US Government Helps To Promote Michael Moore's Sicko

I have a feeling that The Weinstein Co and the US Government have teamed up to promote Michael Moore's new documentary Sicko, which will debut last this month at the Cannes Film Festival. News was leaked to the AP today that Moore is under investigation by the Treasury Department for taking a group of 9/11 rescue workers to Cuba for respiratory treatment. Apparently, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control notified Moore in a letter dated May 2nd that it was conducting a civil investigation for possible violations of the U.S. trade embargo restricting travel to Cuba. And this letter was leaked to the AP just in time to help promote the movie.

What happened: The U.S. government never responded to Moore's request, but the crew went over anyway. THR reports that Moore arranged to place a copy of the film in a "safe house" outside the country to protect it from government interference, after receiving the letter. I think that's just a little much.

But the filmmaker likely has little to worry about. In 2003, the New York Yankees paid the government $75,000 for conducting business in Cuba in violation of the embargo. Oliver Stone forked over $6,322.20 for traveling to Cuba to make his Fidel Castro documentary. So if there is a fine, it would probably be next to nothing.

What did we learn today: This is non news, government regulatory bull-crap that conveniently got leaked to the press to help promote Sicko. This is how The Weinstein Co should promote their future films.