rusher, civil rights leader Ralph Abernathy endorsing the pardon.

Narrator: The Washington Times also became involved in the pardon campaign. First, Editor Arnaud de Borchgrave wrote a "letter from the editor."

Cheshire: "It was not really a letter to the editor, it was a letter to President Reagan urging President Reagan to grant Reverend Moon a presidential pardon."

Narrator: Later, the Times ran this article examining Reagan's record on pardons. After it appeared, Laxalt's partner, Paul Perito, became alarmed. Perito warned Bo Hi Pak that "if a case can be made...that the Church allegedly controls and dictates the activities of organizations such as the Washington Times...this will affect our credibility and could materially damage our prodigious efforts."

(Soundtrack) Off-Camera Female Reporter: "Any last thoughts for us, President and Mrs. Reagan, on your way out.?"

Narrator: Ronald Reagan never pardoned Sun Myung Moon. Moon's pardon application is still pending before the Bush Administration. Max Hugel, Paul Laxalt, and Paul Perito all refused to comment. Ronald Reagan also declined to comment.

Narrator: Is the New Birth Project continuing? In June,1991, Inquisition, a new, purportedly independent investigation of Moon's 1982 tax fraud prosecution, was released by a Washington publisher, Regnery-Gateway. Its author, Carlton Sherwood, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who once worked for the Washington Times.

Narrator: Inquisition has a curious history. It was printed once before, by an obscure publishing house called Andromeda. The phone number listed for Andromeda in a leading publishing directory is the home phone of former Reagan National Security Council official Roger Fontaine — an ex-reporter at the Washington Times. When we called, Fontaine's wife Judy answered and said she knew nothing about Andromeda. Then she told us that the company was bankrupt and that Inquisition was published by Regnery-Gateway.

Narrator: Alfred Regnery is the head of Regnery-Gateway.

Regnery: "It is not unlike a lot of other books we have published. It is a story that deals with the First Amendment, which is something that is very dear to publishers, of course."

Narrator: Alfred Regnery was told by Carlton Sherwood that the Moon Organization would purchase one hundred thousand copies of Inquisition — at least according to former Washington Times editor James Whelan, another Regnery-Gateway author. But Alfred Regnery denies it.

Regnery: "I never said that to Jim, and I've never had any conversation with what's his name-Bo?"

Narrator: "Bo Hi Pak."

Regnery: "I'm not even sure who he is."

Narrator: One week after talking to Regnery, FRONTLINE obtained a copy of a letter addressed to Sun Myung Moon. The letter was written by James Gavin, a Moon aide. Gavin tells Moon he reviewed the "overall tone and factual contents" of Inquisition before publication and suggested revisions. Gavin adds that the author "Mr. Sherwood has assured me that all this will be done when the manuscript is sent to the publisher." Gavin concludes by telling Moon, "When all of our suggestions have been incorporated, the book will be complete and in my opinion will make a significant impact.... In addition to silencing our critics now, the book should be invaluable in persuading others of our legitimacy for many years to come."

Narrator: Although he refused an on-camera interview, Carlton Sherwood told Frontline that the Unification Movement exerted no editorial control over his book.

Narrator: When we visited Gavin's office in McLean, Virginia, our request for an interview was refused.

Narrator: Many questions about the Unification Movement remain unanswered. But none is more pressing — or perplexing — than this: Where does all the money come from? The Moon Organization has spent an astonishing amount in the United States:

-more than $800 million on the Washington Times;
-hundreds of millions on national periodicals;
-tens of millions on electronic media;
-at least $40 million on New York newspapers;
-more than $10 million on a New York publishing house;
-millions on World Media Association junkets and conferences;
-millions more on New Right organizations, including the American Freedom Coalition;
-well over $100 million on real estate, including the New Yorker Hotel in midtown Manhattan;
-at least $40 million on commercial fishing operations;
-and at least $75 million on the New Birth Project...
It all adds up to more than a billion dollars.

Narrator: But most of Moon's operations in America are losing money. Virginia Commonwealth University professor David Bromley:

Bromley: "Most of the Unificationist Movement's businesses, as far as I can tell, have lost substantial sums of money. Again, the best example is the Washington Times, which may have lost as much as fifty million dollars a year — a major loser."

Narrator: So where does the money come from? Moon himself told the Senate Judiciary Committee in June, 1984: the money comes from overseas.

Moon: "Several hundred million dollars have been poured into America, because this nation will decide the destiny of the world, these contributions are primarily coming from overseas."

Narrator: But from where overseas? Not from Korea. According to The Far Eastern Economic Review, many of the Church's businesses in Korea "are performing poorly or need to make major new investments." .

Narrator: For nearly two decades, it has been reported that one major Moon patron is Ryoichi Sasakawa, one of the richest men in Japan.

Narrator: Sasakawa's money comes from his monopoly on the motorboat racing industry. Legalized gambling on the sport is a fourteen billion dollar a year industry in Japan.

Choate: "For more than a half century, Ryoichi Sasakawa has been one of the primary political brokers inside Japan."

Narrator: Author Pat Choate, whose book, Agents of Influence, examines Japan's campaign to shape America's policy and politics...

Choate: "When Reverend Moon expanded his operations inside Japan, he asked Sasakawa to be one of the principal advisers to his Church inside Japan. Many of their operations — the Sasakawa operations, the Moon operations — seem to parallel each other. They operate in many of the same ways — giving away money, a great deal of attention to media and media organizations, the establishment of think tanks and other policy organizations that operate across national borders, and the maintenance of a very right wing conservative focus."

(Soundtrack) NEWSREEL - MUSSOLINI ADDRESSING CROWD

Narrator: Sasakawa's right-wing associations go back more than fifty years. In 1939, he flew to Italy to meet Benito Mussolini, whom he called "the perfect fascist."

Choate: "He formed one of the most radical of the fascist parties inside Japan. He was one of those individual business leaders that was calling for war with the United States."

Narrator: Immediately after the war, Sasakawa was arrested and imprisoned by the U.S. Army as a war criminal. Sasakawa was sent to prison with two other suspected war criminals-Yoshio Kodama and Nobusuke Kishi. Kodama went on to become a leader of the "yakuza", or organized crime syndicate of Japan. Kishi went on to become Japan's Prime Minister. All three men reportedly played key roles in the early days of the Moon organization.

Junas: "Kishi had emerged as the front man for the Moon Organization in Japan. And Sasakawa served as an adviser...He was a behind-the-scenes powerbroker who was manipulating the Moon organization. Moon, in his own speeches, refers to his Japanese friend who is quite wealthy — Mr. Sasakawa."

Narrator: In 1967, Moon and Sasakawa are reported to have formed the Japanese chapter of the World Anti-Communist League, which funded anti-Communist insurgencies worldwide. Thousands cheered Moon at this 1970 rally in Tokyo.

Narrator: Today Sasakawa denies providing any financial or political assistance to Moon. Sasakawa told Frontline that he only met Moon once — 25 years ago. Yet Moon in a 1973 speech claimed he was "very close" to Sasakawa and Bo Hi Pak called Sasakawa, Moon's "chief ally in the battle against communism."

Choate: "If they are using substantial amounts of the Japanese money, they are not only running a Korean agenda, but they're also serving as political mercenaries for the Japanese. And it should be a matter of great concern."

DESERT STORM RALLY FOOTAGE: "Support our troops, support our troops, support our troops!"

Narrator: Moon has been operating in the United States for thirty years. Whether Americans know it or not, the Reverend Sun Myung Moon is a force in their political lives.

WOMAN SINGS: "God bless America, my home, sweet home."

Narrator: But some Americans are suspicious of Moon and question whether his political activities are in the interest of America.

Weyrich: "Here is what disturbs me. It is the lack of knowledge of the people who are being taken in by this activity of who is behind it, where the funding is coming from, and what are their ultimate objectives."

Choate: "This should be the ultimate congressional investigation — to lay all of this out before the American people and bring it into the sunshine and stop it."

Narrator: Since 1978, Congress has demonstrated little interest in investigating Moon. And when we visited the Justice Department, officials there had nothing to say.

Scene-Eric Nadler at Justice Dept.

"We'd like you to come down and answer the question, 'Why the Justice Department isn't investigating the Washington Times under the Foreign Agents Registration Act... No comment is your answer.'"

Narrator: We asked the White House to comment on the Unification Movement's activities in America. We asked specifically about Bo Hi Pak's 1988 meeting with Mr. Bush at his home, about the President's knowledge of the campaign to obtain a pardon for Sun Myung Moon, about the help that the American Freedom Coalition gave his election campaign, and whether the President thought his Justice Department should investigate the Washington Times for possible violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The White House declined to comment.

Narrator: Finally, Reverend Moon also refused to talk to FRONTLINE. But in this Church-sponsored film, Reverend Moon in America, he had this to say:

"Now whether positively or negatively, America knows me — and it happened quickly. At least I have America's attention. Because of that, I will be able to tell the people the truth of God, the new revelation. The worst treatment America could give me is to ignore me. Now I can preach the truth. "

THE END

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