Posted on 04/21/2005 7:47:35 PM PDT by Nick Thimmesch
Computer messages obtained by a Baltimore television station may show another side to postings on a Web site that sparked accusations between Democrats and Republicans and the firing of longtime gubernatorial aide Joseph Steffen. Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich forced Steffen to resign in February after Steffen acknowledged to a reporter that he had written online, under the computer pseudonym "NCPAC," about spreading rumors on the conduct of Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley. Steffen made the comments in exchanges with someone using the name "MD4BUSH," whose identity remains a mystery.
After the controversy began, MD4BUSH posted exchanges with Steffen on the Free Republic Web site.
But parts of the online exchanges, reported Wednesday by WBAL-TV in Baltimore, appear to show MD4BUSH prodding Steffen into talking about the rumors. Also, at one point, Steffen advises against attacking O'Malley's personal life.
"O'Malley cheats on his wife and everybody knows it including my dentist," MD4BUSH said in an exchange with Steffen.
In another exchange, MD4BUSH asked, "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 replied, "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 personal life. Work to hit the mayor constantly in letters to the editor (about city issues, not personal issues), call in radio shows etc."
Steffen later resigned and apologized to the mayor in an e-mail.
But his role in the Ehrlich administration - including the possible replacement of some state employees who were not politically loyal to Ehrlich - has remained a matter of debate between Democrats and Republicans.
This story was going around Baltimore from state democrats. I don't believe this was a slander campaign created here.
Are they really talking about Freepmail between the two? How did the papers get that information?
Who mentioned mail? I thought all this stuff was posted?
the freepmails were posted on FR AFAIK.
MD4Bush Ping!
Interesting. Unless MD4BUSH - who we presume to be a dem operative? - simply provided both sides of the Freepmails. Just like in regular emails, you have a copy of what you sent and what the reply was.
I don't know about Freepmail, but the exchanges mentioned by the Baltimore station were what was posted right on the thread because I read them. It certainly sounded to ME like MD4BUSH was trying (hoping?) to provoke Steffen into saying something derogatory about the Mayor. Steffen didn't take the bait, in fact he seemed to warn against spreading rumors without anything to back them up.
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.