Wednesday, August 22, 2007
One Stone Overturned
New York's state government was judged the country's most dysfunctional -- three years ago -- by a non-partisan think tank.
It was hoped that the election of Eliot Spitzer last November would change that.
It has.
It's gone from dysfunctional to demented.
In the latest installment, GOP consultant Roger Stone was canned today by the state Senate RepublicanElection Campaign Committee after it was revealed that he was behind an abusive "anonymous" phone call to Gov. Spitzer's elderly father, Bernard, a real estate magnate. Stone, a long-time GOP operative was hired earlier this summer to provide strategic assistance to Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno in his ever-evolving political war with the governor. That war, of course, has produced multiple investigations connected to Spitzer's use of State Police in an apparent smear job of Bruno.
RT readers will also recall that Stone was at least tangentially connected to mysterious e-mails that were sent around to various journalists around the state. The e-mails were traced to a former(?) associate of Stone's called Michael Caputo -- who denied a connection to Stone. (One quick way to decrease the size of one's in-box -- after my few postings on the various e-mails, I suddenly stopped receiving them in both of my e-mail accounts.)
"Mess" doesn't begin to describe what has become of New York state politics over the last few weeks.
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It was hoped that the election of Eliot Spitzer last November would change that.
It has.
It's gone from dysfunctional to demented.
In the latest installment, GOP consultant Roger Stone was canned today by the state Senate Republican
RT readers will also recall that Stone was at least tangentially connected to mysterious e-mails that were sent around to various journalists around the state. The e-mails were traced to a former(?) associate of Stone's called Michael Caputo -- who denied a connection to Stone. (One quick way to decrease the size of one's in-box -- after my few postings on the various e-mails, I suddenly stopped receiving them in both of my e-mail accounts.)
"Mess" doesn't begin to describe what has become of New York state politics over the last few weeks.
Labels: Eliot Spitzer, New York state politics, Roger Stone
Friday, July 20, 2007
NY GOP Enters Stone Age
Earlier this week, RT noted the hiring of longtime GOP consultant Roger Stone by the state Republican Senate Committee -- and Stone's likely involvement with some mysterious anonymous anti-Eliot Spitzer e-mails.
Well, a couple of interesting developments: 1) The New York Sun advanced the story by highlighting Stone's role in the creation of this anti-Democrat web-site discussed here.
In the context of my assertion that the state GOP is "doomed", note where meeting between Stone and Republican senators was held:
Not only have New York Republicans essentially been bought by arguably the most powerful union in the state, they plot their political strategy in its headquarters.
That fact, by the way, explains only too well the language attacking senate Democrats FROM THE LEFT on health-care spending.
2) Oh, and the above Sun story? I received it by e-mail from yet another anonymous account. This one was info@news-desk.org. The NYFacts.net e-mails are still coming -- and a third such e-mail account is now sending out news stories, news@ny-gop.org. That all of these are the product of Mr. Stone's new relationship with the state GOP I have no doubt: Just like the NYFacts e-mails, these are being sent to both my Post and home accounts.
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Well, a couple of interesting developments: 1) The New York Sun advanced the story by highlighting Stone's role in the creation of this anti-Democrat web-site discussed here.
In the context of my assertion that the state GOP is "doomed", note where meeting between Stone and Republican senators was held:
Mr. Stone, a protégé of President Nixon who developed offensive strategies for the campaigns of President Reagan, the first President Bush, Senator Dole, and other Republicans, is likely to help Republicans sharpen their attacks against Mr. Spitzer.One more time: "...the Albany headquarters of 1199 SEIU, the health care employes union, which has become an important base of operations for the Senate conference."
Mr. Stone, a Miami resident, addressed Senate Republicans on Tuesday at the Albany headquarters of 1199 SEIU, the health care employees union, which has become an important base of operations for the Senate conference.
After meeting with Mr. Stone, Senate Republicans went live with a Web site, nyinjeopardy.com, attacking individual members of the Senate Democratic conference for their positions on economic and other issues. Mr. Stone said he was not responsible for the site.
Not only have New York Republicans essentially been bought by arguably the most powerful union in the state, they plot their political strategy in its headquarters.
That fact, by the way, explains only too well the language attacking senate Democrats FROM THE LEFT on health-care spending.
2) Oh, and the above Sun story? I received it by e-mail from yet another anonymous account. This one was info@news-desk.org. The NYFacts.net e-mails are still coming -- and a third such e-mail account is now sending out news stories, news@ny-gop.org. That all of these are the product of Mr. Stone's new relationship with the state GOP I have no doubt: Just like the NYFacts e-mails, these are being sent to both my Post and home accounts.
Labels: New York state politics, NY Republican Party, Roger Stone
Monday, July 16, 2007
The Stoning of Spitzer
Some actual news to report here at RT.
About a week or so a go, various New York area bloggers and journalists -- including yours truly -- began receiving these odd anonymous emails.
The sender was a previously unheard of organization called NYfacts.net. Visiting that site only rendered a blank Web page.
The e-mails were all just cut-and-pasted fully reprinted news articles (not links) -- specifically negative stories about Gov. Eliot Spitzer. The first few all were stories written by my Post colleague Fred Dicker on Spitzer's apparent using State Police to spy on his political adversary, Majority Leader Joe Bruno.
Bruno denied knowing anything about the e-mails.
Now this blogger, a Democrat, assumes that the sender is a politically active Democrat. Now, it's true that Spitzer likely has quite a few enemies within the Democratic party, but generally a Democrat wouldn't be using a New York Post report to try to bash another Democrat.
I was puzzled by the e-mails, but didn't give them much more thought until this morning.
I got a "StoneZONE" e-mail -- a semi-regular update on the media appearances and other work of long-time GOP strategist Roger Stone. Usually, these e-mails tell the recipient when Stone is appearing on MSNBC or has written some column. This one was different: It (fully) reprinted a Daily News blog item (not a link) that Stone has been hired by the NY state GOP:
I went to the "NYfacts.net" e-mail and noticed this "disclaimer" at the very top:
But look who pops up (emphasis added):
UPDATE: The Albany Times-Union contacts Michael Caputo who discusses his plans for "NYFACTS":
UPDATE II: I should make another obvious point: If Stone and Caputo aren't working together in some fashion, how did both of my accounts end up on Caputo's mailing list. I've never previously received e-mails -- to any of my accounts -- from Michael Caputo. On the other hand, as noted above, I have gotten them from Roger Stone.
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About a week or so a go, various New York area bloggers and journalists -- including yours truly -- began receiving these odd anonymous emails.
The sender was a previously unheard of organization called NYfacts.net. Visiting that site only rendered a blank Web page.
The e-mails were all just cut-and-pasted fully reprinted news articles (not links) -- specifically negative stories about Gov. Eliot Spitzer. The first few all were stories written by my Post colleague Fred Dicker on Spitzer's apparent using State Police to spy on his political adversary, Majority Leader Joe Bruno.
Bruno denied knowing anything about the e-mails.
Now this blogger, a Democrat, assumes that the sender is a politically active Democrat. Now, it's true that Spitzer likely has quite a few enemies within the Democratic party, but generally a Democrat wouldn't be using a New York Post report to try to bash another Democrat.
I was puzzled by the e-mails, but didn't give them much more thought until this morning.
I got a "StoneZONE" e-mail -- a semi-regular update on the media appearances and other work of long-time GOP strategist Roger Stone. Usually, these e-mails tell the recipient when Stone is appearing on MSNBC or has written some column. This one was different: It (fully) reprinted a Daily News blog item (not a link) that Stone has been hired by the NY state GOP:
Stone, whose client list has included Manhattan real estate mogul Donald Trump, the late President Ronald Reagan and failed billionaire gubernatorial candidate Tom Golisano, will be conferring privately with the GOP majority Monday when the Senate returns to Albany to take up congestion pricing, yet-unconfirmed Spitzer nominees and property tax rebates, insiders say. Stone's assistance was reportedly sought by the Senate Republican Campaign Committee. Stone himself did not return a call for comment.Now, here's the kicker: I've been getting these "StoneZONE" e-mails regularly for some months, in both my New York Post account AND my personal "home" account (NOT the e-mail linked to this blog). For the first time today, I also received a NYfacts.net e-mail to that same home account (previously, NYfacts.net had only been coming to the Post).
A source said Stone last spoke to GOP senators several weeks ago and provided advice on "what we need to be doing to take it to the governor."
Since then, Senate GOP Leader Joe Bruno has sharpened his attacks on Spitzer, who in turn has vowed to play "hardball" against the Senate Republicans.
I went to the "NYfacts.net" e-mail and noticed this "disclaimer" at the very top:
NYFacts is a news service. Our goal is to inform civic, government, community, and political leaders about the news-of-the-day. NYFacts is not affiliated with any corporation, political party, or candidate. The viewpoints and contents of the news stories we commend to you are obviously that of the reporters and news organizations. All other editorial comments are ours.Acting on a hunch, I did a quick Web Search of "Roger Stone, Michael Caputo." That brought up this Village Voice story from 2004. It's actually a harsh piece slamming of Al Sharpton for working with Republican strategists -- like Roger Stone.
Michael Caputo
EDITOR,
NYFacts
Buffalo, NY
But look who pops up (emphasis added):
Two vendors for a current campaign assisted by Stone—the senate campaign of Larry Klayman—also donated in Florida, with public relations consultant Michael Caputo and Tasmania Productions owner Teddi Segal donating $250 (she says she doesn't know Stone). Caputo, ironically, was Stone's spokesman in 1996, when Stone was embroiled in the most embarrassing scandal of his career—the much ballyhooed revelation that he and his wife had advertised, with photos, for swinging partners in magazines and on the Internet. Caputo has, until recently, been handling press inquiries for Klayman, an evangelical who led the sex assault in Washington on Bill Clinton and is running a moral-majority, retake-Cuba campaign for senate. Stone volunteered behind the scenes for Klayman too, and several Stone-tied vendors, like Baynard and pollster Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates, have been retained.Hmmm...seems pretty clear where NYfacts.net originated. Eliot Spitzer apparently wanted hardball; it looks like he's now got it. And Mr. Bruno's comments that he didn't know anything about the e-mails seems a bit, well, disingenous.
UPDATE: The Albany Times-Union contacts Michael Caputo who discusses his plans for "NYFACTS":
“NYFACTS goes out to a large group of interested “grasstops” activists and decisionmakers. Beyond vital news clips, NYFACTS will be communicating stories from other publications and some orginal writing and cartoons. I have further aspirations for NYFACTS, but for nowCaputo sounds like he's doing this by himself. The timing of his new project, happening just as his erstwhile colleague, Mr. Stone (who, like Caputo, also splits his time between New York and Miami) signs a contract with NY state Republicans is curious, to say the least.
it is what it is.
“Time and the truth will prove Eliot Spitzer is a capricious man of questionable ethics - and I want to help nudge that news around.”
UPDATE II: I should make another obvious point: If Stone and Caputo aren't working together in some fashion, how did both of my accounts end up on Caputo's mailing list. I've never previously received e-mails -- to any of my accounts -- from Michael Caputo. On the other hand, as noted above, I have gotten them from Roger Stone.
Labels: Eliot Spitzer, Joe Bruno, New York state politics, Roger Stone
