Posted on 09/23/2002 11:23:15 AM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
Ganske campaign officials and state Republican leaders are calling for a state and federal investigation into the apparent taping of a campaign strategy session.
GOP Chairman Chuck Larson said the taping is a "serious breach of privacy."
In letters to a U.S. Attorney and the Iowa Division of Criminal investigation, campaign officials said someone at the September 3rd meeting either was wearing a wire or illegally taped the conversation.
A lawyer for the Ganske campaign said it is illegal to tape a meeting without the consent of those being taped.
Ganske's campaign officials said they were made aware of the transcript and audiotape last Friday.
The meeting involved 24 campaign supporters at a Des Moines hotel. Ganske campaign officials said the meeting was meant to update supporters on how the campaign was going. They said they did not intend or want anyone to know the information discussed at the meeting.
"It (the tape) was intended for dissemination to the press. As it appears they've accomplished that with the intention of damaging our candidacy," Ganske Campaign Manager Bill Armistead said.
A newspaper reporter received the transcript from one of her sources. Reporter Kathie Obradovich said she received the information from "Democratic sources."
Ganske campaign officials said they are not ready to discuss who may be behind the taping.
Attorneys said anyone who illegally tapes a meeting can face five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
NewsChannel 8 and theIowaChannel.com are following this developing story and will bring you more throughout the day.
Des Moines, September 23, 2002 - Accusations have been made in the hotly contested race between Tom Harkin and Greg Ganske. Ganske's campaign alleges that someone may have illegally recorded a private meeting of campaign strategists and supporters and then released it to try to embarrass candidate Ganske.
Republicans say someone gave a reporter a taped recording and transcript of a September 3rd meeting that Ganske's group held at the Hotel Savery in downtown Des Moines. They say the only way someone could have made the tape was to tap a phone used during the meeting or secretly wire one of the participants.
Chairman of the Iowa Republican Party Chuck Larson said "Everyone in the room was a supporter of Congressman Ganske. This was a campaign update of our team, essentially."
Republicans are not directly saying they think the democrats or Senator Harkin is behind the secret recording. But they are asking state and federal officials to look into the action as an illegal activity.
GOP Chairman Chuck Larson Junior calls it a ``very serious breach of privacy.'' He says someone was either wearing a wire or the room was bugged.
Ganske is trying to oust Democratic Senator Tom Harkin.
At issue is a September third meeting at a hotel in downtown Des Moines where strategy and tactics of the campaign were discussed.
Ganske campaign manager Bill Armistead says the campaign was approached by the media and asked to comment on a transcript of the meeting, a transcript in which Ganske vows to attack Harkin - quote - ``with a smile on my face.''
Today, Republican leaders and Ganske campaign officials held a news conference to release letters to the U.S. attorney and the Iowa DCI demanding an investigation.
Harkin campaign manager Jeff Link says the campaign had nothing to do with the incident.
1. Ganske is an idiot RINO
2. The Ganske Camapign put out an ad that showed an elderly lady talking about voting for Harkin in the past, but now switching to Ganske.
3. The Dems found out the "little old lady" was actually an actress in Washington DC! and made ads telling so.
4. Now THIS comes from the Ganske camp. Looks like a bit of "make bigger news against them to cover up our screw-up." Clintonesque indeed.
GWB Is The Man !!
Death To all Tyrant's !!
The Second Amendment...
America's Original Homeland Security !!
Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!
Molon Labe !!
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