Posted on 02/09/2005 7:29:16 AM PST by minus_273
(CBS) A longtime aide to Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich has resigned after admitting that he spread rumors on the Internet about the marriage of Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley.
Joseph Steffen acknowledged that he was the author of postings on FreeRepublic.com, a conservative Web site, that suggested O'Malley was cheating on his wife.
"The governor had no idea. I don't even think he knows where the Web site is. If anyone is guilty, it is me. There was no outside influence," Steffen told the Baltimore Sun.
O'Malley, a Democrat, is expected to seek the Democratic nomination for governor in 2006. That would put him on a political collision course with Republican Ehrlich.
Steffen's activities came to light after the Washington Post obtained copies of his postings on FreeRepublic.com and private e-mails he has written about O'Malley's marriage.
In an interview with the Post, Steffen, 45, acknowledged that he had a reputation for hardball politics.
"They call me the Prince of Darkness," he told the newspaper.
The revelations touched off a round of accusations and denials.
O'Malley said Steffen's activities were part of a "concerted and orchestrated and sustained" effort to smear him.
"I don't think any of us run for office expecting that this sort of hurt will be heaped on our kids or our spouses," O'Malley told the Post.
The governor denied that he knew what Steffen had done, or that there was a GOP whispering campaign targeting the Baltimore mayor.
"Let me tell you, I don't put up with this, and I will not put up with this. Bottom line," Ehrlich said.
O'Malley publicly addressed rumors about his marriage for the first time on Tuesday.
"I have always been faithful to my wife, from our first date to this date," he said.
O'Malley is married to Baltimore Judge Catherine O'Malley. The couple has four small children. He told the Post that the infidelity rumor had been afloat for many months.
On one occasion, O'Malley said, he was told by an aide that people had called a TV station's tip line to say their children had overheard O'Malley's children saying, "Daddy doesn't live with Mommy anymore."
The mention of FR was germaine to the story, IMHO. And the guy should not have been spreading rumors about someone that were false. Glad he got busted
CBS is no longer digging their own grave, they are now filling in the hole.
People keep pinging the guy to these threads. I seriously doubt he'd want to come on here and post more about being fired, under the same screen name, since the MSM will undoubtedly be looking for that same name.
TTBOMK, both of these statements are incorrect.
I wonder who ratted him out and gave his private Email and screen name to the WP?
So9
That kind of accusation is a cheap shot even when true -- and if it is just a rumor then we stand to lose face in the Blogosphere.
I can see a time where CBS,ABC,NBC will HAVE to report the commentary on FR regarding a particular story.
"But Dan the Democrats are attacking the president but the FR posters are not buying, here is a sample of what is being said..."
ask Mr. Robinson...
Ping.
Ok. Here's a prediction without even going over there. The DUmmies are going to post "Prince of Darkness" is a Freeper. Then they'll post a bunch of "well, that place is hell" type posts. It will continue on until people start posting how we all deserve to go to hell , boil in oil, burn in sulfur , etc. It will end in a group hug about how they are so caring and super-intelligent. Anyone want to bet against my predictions? Or add to them?
He already did...last night. He's not hiding.
Sounds like BS news is trying to make FR look like DU...well it'll never happen. ;o)
Oh, okay. My mistake then. I didn't see him. He's got guts to do it, if so.
PING!!
This is getting out of hand!
Did you "acknowledg[ed] that he was the author of postings on FreeRepublic.com, a conservative Web site, that suggested O'Malley was cheating on his wife."??
Oh, and I like the Prince of Darkness hit!!
ask Mr. Robinson...
Oh please,
JimRob has access to his screen name, but not his Email.
This is someone who had access to his personal computer where they found both his Email and his screen name for FR.
So9
A friend of a friend of a friend of Andy Rooney told me that Andy is having a homosexual affair with Dan Rather and that Dan wears crotchless panties.
I would say more but I don't want the children who run CBS to come after me with their little highschool tactics.
Please inform yourself of what NCPAC actually said before you condemn him - don't drink the kool-aid!
If I hadn't seen that, I would have assumed he left FR.
No, see the other threads ...NCPAC dropped LOTS of hints that make guessing his identity a breeze throughout his postings (which are very good, BTW). He explicitly mentioned his status as an insider in several posts, remarked that he told members of the governor's staff, and even Erlich himself IIRC, that he was a FReeper, and probably even disclosed his user name. When you are that open about your position in your postings and are a fish in a small pond, it isn't hard to put 1 & 1 together.
It may not have been his "personal" computer, in that he owned the computer. If he was posting and e-mailing from work, the computer may well have been owned by the state of Maryland.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.