Posted on 02/21/2006 8:21:00 PM PST by LdSentinal
Washington - Former U.S. Senate candidate Paul Hackett on Monday accused Rep. Sherrod Brown of spreading "preposterous" rumors that he mishandled body parts while serving in Iraq.
Hackett, an Iraq war veteran who withdrew last week from a primary fight against Brown for the Democratic Senate nomination, said in an interview on MSNBC's Hardball program that he had heard repeatedly from Democratic officials in Ohio that Brown was behind a whisper campaign about his war record.
"The word came to me from many Democratic chairs in the state of Ohio that my primary opponent was spreading rumors about my service in Iraq," said Hackett, a Marine Corps major who volunteered to go to Iraq and served with a civil affairs unit in Ramadi and Fallujah.
Asked by Hardball host Chris Matthews about rumors that photos exist showing him playing with human body parts, Hackett denounced the rumors and challenged anyone who could substantiate them to confront him.
"I have heard those stories, and they're absolutely preposterous," Hackett said. "I invite anybody who wants to make those allegations to come onto your show. I'll meet them here."
Hackett said he believes that the rumors came from Brown's campaign because he heard that from "multiple different sources throughout Ohio, all pointing in that direction."
Told of Hackett's assertion, Brown campaign spokeswoman Joanna Kuebler said Monday: "Of course it's not true."
She said that neither Brown nor his campaign had played a role in spreading the rumors.
Hackett had previously shied away from identifying the source of the rumors. In an interview last week with The Plain Dealer, Hackett said he believed that he knew the source of the rumors but didn't want to elaborate. He instead suggested that a reporter contact a supporter of his, Clermont County Democratic Chairman David Lane.
Lane said last week that he had no proof that a Democrat was responsible for the rumors, but he recounted a conversation last fall with Dan Lucas, an aide to Brown, in which he said Lucas told him "there are things out there about Paul that I don't think he [Hackett] really wants to be made public."
In a written statement Monday, Kuebler said, "the campaign has been assured by Mr. Lucas that he was not part of any supposed effort to spread rumors."
Parse her words..she denied "spreading" the rumors, but not "starting" them..
No Rat would do that to another Rat, I mean, winning isn`t that important, right?
I shot the Sherrod, but I did not shoot the Dem Party.
I shot the Sherrod, but I did not shoot the Dem Party.
All around in DUmmieland
They're howling to beat the band.
They say they want to bring me in guilty
For the killing of the Dem Party,
For the life of the Dem Party.
But I say:
I shot the Sherrod, but I swear it was in self-defense.
I shot the Sherrod, and they say it is a Capitol offense.
Sherrod A. Brown tried to swiftboat me--
For what, I don't know.
Every time that I plant a tree,
He said, "Hack it before it grows."
He said, "Hack it before it grows."
I say:
I shot the Sherrod, but I swear it was in self-defense.
I shot the Sherrod, but I swear it was in self-defense.
Hardball came my way one day,
And I started to expound.
All of a sudden I think, "Sherrod A. Brown,
Running my boat aground."
So I shot, I shot him down.
I say:
I shot the Sherrod, but I did not shoot the Dem Party.
I shot the Sherrod, but I did not shoot the Dem Party.
Chris Matthews got the better of me,
And what is to be must be.
Every time Paul Hackett goes on TV--
Well, one day loose cannons will go off.
Yes, one day loose cannons will go off.
But I say:
I shot the Sherrod, but I did not shoot the Dem Party.
I shot the Sherrod, but I did not shoot the Dem Party. . . .
I saw it earlier..very funny....kudos..
Hackett got what he deserved, that lying traitor.
Welcome to Democratic politics, son. Want to rethink that stuff you babbled about Bush?
Did I hear that Hackett's team found all kinds of negative things about that WUSS, Sherrod Brown.
Lots of pronouns here that I have trouble tracking back to their nouns.
I hope Hackett doesn't overplay this so that this does maximum damage to Brown.
The furniture talks to Hackett? Interesting.
Gee, isn't Hackett the one who maintained the rumors about GWB cocaine use were "true"?
Hmm...for a vet, he can dish it out, but he sure can't take it.
If I had won the powerball Saturday, I would have asked Mr. R to ban the use of the word "traitor" on this site unless the Freeper that used it really understood what it means.
Hackett is a Rat, but he isn`t a traitor.
I find this the funniest story of the 2006 campaign season, myself!
I'm sure that with Howard Dean in charge, there'll be lots more good ones.
Oh I see, only you understand what a traitor is. Interesting. Let me guess, no one who has served in the military is ever a traitor? Well, sorry, but our definitions don't match. Kerry was a traitor and so is Hackett. You can only go so far left before you become a Tokyo Rose imo.
Banning words? Interesting choice if you'd rather not discuss issues...
I'm sure before long, it will go into MSM lore as a GOP dirty trick, just like Willie Horton, which was originated by Al Gore against Mike Dukakis.
So Hackett has just realized that atheistic socialists have no morals?
You lie with dogs, you get up with fleas.
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