New "Watergate" of Sorts?

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
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In Watergate, some Repub operates broke into the Democratic Party campaign HQ to plant illegal wiretapping devices and gets some documents etc.

Now, McConnell is claiming his campaign office was broken into and wiretapping devices were planted. The FBI is investigating.

I thought it a bit odd the story veered off into McConnell's possible smear campaign against Ashley Judd, his expected opponent.

Looks like David Corn of the magazine Mother Jones ended up with the illegal tapes.

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/...discussions-were-bugged-fbi-investigates?lite

Fern
 

lotus503

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2005
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I'd wager any investigation is going to turn up nothing of value.

other than the change in media headlines Old Mitch was looking for.

Tom-the-Turkey.jpg
 

woolfe9998

Lifer
Apr 8, 2013
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While a bugging operation is possible, it's more likely that someone who was authorized to be in the room made an unauthorized recording. The distinction between the two being that one involves B&E while the other does not. It also has bearing on who would have made the recording.

Not much solid evidence either way. Just allegations so far. It's just my hunch.
 

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
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I'd wager any investigation is going to turn up nothing of value.

other than the change in media headlines Old Mitch was looking for.

Tom-the-Turkey.jpg

Yeah, I don't think Corn is going to volunteer any info.

I'm not sure these were the headlines McConnell was looking for. A lot of focus on how he is/was planning a smear campaign against Judd.

Fern
 

Fern

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Sep 30, 2003
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While a bugging operation is possible, it's more likely that someone who was authorized to be in the room made an unauthorized recording. The distinction between the two being that one involves B&E while the other does not. It also has bearing on who would have made the recording.

Not much solid evidence either way. Just allegations so far. It's just my hunch.

Good point.

Maybe I jumped the gun with my remarks, but the campaign claims none of them recorded it, instead saying a recording device was placed in the office without consent.

Would be hilarious if it turned out to be someone from McConnell's staff who did the recording. (Although, if so, I have a tough time seeing how it ended up with Corn.)

Fern
 

lotus503

Diamond Member
Feb 12, 2005
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Yeah, I don't think Corn is going to volunteer any info.

I'm not sure these were the headlines McConnell was looking for. A lot of focus on how he is/was planning a smear campaign against Judd.

Fern


well thats just it, Mitch is trying to spin the topic from his smear campaign to

"McConnell campaign alleges Judd discussions were bugged, FBI investigates"

I think its more likely an insider turned on him or they let the wrong guy int he room than some Watergate style bugging operation. Hope the FBI reports if/when they find nothing to substantiate it.

That way the press can get back to Mitch's smear campaign.
 

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
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well thats just it, Mitch is trying to spin the topic from his smear campaign to

"McConnell campaign alleges Judd discussions were bugged, FBI investigates"

I think its more likely an insider turned on him or they let the wrong guy int he room than some Watergate style bugging operation. Hope the FBI reports if/when they find nothing to substantiate it.

That way the press can get back to Mitch's smear campaign.

Is he even running any campaign now, smear or otherwise?

It's kind of early and I've seen no campaigning of any sort in my state yet.

Fern
 

woolfe9998

Lifer
Apr 8, 2013
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Good point.

Maybe I jumped the gun with my remarks, but the campaign claims none of them recorded it, instead saying a recording device was placed in the office without consent.

Would be hilarious if it turned out to be someone from McConnell's staff who did the recording. (Although, if so, I have a tough time seeing how it ended up with Corn.)

Fern

Yes, and David Corn did state that it was his understanding that it wasn't obtained in a bugging operation. Corn could be lying or could have been lied to by his source who provided the tape. We seem to have conflicting versions of this.

If I was McConnell, I'm not sure if I would have made this allegation publicly. All it does is underscore the contents of the tape itself, which aren't very flattering to him. Basically he's caught doing something that all the pols do, but the key is he was caught.
 

MagickMan

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2008
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"Look what they were going to do to Ashley Judd!"
"How did you get these?"
"They were spying."

Doh! :whiste: WTG news media, ignore the crime and go for the part where Judd could have gotten her feelings hurt.
 

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
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Yes, and David Corn did state that it was his understanding that it wasn't obtained in a bugging operation. Corn could be lying or could have been lied to by his source who provided the tape. We seem to have conflicting versions of this.

If I was McConnell, I'm not sure if I would have made this allegation publicly. All it does is underscore the contents of the tape itself, which aren't very flattering to him. Basically he's caught doing something that all the pols do, but the key is he was caught.

Perhaps this is his version of hiking to Argentina.
 

boomerang

Lifer
Jun 19, 2000
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well thats just it, Mitch is trying to spin the topic from his smear campaign to

"McConnell campaign alleges Judd discussions were bugged, FBI investigates"

I think its more likely an insider turned on him or they let the wrong guy int he room than some Watergate style bugging operation. Hope the FBI reports if/when they find nothing to substantiate it.

That way the press can get back to Mitch's smear campaign.
Smear campaign? I don't think it's possible to smear Ashley Judd because she's provided a wealth of material to work with all of which is written or on video. She's a loon and anyone in their right mind should recognize this. Just to be clear, I do completely understand why the left would be so endeared to her.
 

monovillage

Diamond Member
Jul 3, 2008
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As long as it's Democrats committing felonies to injure Republicans then it's a perfectly sensible and permitted crime. Everyone knows that laws only apply to those on the political right.
 

ivwshane

Lifer
May 15, 2000
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As long as it's Democrats committing felonies to injure Republicans then it's a perfectly sensible and permitted crime. Everyone knows that laws only apply to those on the political right.

As long as the claims are baseless and backed up by zero facts republicans will continue spewing bullshit while the brain dead repeat their talking points.

But yes it's only the right that the laws apply to, after all it's only the right that gets cought. /s
 

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
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As long as it's Democrats committing felonies to injure Republicans then it's a perfectly sensible and permitted crime. Everyone knows that laws only apply to those on the political right.

The science says that paranoia is a characteristic of the right. Can you explain how that applies to you? We just had a recent case where a Supreme court justice went into dementia but was sure it wasn't true. Don't you think you could use some kind of intervention?
 

lothar

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2000
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While a bugging operation is possible, it's more likely that someone who was authorized to be in the room made an unauthorized recording. The distinction between the two being that one involves B&E while the other does not. It also has bearing on who would have made the recording.

Not much solid evidence either way. Just allegations so far. It's just my hunch.

Woolfe forgot his old account password and created a new account?
 

monovillage

Diamond Member
Jul 3, 2008
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Woolfe forgot his old account password and created a new account?

Looks like it.
My bet is that this was an illegal wiretapping/listening device and closely akin to the phone hack scandal in GB. Partisan members of the press (Corn) using illegally received recordings to damage Republicans. Just my hunch.
 

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
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Looks like it.
My bet is that this was an illegal wiretapping/listening device and closely akin to the phone hack scandal in GB. Partisan members of the press (Corn) using illegally received recordings to damage Republicans. Just my hunch.

You could be right. The important thing is that you can say it's a hunch. That's a start.
 

HomerJS

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
39,203
32,632
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In Watergate, some Repub operates broke into the Democratic Party campaign HQ to plant illegal wiretapping devices and gets some documents etc.

Now, McConnell is claiming his campaign office was broken into and wiretapping devices were planted. The FBI is investigating.

I thought it a bit odd the story veered off into McConnell's possible smear campaign against Ashley Judd, his expected opponent.

Looks like David Corn of the magazine Mother Jones ended up with the illegal tapes.

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/...discussions-were-bugged-fbi-investigates?lite

Fern

When did the investigation you conducted conclude the tapes are illegal?
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
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Smear campaign? I don't think it's possible to smear Ashley Judd because she's provided a wealth of material to work with all of which is written or on video. She's a loon and anyone in their right mind should recognize this. Just to be clear, I do completely understand why the left would be so endeared to her.
I wondered that as well. She's been committed for mental illness and is supposedly now running to attain political power; how the hell did the story go from "she's been committed for mental illness" to "it's mean to point out that she's been committed for mental illness"?
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
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When did the investigation you conducted conclude the tapes are illegal?
Considering that it's illegal in both Kentucky and D.C. to record a conversation without the permission of at least one party, and there is an FBI investigation, it's pretty safe to presume that the tapes are in fact illegal. For one thing, the FBI would certainly ask everyone present if they taped the meeting or gave permission to tape the meeting before proceeding with an investigation. For another, it's quite difficult to imagine that one of McConnell's trusted aides has turned on him to the point of preferring a woman of completely opposite political persuasion who is reasonably hot and probably not legally insane at the moment without him knowing it.
 

ivwshane

Lifer
May 15, 2000
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I wondered that as well. She's been committed for mental illness and is supposedly now running to attain political power; how the hell did the story go from "she's been committed for mental illness" to "it's mean to point out that she's been committed for mental illness"?

Well most rational people would prefer their candidates to debate the issues instead of personal attacks but what do I know, except what the polls show.