Richard Gage no longer President and CEO of AE911Truth

[Oystein]

Reading between the lines, it looks like a case of fighting over AE being no-planers or not.

Between whose lines?
I suggested this in #56, but that is primarily McKee's concern - I have read nothing between Gage's lines that this is a significant issue on his agenda.

 

[Oystein]

Craig McKee weighs in with a lengthy Substack post:

The assassination of AE911Truth and the magic resignation theory (Part 1)

Kelly David and Kamal Obeid back themselves into an impossible corner

thoughtcrimesandmisdemeanors.substack.com

 

[catsmate]

I do not have a full background story, so read my "What happened before" story with awareness that I almost certainly an missing big and important developments.

So, in 2021, Gage was voted out be the then-Board of AE911Truth, cut from the payroll, lost all his functions and access - allegedly because he had started talking about "Covid hoax" where he spoke as President of AE, and that sat ill with Spike Lee, who excised an entire section about AE911T from a film he did about NYC then.

Dirty laundry was washed. See upthread for some of that.

The engineer who took over as boss of AE was Roland Angle, with, initially, long-time office-chief Kelly David by his side and taking home the largest salary.
By 2023, Kelly played no more active role, it seems, and Andy Steele, their podcaster, was the only paid Officer (US$54,000 in both 2023 and 2024).

Things fell into disrepair:
- The count of Petition Signers has not been updated since November 2023
- Income took a dramatic nosedive (from near a million annually down to the 200,000s)
- Many of their good dozen of social media presences, big and small, established and alternative, saw updated and posts very seldomly
- Roland Angle died in April 2025 and was succeeded by engineer Kamal Obeid. It's my impression (backed by precious little data) that Obeid had no interest in doing activism himself.

In the meantime, Gage moved swiftly to form an LLC with a website RichardGage911.org, networking, and I am sure raking in donations galore. As he is no longer a non-profit, he is in the nice position to not have to lay open his personal salaries.

Lately, the only ongoing activity that I have been seeing at AE911T was Craig McKee and Andy Steele openly pushing the no-plane-at-Pentagon nonsense, and more openly blaming Jews. It was never quite clear to me whether any of this was approved by anyone else.

In recent months, ae911truth and richardgage911 cooperated on a few projects.

And so now this announcement on AE911Truth's website, dated November 05, 2025:

Richard Gage, AIA, Returns to AE911Truth!​

(it still irks me that he always has this ", AIA" suffix attached to his name, as if it were his name! I wonder if his wife calls him "Dickie-baby, AIA" when they are alone!)

According to this, Kamal Obeid and Kelly David asked Gage to return as CEO in late September (so just five or six weeks before this announcement!), and indeed the changes are large and swift:
- Gail Gage, Richard's wife, will be COO (Chief Operating Officer, the former Kelly David Job
- Obeid stays on the Board
- Seven A&E will be added to the Board, including names that have been around prominently since almost the beginning (Steve Dusterwald, Casey Pfiefer [sic! should be "Pfeiffer"], Jon Cole, Dan Noel) and names that are new at least to me (Richard Wallace, David Mack, Mark Lillie).
- Andy Steele will leave AE to pursue a film project on his lonesome self.

Steele is given a heart-warming farewell on that news article, but elsewhere, it sounds a tad differently:

A day later, Craig McKee posts this on a non-AE Facebook group (my emphasis):

The 9/11 Truth Movement | Well, Richard Gage is back at AE911Truth, and Andy Steele and I are terminated without cause | Facebook

Well, Richard Gage is back at AE911Truth, and Andy Steele and I are terminated without cause. I did great work for this organization at the expense of my own well-being, and now I'm tossed aside...

www.facebook.com

And in one of the comments under that post:

Elsewhere, in a private group that I am not going to link to, I saw a screenshot of McKee asking Gage: "Richard: Will you commit to not deleting any of the articles or podcasts that I contributed to? That includes the interview Andy [Steele] and I did on the Pentagon with Adam Ruff? And the Dawn of the Truth interview with Also Marquis? Will you start your new tenure in good faith? Or will you go the route of censorship? I'll be watching" and saying in a subsequent reply: "...[Gage] has ignored my last few emails. This is a truth movement, not a fan club."
Sounds like some juicy beef is going to be had!
McKee's own blog is https://truthandshadows.com/ - I expect he'll wash his laundry there.

Now, there is something I find strange about this announcement:
It's "officially" only on the ae911truth website, and then picked up secondarily by others on non-AE-pages. However, as of my writing, five days after the news broke, there is no hint yet on Gage's own richardgage911.org website, nothing on his Substack, nothing on any of AE's social media presences (e.g. Facebook, Xitter).
Most ominously, a Facebook group that CraigMcKee created a year ago, called "AE911Truth Community Hub" (announce back them as the place where the century's most important discussion would be had!) has been "paused" on Saturday, and membership is down to just 7, from 205 the day before. And I am now blocked from it
I have this hunch that McKee and/or Steele controll the passwords and won't give them up easily.

-----------

I have attached AE911Truth's tax returns (Form 990) for the years 2021 to 2024 so you can find out yourself e.g. how they have done financially as an organization, or individually as paid officers.

All it needs is missing gold and it'd be like our local fascists....

Ireland’s far-right party in crisis amid claims of stolen gold

Confusion over whether Justin Barrett remains leader of National party after his allegations of theft

www.theguardian.com

 

[Oystein]

Part 2 of Craig McKee's reporting on AE's self-destruction has dropped.
Ad it is all about the Pentagon / North of Citgo drama.
So yeah, Gage is opposed to that nonsense, and is thus accused of being the splitter.
From the final paragraph: "...the recent events threaten the survival of AE911Truth".

Pentagon interview censored on AE site in Gage return: Assassinating AE911Truth (Part 2)

Gage claims he deleted Aldo Marquis interview to maintain 'neutrality'

thoughtcrimesandmisdemeanors.substack.com

Comments are instructive, too. In one, Craig admits that "[AE911T] have someone who can help [IT-wise with posting articles] for now, but the problem they have is that there is no one to produce content."

 

[Oystein]

Holy ◊◊◊◊! The "old" leadership went full-steam ahead and ripped to shreds all ties with Richard Gage with their latest News-item on the ae911truth website, dated 11/21/2025:

The Truth You Were Not Told About the Richard Gage Transition

A Clear and Factual Account From the AE911Truth Board

www.ae911truth.org

Saved to the WayBackMachine: https://web.archive.org/web/2025112...re-not-told-about-the-richard-gage-transition

This is too long to quote here in full.
The short story is that the authors, writing under the pseudonym "AE911TruthBoard" but never giving their actual names, accuse Gage of rushing the proposed transition for the sole purpose of gaining full control with no accountablity, and ensuring he could never again get removed. Some juicy quotes:

• "2021, when Richard was removed from the organization, AE911Truth chose to remain silent out of respect for him. Unfortunately, that silence allowed various narratives to circulate unchecked, including accounts that did not reflect what actually occurred inside the organization. We will not repeat that mistake."
• "The first words out of Richard’s mouth were: “We have to dissolve the 501(c)(3) and make it an LLC.”"
• "Instead of providing a plan for the executive director role, he submitted a document describing what he would do as CEO. The submission did not contain a mission, an outreach strategy, an operational plan, engineering goals, or any roadmap for stabilizing the organization. What it did contain was a detailed structure placing himself above all staff, controlling communications, directing all projects, and determining board composition. It was not a response to the question he was asked. It was a blueprint for ensuring he retained control."
• "...he did not want a board member present who had historically held him accountable and prevented impulsive or unilateral decisions. That is not reform. That is an attempt to eliminate the only internal check on his authority."
• "This [devision by the Gages to bow out] ... was an ultimatum he issued and then chose to act on — a decision driven not by governance but by the desire to force a moment of public drama rather than continue a constructive discussion."

The article speaks at great length and with great praise about "the former executive director" - that was Andy Steele, the podcaster. The "two board members" were Kelly David (the director whom Gage wanted to step down) and Kamal Obeid (the director whom Gage wanted to keep, the "chairman").

I have not yet seen a reaction by Gage, nor have I seen this development linked to or commented on the (few) social media I look at.
The "War Room" - a weekly video call hosted by Gene Laratonda and his wife Sandra Jelmi, is mentioned as the place where Gage first publicly declared his bowing out. There should have been anothe "War Room" call yesterday, as it is generally held on Sundays.
[ETA]The "War Room" is here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@911WarRoom/videos
They have made posts on Facebook (a good dozen comments, most of them critical of the authors) and Instagram (no comments yet), announcing and linking to this article. [/ETA]

The article ends with optimistic declarations: "We remain stable, focused, and committed to finishing the work that began in 2007. We will protect this organization. We will protect its mission. We will continue moving forward, with or without anyone who demands absolute control as the price of participation. The truth matters too much to sacrifice it for personalities or power struggles. We are here to finish what we started." I have a few issues with these declarations, such as:
- Since Gage's ouster in 2021, revenues have tumbled dramatically, and there is practically no visibility of any Architects or Engineers, other than Kamal Obeid, who are active with AE
- Kelly David has been described by some as a control freak - much of what they protest about Gage could apply to her as well.
- These few and mostly non-A&E activists did NOT "protect [AE's] mission" - instead, they recently announced they would expand it to include the Pentagon and specifically the "no-plane" theory of the Pentagon event. It is pretty clear, although no mention is made in the article, that tis is a VERY important topic of conflict between, on one hand, the non-A&E activists who currently control the organization and, on the other hand, Gage and the slate of A&E he intended to bring on Board.

I think this infighting has produced only losers.
it's a good thing I recently decided to no longer stock potato chips - I might have salt-poisoned myself following these publications!

 

[Oystein]

...
[ETA]...
They have made posts on Facebook (a good dozen comments, most of them critical of the authors)...[/ETA]
...

Fresh in, a relevant comment under that Facebook post - by the aforementioned Gene Laratonda, host of the "War Room" video conferece:

This article is as absurd as removing the founder and CEO from the organization he founded the first time.
In just a few years as board member and CFO you’ve outdone every ethics complaint Richard ever faced, yet the one issue everyone mentions only in lowered voices still never reaches the minutes.
The membership didn’t leave because of Richard. They left when the organization started feeling less like a truth movement and more like a very small, very private circle.
The 3,600+ signers deserve better.
Resign Kelly. Let the professionals, the real scientists, and the original mission return. The evidence isn’t going anywhere. Your position, however, should.

He raises an interesting point: What do the 3,600+ signers think and feel (to the extent that they are still alive and still interested)? Has anyone tried to poll them? I asked this in Craig McKee's blog. Craig himself and some engineer named Jeffrey Strahl responded - but did not dare touching the actual question.

 

[catsmate]

How many of the alleged signatories existed?

 

[Oystein]

How many of the alleged signatories existed?

It has actually been my impression through all the years that the A&E signatures are largely legit: They have always had a "Verification Team" (well, as long as Gage was still on and they had money and volunteers and the database was functioning; I heard that Xander Arena, who has been heading that team for quite a while, has quit some time since 2021), and that Verification Team put in some honest effort to weed out fake signatures. I have tried to sneak in a signature as a "structural engineer" like 10 years ago, was then asked to prove my credentials, and when I couldn't (because I was too lazy to fake a diploma or license), they rejected me. Also, more than 10 years ago, I have checked a lot of A&E signatures, and well over 90% could be found. There were a handful of cases that should not have made it, such as a Patent Attorney (I think), or three guys who each had signed up twice. When I emailed them about those doublettes, they duly deleted one for each.

It's certainly a lot less stringent for the "General Public" portion of the Petition. Where e.g. I have signed under at least 4 different fake names, of which at least 2 are still listed. They don't get back to you when you sign there, I guess they just eliminate obvious fakes ("Sir Isaak Newton", "Arch Itekt", "N.G. Neer")

 

[gabeygoat]

- He says that there is another even deepey mystery...
[/ETA]

"Deepey" is one of my new favorite words, 'specially in conspiracy theory context.

 

[Oystein]

"Deepey" is one of my new favorite words, 'specially in conspiracy theory context.

You're welcome to contact my attorneys about a license agreement

 

[Oystein]

...

• "Instead of providing a plan for the executive director role, he submitted a document describing what he would do as CEO. The submission did not contain a mission, an outreach strategy, an operational plan, engineering goals, or any roadmap for stabilizing the organization. What it did contain was a detailed structure placing himself above all staff, controlling communications, directing all projects, and determining board composition. It was not a response to the question he was asked. It was a blueprint for ensuring he retained control."
• ...

Gail Gage, commenting as "Richard Gage", responds to this allegation on the AE Face page and links this Word document, apparently written by Richard Gage on October 30, 2025, titled "A New Opportunity", which purports to outline 1. Vision, 2. Strategy, 3. Mission, 4. Organizational [sic!] and Structure, 5. Immediate Priorities, 6. Future Projects, 7. Communication and Outreach, 8. Fundraising, 9. Long Term Goals, 10. Closing Thoughts

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

(Download it while it's there!)
The Mission, according to Gage, is going to remain "unchanged" - and that means it mentions, explicitly, research into the World Trade Center but does NOT mention the Pentagon.
(Cute: One "Long Term Project" is "Retire Richard Gage at 80 – after the new 9/11 investigation!" )

 

[Brainster]

Part 2 of Craig McKee's reporting on AE's self-destruction has dropped.
Ad it is all about the Pentagon / North of Citgo drama.
So yeah, Gage is opposed to that nonsense, and is thus accused of being the splitter.
From the final paragraph: "...the recent events threaten the survival of AE911Truth".

Pentagon interview censored on AE site in Gage return: Assassinating AE911Truth (Part 2)

Gage claims he deleted Aldo Marquis interview to maintain 'neutrality'

thoughtcrimesandmisdemeanors.substack.com

Comments are instructive, too. In one, Craig admits that "[AE911T] have someone who can help [IT-wise with posting articles] for now, but the problem they have is that there is no one to produce content."

Kinda crazy that Gage endorsed CIT whole-heartedly in 2009:

"The exhaustive effort by Craig Ranke and Aldo Marquis of Citizen Investigation Team to contact, record, document, and analyze numerous first-hand eyewitness accounts of the actual flight path of the airliner at the Pentagon on 9/11 has been long overdue, but worth waiting for. The evidence they have uncovered and compiled in their DVD "National Security Alert" deserves serious attention - particularly in light of what we now know about the explosive destruction of the three World Trade Center high-rises that day."

Of course, he (a year and a half) later rowed that endorsement back:

My main focus relative to 9/11 had been on the destruction of the three World Trade Center skyscrapers. I had not been able to spend much time on the Pentagon issue. I was initially impressed by CIT’s presentation and, more than a year and a half ago, provided a short statement of support for their efforts.

 

[Oystein]

Part 3 of Craig McKee's commentary of the failed leadership transition at AE:

Gage and AE board fight for control of the narrative – Assassinating AE911Truth (Part 3)

By Craig McKee

thoughtcrimesandmisdemeanors.substack.com

He disects Kelly David's news-item of November 21 on the ae911truth webiste, Gage's reaction to it, and I can't say I have much to disagree with here: Both side - David and Kamal Obeid as current leaders on one hand, Gage and team on the other, screwed up.
Of course McKee reiterates his stance that AE must push the Pentagon-no-plane nonsense.

This is the first public post I have seen on the subject in almost three weeks or so. Seems the "movement" is stunned, and the actors are careful not to stick their heads out anymore.
Last week's "9/11 War Room" video conference had nothing new, but left the moderator, Gene Laratonda, frustrated several times because members would attack fellow "Truthers".

The 25th anniversary of the attacks is coming up next year, and one big issue that the no-planers have is that the "International Center for 9/11 Justice" (IC911), lead by former AE911Truth "Director of Strategy" Ted Walter has all the access to public figures like Tucker Carlson or Senator Ron Johnson and are thus in a position to control the message, all while AE911T is sidelined with internal strife and collapse.

 

[Oystein]

It appears that the AE911Truth as an organization is at least stunned, seemingly comatose, currently dysfunctional, maybe mortally wounded.
To recap: Until recently, the Board consisted of three members: Kamal Obeid, Kelly David and Andy Steele. Of these, Andy Steele has been the only one doing public communications (podcasts, articles, often together with Craig McKee, who has been their most prolific writer for a decasde or so). According to their 2022 to 2024 IRS Forn 990, so the years since Richard Gage had been kicked out of his own organization, AE had suffered sharply decline money inflow. It seemed clear (to them!) that much of that decline was indeed due to Gage's absence, and so Kelly David and Kamal Obeid asked Gage to pretty please return and save them. They even fulfilled Gage's first demand and fired Andy Steele and Craig McKee (Steele received a nice salary; I don't know what "firing" McKee actually means). But when David did not succumb to Gage's demand to also step down (after all, David along with Steele was among the driving forces to oust Gage in 2021 - they are both Pentagon-no-planers, as is McKee), Gage retreated, and the re-organization failed.

As far as I can tell from the outside, there has been no activity by AE anywhere in over a month now: Since at least November 24th...
...no news on their homepage
...no post on Facebook (all the other social media sites have been dormant since September, January, or even longer ago)
...no comments by an AE representative to anyone else, no comments by any outsider to the AE holdouts
...no one left at AE911 with any role or responsibility, except Kamal Obeid (see "Who we are": no other Board members - David is not listed -, no writers, no advisors, no team leaders...)

I obviously do not know with whom and what people are talking about privately. It has been hawked that AE911Truth is pretty much out of cash by now, but I'd wager that there are still dues to pay, and Obeid may be on the hook financially and thus perhaps motivated to sell the brand "AE911T" to anyone willing to bail him out.

Gene Laratonda was the only one in the last 2 weeks or so whom I have seen touching on the subject, albeit without mentioning names of groups or individual, when he whined, again, about "Why Does Infighting Plague the 9/11 Truth Movement...?" - 6 days ago. No substantial replies.
I wonder if McKee will even bother to post his next installment of the current tell-all series. He is not going to save AE911Truth.