[Aquinasfan]

But that's not what Rush chose to do. He chose instead to continue, for years, to do the wrong thing and then--after he was caught--blame the consequences on the vast, left-wing conspiracy.

Yup. Paying blackmail is an admission of guilt. His stock is plummeting.

[cpst12]

>>Paying blackmail is an admission of guilt.

It certainly is an admission that you are doing something wrong and you don't want anyone to find out about it isn't it? How do you blackmail someone that isn't doing something wrong in the first place?