Authors Series

College of Arts and Sciences alumnus, investigative reporter and American University professor Charles Lewis returned to campus Nov. 6 to discuss his new book, 935 Lies: The Future of Truth and the Decline of American Moral Integrity, as part of the Delaware Diamonds Society Authors Series.

Speaking to Fellow-level and above members of the Delaware Diamonds Society, the Universitys leadership giving recognition society, Lewis offered his expertise on the manipulation of truth by political and corporate institutions, explaining that his book is about information, truth and what has happened to both in recent American history.

Naturally I felt we needed to go back about 50 years at all the times we have had information given to us by those in power, whether theyre in the government or corporations, and how often what we have been told is just flat out not true, said Lewis.

In his introduction to the event, UD Provost Domenico Grasso thanked Delaware Diamonds Society members, including Lewis himself, for their support of the University.

Thank you for your generosity of spirit, time and treasure, and thank you for helping us to create this robust community of scholarship, which we celebrate tonight with our Authors series, Grasso said. This event is a wonderful way to showcase the brilliance exhibited by our faculty, friends and in tonights case, our alumni.

A 1975 graduate of the University with a degree in political science, Lewis has worked as an investigative reporter for roughly 30 years. Following a successful career at ABC News and as a producer for 60 Minutes,in 1989 he founded the Center for Public Integrity, one of the nations first nonprofits to support investigative journalism. 

Currently, Lewis is a tenured professor of journalism and the founding executive editor of the Investigative Reporting Workshop at the American University School of Communication.

935 Lies grew out of an effort by Lewis and a team of researchers to study the false statements made by the administration of President George W. Bush about the threat posed by Iraq in the two years following 9/11. The team identified 935 erroneous statements made by Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other administration leaders related to the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and a link between the country and Al Qaeda.

Throughout his talk, Lewis addressed a range of instances where there was a gap in time between significant events and discoveries, and when related information became available to the public. Along with the Watergate scandal, the My Lai massacre and other infamous moments in history, Lewis focused a large part of his talk on the decades-long silence of tobacco executives about the dangers of the industrys product.

Tens of millions of people died during this whole period, Lewis said. The whole thing was conscious, it was understood. These are all things not generally known but I find them, shall we say, disturbing, and what it really means is we rarely really know the truth in real time. 

Lewis was adamant about the importance of correcting the problem detailed in his book.

If we want to make decisions that affect our lives, we have to have information, [and that information] has to be authentic, it has to be legitimate, and it has to be fairly soon after were worrying about a problem, Lewis said. We cant find out years later that we didnt know.

During a question and answer period moderated by Ralph Begleiter, the Edward F. and Elizabeth Goodman Rosenberg Professor of Communication and director of UDs Center for Political Communication, Lewis explained that a solution lies in establishing innovative new platforms for journalists to do investigative reporting, including non-profit foundations like the Center for Public Integrity.

I think theres a way to make lemonade out of lemons here, Lewis said. I have all these bright, shining-faced young people, and they want to do good for the world, but they have no idea where theyre going to work My idea is to enlarge the public space somehow to do this kind of work.

Following the discussion, guests enjoyed dinner and drinks and had the chance to speak with Lewis and to ask the author to sign copies of 935 Lies.

Authors Series guest Mary Jane DeMatteis said Lewiss speech was illuminating.

I think it was just wonderful, she said. You read the news, you watch the news on TV, and you never really realize all this is going on. Its been such an interesting night hearing his story.

DeMatteis daughter, Claire DeMatteis, a 1987 UD graduate with a degree in communication, who was editor-in-chief of the student-run newspaper The Review, has known Lewis for years.

I read the book the first week it came out, she said. These kinds of stories have to be told, so thank goodness for Chuck Lewis.

A member of the Delaware Diamonds Society, Claire DeMatteis was excited to attend the Diamonds Authors Series event, saying she is enthusiastic about any chance to reconnect with her alma mater.

Anything Delaware related, you dont have to ask me twice, she said. Especially when its a distinguished alum. Its really special.