McCain Press Aide Calls Alaska Reporter At Home To Complain About Unfavorable Coverage

[madfloridian]

From TPM today. This is unbelievable how the McCain campaign is trying to control Alaska reporters and keep investigations from being done.

McCain Press Aide Calls Alaska Reporter At Home To Complain About Unfavorable Coverage

Here's a little more evidence that the McCain-Palin campaign is playing the hardest of hardball on Trooper-Gate -- especially in regard to press relations. Jason Moore, a reporter with Anchorage-based KTUU-TV, just confirmed to TPMmuckraker that Megan Stapleton, a spokeswoman for the McCain-Palin campaign in Alaska, called his home to complain about one of Moore's news reports, and accused Moore of calling Stapleton and another McCain staffer liars.

Moore's report looked at the McCain-Palin campaign's "Truth Squad," an aggressive Alaska-based public relations campaign that's being led by Stapleton and former federal prosecutor Ed O'Callaghan and is designed to help thwart the Trooper-Gate investigation.

Moore reported that the Truth Squad was not always entirely truthful itself. He noted that Stapleton had said in a Friday press conference that it was Hollis French, the Democrat overseeing the investigation, who had pulled one name, that of former Palin chief of staff Mike Tibbles, off the list of witnesses to receive subpoenas. Stapleton had pointed to this as an inappropriate political maneuver by French.

But in fact, Moore reported, it was GOP Rep. Jay Ramras, a McCain supporter, who took Tibbles' name off the list. Moore quoted Ramras saying so.

High pressure tactics, refusal to answer questions...a different America than I used to know.

[stillcool]

1. they're frigging thugs..

I wonder how Alaskans are taking to this intervention.

[barbtries]

4. go here

http://www.kudo1080.com/
the answer: they are PISSED. you shoulda heard the show last night.

[Winterblues]

9. Alaskans for the most part are nothing more than just plain retarded

They are mostly backing Stevens and Young even though they both are under investigation for corruption and both have made multiple enemies in Congress over the decades they have been there. They won't be in the Majority and because of the number of enemies they have made among Democrats, won't be listened to about anything. They will be worse than useless for Alaska yet the majority of Alaskans are voting for them anyway. Alaska is another one of those states that puts Party above country or state.

[Blue_In_AK]

15. Winterblues, you're sounding depressed.

We have an opportunity here, we should make the most of it. It may not seem like it, but I know a lot of people whose opinion of Sarah has been seriously eroding in the past couple of weeks. As for Ted and Don, I wouldn't count on them winning. Ted's going to get convicted anyway, and Don's just a sitting duck. Keep the faith, Winter. This is our best opportunity in decades.

[Winterblues]

17. I agree with you completely but yes I am depressed

I have Summer and Fall Blues now since it has been raining non-stop since May..I can hardly wait to get my winter blues back as well. I see and hear Republicans every day and saw a poll yesterday on the news that showed Stevens tied with Begich and Berkowitz has stated he will not go negative in any manner. Only talk about what he will do and not what Young has done. I have not seen or heard any Democratic ad to date yet hear Steven's and Young's ads daily....So yes it is depressing to think about the mentality of so many people I live around.

[Blue_In_AK]

18. I think both Mark and Ethan are being too soft, personally.

Ethan's press release on Sarah's nomination was pretty sickening. Did you see it? Of course, I may be a bit biased since I was such a strong Diane Benson supporter, but I sure wish she was the one in that slot running against Don Young. I think she'd kick his butt this time. I think Ethan's going to be weak in the Bush.

I'm feeling a bit blue about the weather, as well, but what are you going to do? Hopefully we'll have lots of snow and some good sunny days this winter. Summer was definitely a bust.

[Blue_In_AK]

14. Not well. Not well at all.

We are PISSED.

[fascisthunter]

2. another example of WHy He Shouldn't Be President

power goes rriiigghht to his head.

[But....]

3. What's the old saying?

"Your entitled to your own opinion, not to your own facts" any chance Republicans could get that?:sarcasm:

[madfloridian]

5. Not this bunch, I'm afraid.

They want power more than anything else.

[VP505]

6. Usually this kind of pressure is applied

outside the public view and doesn't come to light until well after the fact. Kind of telling that they seem to be so open about it, apparently the misdeeds of the last 7 years has had an embolden effect on the thugs populating the Reptilian Party. Or, perhaps they are trying to see how far they can go before the public protests. Either way, its a scary thought that they think they can get away with what they are doing.

[madfloridian]

8. Yes, right out in the open.

with no apologies. Scary.

[roguevalley]

7. this is ridiculous. Jason is mild. He's no rabble rouser. what a buncha

whiners.

[Blue_In_AK]

16. I agree.

He hasn't been all that hard-hitting, just telling the facts. Have you seen Megan? Jesus Christ, I hardly recognize her anymore. I used to really enjoy her reporting, but she's turned into a real b**** (and I don't apologize for using that word).

[roguevalley]

22. you don't have to, blue. I agree completely.

[Supersedeas]

10. twisting arms and taking names -- McFascist's First Amendment with Attitude

[Robbien]

11. What else is new? GOPers consistently use this intimidation tacit...Cause it works

No reporter likes getting these calls. These calls are one of the reasons why they pull their punches when writing about GOPers.

[madfloridian]

25. Yes, intimidation.

It has been one of the characteristics of the Bush Republicans with Rove as their architect.

[Beausoleil]

12. WOW! I know Jason.

Good guy. He's good friends with a relative of mine.

Shine a light on the "Truth Squad", Jason!

[Blue_In_AK]

19. E-mail him at KTUU

http://www.ktuu.com/ I'm sure he'd appreciate the encouragement. I still don't understand why Meg Stapleton has her panties in a bunch. Jason's been very fair and evenhanded on his reporting of this mess.

[Blue_In_AK]

13. Meg Stapleton has definitely had a personality transplant

since going to work for Sarah. She used to be one of my favorite reporters on KTUU, and it just boggles my mind that she would call and try to pressure Jason Moore. Another former KTUU political reporter, Bill McAllister, has also joined Palin's team and is causing waves of his own. See http://www.andrewhalcro.com/hiding_out_in_the_open

http://www.andrewhalcro.com/bill_mcallister_the_job_the_timing_the_question

and other blog entries at this link http://www.andrewhalcro.com/search/node/McAllister



Andrew Halcro, who opposed Sarah in the 2006 gubernatorial race as an independent, was the first to break the Monegan story, if I'm not mistaken. He may have an ax to grind, but he's definitely been on her case for the past couple of years at the minimum.

[madfloridian]

20. Heading to read your links.

Sounds like she has hurt Alaska and is nothing if not divisive.

[Blue_In_AK]

23. The irony is

that all the things she brags about getting passed through the legislature were successful because of bipartisan cooperation. Hollis French, who they now label as being on a "partisan witch hunt" was one of her biggest allies on the gasline inducement act.

She is burning bridges right and left.

[Hubert Flottz]

21. McNAZI will send him to the Russian front!

[madfloridian]

24. Jason Moore: McCain campaign co-opts Alaska's Dept of Law

This is scary stuff.

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=9030139

"ANCHORAGE, Alaska-- The battle over subpoenas issued to Palin administration officials raged on Wednesday, with accusations that the John McCain-Sarah Palin campaign has co-opted the state Department of Law.

There was reaction from the head of the Legislative Council, a day after Attorney General Talis Colberg announced state workers will not comply with subpoenas in the Legislature's investigation.

Legislative Council Chair Sen. Kim Elton accused the attorney general of breaking his word on a deal the attorney general proposed. And Colberg's rejection of the subpoenas is prompting allegations that the McCain-Palin campaign has taken over the state's Department of Law.
Elton thought he had a deal until Tuesday night when Colberg announced state workers will not testify. Colberg did not cite any legal reason for ignoring the subpoenas.

And after the announcement, officials said Colberg hopped on a plane to Kansas for a vacation.

"It appears that the department is in complete disarray," said Sen. Bill Wielechowski. "It appears that the McCain campaign is co-opting our Department of Law and basically calling the shots and I think that's pretty clear from some of the actions we've seen over the past couple of days."