Caught in the act, Repukes back and fill

[Schmajo]

7/28/06

http://www.dispatch.com/news/news.php?story=dispatch/2006/07/28/20060728-A1-03.html

“The chairman of the Ohio Republican Party fired an employee yesterday for disseminating a disparaging e-mail about Democratic gubernatorial nominee Ted Strickland and his wife.

Robert T. Bennett also issued a letter of apology to Strickland, saying the e-mail suggesting that the Stricklands are gay ‘was in no way authorized nor condoned by me or any member of my senior staff.’

Bennett dismissed Gary Lankford, hired this month as the party’s ‘social conservative coordinator,’ for sending the e-mail titled ‘10 Things to Know About Ted Strickland.’ The e-mail linked readers to a Web log that directly questions the sexual orientation of Strickland and his wife, Frances.
***
Despite Bennett’s apology, Strickland said the rumor still has been spread, and he doubted that Bennett would have apologized if the party hadn’t ‘got caught.’
***”

Does ANYONE, ANYWHERE believe that persons in authority at the ORP did not know what this Rove wannabe was doing? Keep an eye out for Gary Lankford, he'll soon turn up in one Repuke campaign or another.

[Kolesar]

1. Gary Lankford passionately loves Jesus!

Gary Lankford passionately loves Jesus! He and his wife, Karen, have been married since 1983 and have one daughter, Alyssa, who is a college student at Missouri University (Mizzou).

Prior to moving to Missouri in 1999 Gary served for over 15 years as Minister of Counseling and Family Life for a couple of church bodies on the west coast. Gary also had the privilege of working with James Dobson at Focus on the Family as Director of Counseling Ministries. Currently Gary works as an account specialist for an international biotech company along with continuing his private practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in St. Charles.

As a member of 2Rivers church you will find Gary teaching TRU classes, singing on a worship team, or just hanging around the halls harassing people! He has been an elder since 2001 and is currently involved with Family Ministry, Caregivers, and Divorce Care ministry leaders. Karen is actively involved in the Women's Ministry Council and serves in the children's area on Sundays.

If you feel God leading you to get involved in any of these ministries, give Gary and Karen a call! They are also readily available for dinner, parties, going to the movies or just hanging out and having fun!
http://www.2riverschurch.com/about2r/elders/ElderBioLankford.htm

[Kolesar]

2. BLADE: Republican tactics in Ohio echo political ploys of '04

Republican tactics in Ohio echo political ploys of '04
Foes target Strickland on values, Brown on national security issues

By JIM TANKERSLEY
BLADE POLITICS WRITER


The Ohio Republican Party's newly hired "social conservative coordinator" e-mailed an undisclosed group of "pro-family friends" this week, offering a 10-point introduction to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland.

His message attacked the church attendance, work ethic, and voting record of Mr. Strickland, a southeast Ohio congressman and ordained Methodist minister. It alleged Mr. Strickland and his wife of nearly 20 years live in different states - and linked to an Internet posting that questions whether Mr. Strickland is gay.

The e-mail's author, a Christian home school headmaster named Gary Lankford, signed the note with his Ohio Republican Party title below his name. "Pass this information along," he concluded.

Mr. Strickland called the e-mail's charges "preposterous" and "not factual" when informed of them this week, after The Blade obtained a copy. Ohio GOP officials condemned the message and said they disciplined Mr. Lankford but did not fire him.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060723/NEWS09/607230348

[AngryOldDem]

3. Brilliant campaign move...

...and oh, so very Rovian.

The insinuations are now out there, apology or no apology. The 'Thugs accomplished what they wanted to accomplish. Words can't be taken back, nor erased from the record, or memory.

How can you decently fight against shit like this?

[mtnester]

5. And Bob Bennet did not REALLY apologize

he apologized for the TACTIC

No apology in my mind. Deliberate as hell.

[Schmajo]

4. Dogpatch Op-Ed jumps on ORP

7/30/06
http://www.dispatch.com/editorials-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/07/30/20060730-E5-01.html

“***
By Thursday, state Chairman Robert T. Bennett knew the party had been caught red-handed and issued an apology to the victim, U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, the Democratic nominee for governor. But the scurrilous mission had been accomplished: Let the whispering campaign begin.

The attack had nothing to do with records or resumes or policy. It was brutally personal – and a lie. The message the GOP had asked its followers to spread across the Ohioscape is that Strickland and his wife are gay, never mind their nearly 20 years of marriage.
***
After appalled recipients of Lankford’s e-mail forwarded it to news organizations, including The Dispatch, and reporters began asking questions, the GOP went into its Houdini act. The party didn’t know about Lankford’s attempt to assassinate Mr. and Mrs. Strickland’s good name, a spokesman said. That is not a strategy the party would ever contemplate. Certainly, the party would never condone Lankford’s tactic.

But emerging details about Lankford’s connections make it difficult for the party to disavow knowing exactly who it was getting when it hired him. Lankford was less than two months removed from serving as a paid ‘voter contact consultant’ for the primary election campaign of Republican gubernatorial nominee J. Kenneth Blackwell.
***”