Hacker Exposes Bush Family’s Private Emails, Photos

Posted on Feb 8, 2013

Screenshot via The Smoking Gun

A hacker who claims to have broken into the email account of a member of the Bush family and other associates has released some of the personal messages and private photographs that were stolen. The trove includes sensitive correspondence from both former presidents, cellphone numbers, home addresses, family pictures, health information about George H.W. Bush and self-portraits drawn by George W. Bush of the ex-president showering and bathing.

“Correspondence obtained by the hacker indicates that at least six separate e-mail accounts have been compromised, including the AOL account of Dorothy Bush Koch, daughter of George H.W. Bush and sister of George W. Bush,” The Smoking Gun reported. “Other breached accounts belong to Willard Heminway, 79, an old friend of the 41st president who lives in Greenwich, Conn.; CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz, a longtime Bush family friend; former first lady Barbara Bush’s brother; and George H.W. Bush’s sister-in-law.”

Most of the stolen emails were dated from 2009 to 2012, and a large number dealt with George H.W. Bush’s recent health issues and prolonged hospital stay.

The Smoking Gun:

The hacked e-mails reveal that Bush’s health was so perilous in late-December that the former president’s chief of staff wrote his children to inform them that “your dad’s funeral team is having an emergency meeting at 10 a.m. just to go through all the details.” The Bush aide, Jean Becker, noted that this information “fell under the broadening category of things NOT TO TELL YOUR MOTHER.”

In a December 26 e-mail to his siblings, George W. Bush wrote that he was “thinking about eulogy” and solicited stories that best illustrated their father’s sweet nature, favorite jokes, and acts of kindness. “Hopefully I’m jumping the gun,” noted Bush, who added, “But since the feeling is that you all would rather me speak than bubba, please help.” The mention of “bubba” is apparently a reference to Clinton, whom Bush has referred to as a “brother” due to his close relationship with George H. W. Bush.

Another hacked e-mail showed that presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett forwarded a personal message in late-December to the ailing Bush from President Barack Obama, who wrote that, “Michelle and I haven’t wanted to impinge on you while you are recuperating, but please know that we are thinking of you and the entire family.”

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—Posted by Tracy Bloom.

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