But the complete private e-mails obtained by the I-Team revealed another side of Steffen.
# E-Mail Exchange MD4Bush: "If some of my friends and I were interested in keeping the story floating, do you have suggestions for us on how best to do it?"
# Steffen: "I cannot and will not offer suggestions that may be considered unethical concerning what you should do, campaign wise. This is especially true concerning MOM's (Mayor O'Malley's) personal life. Work to hit the mayor constantly in letters to the editor (about city issues, not personal issues), call in radio shows etc."
The new private e-mails revealed the extent to which MD4Bush talked about the rumor.
# E-Mail Exchange MD4Bush: "O'Malley cheats on his wife and everybody knows it including my dentist. Where's the stained blue dress? This guy is worse than Clinton."
The e-mails show that it was MD4Bush, not Steffen, who added new dirt to the rumors and through out the private e-mails, MD4Bush appears to prod Steffen.
# E-Mail Exchange MD4Bush: "Your saying that my dentist knows (about the rumor) because of the work you did? Wow, I must say, I'm impressed. I mean really, everyone knows -- how did that happen?"
# E-Mail Exchange MD4Bush: "What works? What did you do to get it out this far? Me and my friends are going to do what it takes to get this out to everyone."
It was at that point, Steffen advises MD4Bush to stay away from O'Malley's personal life.
Was that real or sarcasm?