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Mother Jones: Tape wasn’t ‘Watergate-style’
Mother Jones, increasingly a destination for clandy recordings of Republicans, today published an audio recording of a Feb. 2 strategy session among aides of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as they geared up for McConnell’s 2014 reelection campaign. The tape showcases an extensive and aggressive set of talking points against possible opponent Ashley Judd — including attacks on the actress’s mental and emotional history. Publication of the tape set off all kinds of chatter about the FBI: “McConnell campaign calls in FBI over secret recordings,” reported CNN. Jesse Benton, a spokesman for the McConnell campaign, issued this classic statement: “We’ve always said the Left will stop at nothing to attack Sen. McConnell, but Watergate-style tactics to bug campaign headquarters is above and beyond.” Mother Jones just issued this statement, taking issue with Benton: We are still waiting for Sen. Mitch McConnell to comment on the substance of the story. Before posting this article, we contacted his Senate office and his campaign office—in particular, his campaign manager, Jesse Benton—and no one responded. As the story makes clear, we were recently provided the tape by a source who wished to remain anonymous. We were not involved in the making of the tape, but [...]
Colbert Joins Twitter for Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton has resisted Twitter so far—but Stephen Colbert took matters into his own hands on Monday night, signing the former president up for the social network under the handle “@PrezBillyJeff.” Colbert joined the former president at the Clinton Global Initiative University summit, devoting almost the entire Colbert Report to an interview with Clinton. Clinton said he doesn’t tweet because he’s a little insecure (really?) and worried about being a “friendless Tweeter.” Colbert set up the account for Clinton, but since @PresidentClinton and @WilliamJeffersonClinton were already taken, he used the handle @PrezBillyJeff. Clinton dictated his first tweet to Colbert: “Just spent amazing time with Colbert! Is he sane?” with Colbert adding #cgiu. Within hours, the account had 27,000 followers and three more tweets, all ending with: “#notColbertpretendingtobeme.” NY
Sen. Mitch McConnell Responds To Leaked Ashley Judd Audio
Sen. Mitch McConnell was prepared to go after Ashley Judd as “emotionally unbalanced,” according to secret audio tapes of the Republican’s strategy session, but the release of those tapes have prompted an FBI investigation into who may have bugged the senator’s office, his campaign said today. “We’ve always said the Left would stop at nothing to attack Sen. McConnell, but Watergate-style tactics to bug campaign headquarters are above and beyond,” McConnell campaign manager Jesse Benton told ABC News. “Senator McConnell’s campaign is working with the FBI and has notified the local U.S. Attorney in Louisville, per FBI request, about these recordings,” Benton said. “Obviously a recording device of some kind was placed in Senator McConnell’s campaign office without consent. By whom and how that was accomplished will presumably be the subject of a criminal investigation.” McConnell’s office said the FBI is investigating how the senator’s campaign office was bugged and who gave the tapes to Mother Jones magazine. Spokesman Paul Bresson of the FBI told ABC News, “We can confirm that Sen. McConnell’s office reported it and we are looking into the matter.” In the meantime, the McConnell campaign is trying to fundraise off the topic as well as blame [...]
McConnell Aides Claim Headquarters Bugged
The FBI has been asked to look into whether Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s campaign headquarters was bugged after a recording of a private campaign meeting surfaced in a liberal-leaning magazine. McConnell campaign manager Jesse Benton said his staff is working with the FBI because of what he called “Watergate-style tactics” to bug the office. Mother Jones magazine published the recording of the February meeting in which McConnell aides were discussing research into potential Democratic challengers, including actress Ashley Judd, who later decided not to run. Aides talked on the recording about Judd’s political positions, religious beliefs and mental health. Benton said a recording device had been placed in McConnell’s office without consent. Neither the FBI in Louisville nor the magazine immediately returned telephone calls seeking comment. wuky
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