Why I secretly recorded Mitch McConnell

[alp227]

EXCLUSIVE: My effort to expose the Senate minority leader's ugly campaign upended my life. Here's what happened
By Curtis Morrison

Earlier this year, I secretly made an audio recording of Sen. Mitch McConnell, the most powerful Republican on the planet, at his campaign headquarters in Kentucky. The released portion of the recording clocks in at less than 12 minutes, but those few minutes changed my life.

I leaked the recording to Mother Jones, which published it with a transcript and analysis in April, and over the days that followed, blogs and cable news shows lit up with the revelations from that one meeting. At the time, McConnell was prepping for a race against the actress Ashley Judd — it was “the Whac-a-Mole stage of the campaign,” McConnell said smugly — and the recording captures his team in some Grade-A jackassery, including plans to use Judd’s history of depression against her.

But also up for debate was the the ethics of the audio recording itself. Here’s the latest: An assistant U.S. attorney, Bryan Calhoun, telephoned my attorney yesterday, asking to meet with him next Friday as charges against me are being presented to a grand jury.

In a technology age marked by vigilante heroes like Julian Assange and Anonymous, the line between journalism and espionage has grown thin. McConnell was quick to frame himself as the victim of a crime, which was to be expected. It was the guilty repositioning of a politician who has been caught being craven.

full with videos: http://www.salon.com/2013/05/31/why_i_secretly_recorded_mitch_mcconnell/

[BlueToTheBone]

1. I hope that people around him are supportive

His life is upended and I hope he can right himself as we are all grateful for his actions.

[Cha]

2. I hope the Grand Jury finds no reason to indict Curtis

Morrison!

thanks alp.. there is a story on this at TPM, too.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/05/kentucky_activist_reveals_how_he_made_mcconnell_re.php?ref=fpb

[TxDemChem]

3. My thing has always been with the recording itself

If he did it from outside the room and they were foolish enough to have the discussion where they should not have (like govt property) or were not wise enough to ensure that the could not be heard outside, doom in them. At my job, anything discussed loudly enough for those in the hall to hear is a "hallway meeting." Next time, they should be more sneaky!

[Laelth]

4. Curtis Morrison is a hero.

I could care less about privacy when we're talking about politics, i.e. the people's business.

He showed courage, and he fights for justice. No wonder he's now the object of a witch hunt.

k&r

-Laelth