O'Malley Blames GOP Plot For Rumors (MD GOVERNOR'S AID FIRED FOR FREE REPUBLIC POSTS)

Washington Post ^ | 2/9/05 | Matthew Mosk

[crushkerry]

Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley yesterday accused agents of Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s administration of spreading false rumors that he had an extramarital affair, and Ehrlich responded hours later by dismissing a longtime employee.

The mayor, a Democrat considering a bid for governor in 2006, said he believes that the widespread and persistent rumors were part of a "concerted and orchestrated and sustained" effort and called on the Republican governor to apologize to his wife and children. "I don't think any of us run for office expecting that this sort of hurt will be heaped on our kids or our spouses," O'Malley said.

Ehrlich said an apology was premature and denied any personal involvement in spreading the rumor. He then asked for and received the resignation of Joseph Steffen, a longtime aide working in state government. Steffen confirmed yesterday that he had discussed the rumor on a popular conservative Web site and in private e-mails, which were given to The Washington Post.

[ConservativeTerrapin]

Careful, Governor Ehrlich is fairly moderate. I would much rather see him run for the Senate in 2010 and Lt. Governor Steele run for Governor. The Republican Party is growing in Maryland! You'll see!

[AVNevis]

Wow, I'm surprised.

Generally when one is involved in a scandal they hide.

Thanks for explaining, NCPAC

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

What every Republican wants - an endorsement from a leftist nutjob.

[ClintonBeGone]

FYI .. the loons monitor FR all the time and sometimes brag about it on their sites

Yeah, but even so, they're not going to know that Mo1 = Harry Balz from Omaha, Nebraska. Someone has to tell them who you are, or give them enough information so they can make the connection.

[AVNevis]

So you are admitting that what you did was wrong?

Why did you do it, then?

[onyx]

I knew you'd want to be wrong on this one...lol.

Good job, NCPAC!!!!multiple recipients)
AVNevis;NCPAC
Your Reply: (HTML auto-detected, see

[BillF]

In case you had not seen.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

You're a good guy, NCPAC.

[onyx]

ROTFLOL!

Superb comment to MM.

[ClintonBeGone]

No one can figure that out.

Well, good luck my friend. It's nice to see someone take the bullet. I'm not to up to speed on the whole rumor thing, but at least you did the honorable thing - something the Washington Post and the liberals will never understand.

Will you let us know how they outted you when you do get to the bottom of this? And hang in there. You've been around poltics long enough to know that things eventually blow over. It sucks now, but you'll land on your feet.

[Nataku X]

DU stalkers tracked down every one of Buckhead's posts and pieced together every little information they could find to determine his identity. Beyond Buckhead, I expect that there are a contingent of moonbats who spend all day trying to oust Freepers and other posters on right wing blogs to get them fired, etc.

[blogblogginaway]

Sade Baderinwa was covering flooding in New Jersey last summer when she was hit by a car that fled. It is rumored that O'Malley was behind it.





Former Baltimore TV Anchor Hit & Run Victim Saturday, July 24, 2004 - WBAL Radio Police have found a car believed to be the hit and run vehicle that sent a former Baltimore tv anchor to the hospital in northern New Jersey late Friday night. A search continues for the driver who did not stop after hitting WABC-TV New York anchor-reporter Sade Baderinwa on a flooded street in Hackensack. 1010 WINS radio reporter Terry Sheridan was there and told WBAL News that a car went around police barriers and hit the tv reporter as she was working to get the stories of flood victims. Sheridan tells us that Baderinwa was thrown about 10 feet into flood waters. A member of her tv crew and some neighborhood residents chased the car for a time but could not catch up to it. Another WABC crew member and a resident comforted the injured reporter and she was conscious when an ambulance arrived within four minutes, according to Sheridan. Late word Saturday afternoon is that Baderinwa's condition had been stabilized at a hospital in New Jersey. Until last year, Sade Baderinwa was a morning and noon anchor at Baltimore's WBAL-TV, owned by a company related to the one that owns WBAL radio. Baderinwa is a native of Baltimore and an alumnus of the University of Maryland. http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:ZKzt2gIV2ToJ:wbal.com/stories/anmviewer.asp%3Fa%3D21000%26print%3Dyes+Sade+Baderinwa+car+new+jersey&hl=en http://www.cntyseat.com/Vol1Issue24Aug12004/Flood%20Waters%20All%20Around%20Town.htm


http://64.233.161.104/search?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Liberals suck.

[ClintonBeGone]

Why did you do it, then?

One sign of someone with class is they don't do what you just did in asking that question after someone has admitted to wrong doing.

For all we know, he didn't do it, but is willing to take the fall. In politics, that's old school and very honorable.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

So you are admitting that what you did was wrong?

What was it in his post that led you to this conclusion? It sounded to me like he is just a stand-up guy, who wasn't going to let another man be blamed for something he didn't do.

[stainlessbanner]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1339150/posts?page=46#46

get off my porch

[NicknamedBob]

"It's been one wild ride, FRiends."

It's not over yet. The MD Democratic Party is going to go all out to unseat Governor Ehlich in his bid for re-election.

They will leave no stone unturned in their quest. Fortunately, the quality of their prime candidate, hizzoner prissonified, is the best weapon in our camp at the moment.

[EternalVigilance]

Good luck...

[Mo1]

If I recall from reading the loon site with regard to Buckhead .. they went searching his past posts .. one of them mention something about his career .. from there they went on a witch hunt to finf him

How exactly they found him .. I'm not sure .. but they were searching

[NCPAC]

If I were to hide, that would only hurt a Governor I've known and admired for a long time. You live by the sword, you die by the sword - and the Governor wasn't the one living by the sword.

As for your other post asking why I posted certain things on FR if I knew they were wrong, please read my FR post which is quoted in the Washington Post. I never started the rumor. I was commenting on a rumor that had been out there. However, given the volatility of the situation - and knowing the blowback potential on the Governor - I opted out rather than letting him bleed further at the hands of O'Malley. By commenting on/propagating a story already out there, I was inadvertantly opening up the Governor as a target. That was a mistake, one for which I am willing to take full blame and consequence.

[ClintonBeGone]

Sade Baderinwa was covering flooding in New Jersey last summer when she was hit by a car that fled. It is rumored that O'Malley was behind it.

Didn't O'Malley drive Tom Capano's getaway boat? :)

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Curses. Now I'll have to stop posting from the Batcave.

[TheDon]

Several of Steffen's co-workers said in interviews that he parachuted into agencies, set up an office with a statue of the grim reaper on his desk and began assembling lists of people who should be fired.

True? If so, quite funny.

[BillF]

Interesting question, how did the Post figure out who this FReeper is? (And they apparently figured it out without him posting his name.)

Speaking of tracing people down, hope that you still have the steel-belted turtlenecks.

[onyx]

ROTFLOL!

[NCPAC]

Thank you for the kind words. I do what I can.

[conservative in nyc]

Just how do they find out who is behind the screen names???

It's not that hard. As the post screen says, loose lips sink ships.

There's this thing called Google. It allows anyone who wants to research your posts here and other places to piece together who you are. Once narrowed down (by geographical region, types of interests, etc.), it's not too difficult to come up with a profile. And if you've slipped up and posted too much personal information, it's not that difficult to turn the profile into a name.

The DUmmies were trying to "out" Buckhead shortly after he posted the famous Rathergate post. It didn't take long for them to figure out he was a lawyer from the Atlanta area. They narrowed down the suspects to a few politically connected lawyers and guessed correctly. (I think someone posted a picture of an Atlanta-area FReeper gathering to make it easier to identify him). If the DUmmies can do it, it's not rocket science. We know the lamestream media lurks here. And they are (theoretically) better at research than most DUmmies.

Loose lips sink ships.

[AVNevis]

Thank you.

To the people who were chastising me for asking him those questions:

FreeRepublic is supposed to be a news site. That means that we are all journalists. As a 'journalist', to have the person who is at the center of this fairly large story and not ask him those questions because I like him would be irresponsible. OK?

By the way, I stand with you, NCPAC

[CindyDawg]

I guess it's time for a new freeper name, huh? :') I'm not sure what to make of this. I don't care for rumor threads but it wasn't yours. IMO, it shows character to be here tonight and stand up for your Gov though. Scary about your private e-mails. Take care.

[NCPAC]

Thanks, CBG.

The term "disgruntled former employees" come to mind as far as some of the impetus for this search on me. However, the few folks I talked to are astonished that my screen name was uncovered - and it wasn't even THAT big of a deal, as concerns what I actually said in the post. I didn't start any rumor, I was commenting on rumors that were out there. What IS a big deal is the perception - and the fact O'Malley would have hammered the Governor over the head with me for the next 20 months.

Thanks for your well wishes. I'll be fine, of this I have no doubt.

Again, I state, the Governor had no knowledge of any of this

[SunkenCiv]

So, when did the mayor stop cheating on his wife?

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[blogblogginaway]

Admirable NCPAC. I know and admire him also.

[ken5050]

First, I'm sorry for your situation..I know you think you did the honorable thing..though in the ultimate I think you did nothing wrong, and are taking the bullet for your boss.. I've always enjoyed your comments here..Does smack to me of an attemtp byt he left to exact a penalty for anyone excersizing free speech, thought the vile stuff they put out daily is of course off limits...Much has been made here , in a positive sense, over the two blogs written by conservatives inside the State Department...could they suffer the same fate?.

FWIW, now that you're out..beat them at their own game...I asssume you're good at what you do..so you should have no problem landing a new gig...so after you get it..With the proviso that you can blog..do for politics in MD what Lauck did to the Daschle /Thune race..put it on the map, and took Daschle down..You can own the MD politcal blog format..and bevcause of your unfortunate situation, I'm sure there will be many who will be happy to feed you stuff to get you started..it can be a tremendous oportunity...go for it... so tonight..hang around here..if you do imbibe I'd opt for the good single malt...and tomorrow...have at the bastards... regards...from a Chappaqua full of Clintons Ken

[NCPAC]

Thanks, EV. I'll be fine.

Hope you're doing well, my friend.

[stainlessbanner]

incoming freepmail

[Chad Fairbanks]

You rock, dude.

[ken5050]

One has to assume that if you post anything on the web, if someone really wants to find out who you are, and has some resouces and contacts, they can..that's why God created Lurkers..

[NCPAC]

Thanks, William. I will be fine. Hell, this might even burnish my reputation.

[kb2614]

WOW!! She's purty!! ;-)

Needs to be a lot more careful who she sleeps with though.

[Dan from Michigan]

How in the world did they find out he was NCPAC?

It's probably not that hard to figure out. There's IP traces, email addies posted, and those who probably know the posters and are able to figure out who they are from the style of writing or information there. Letters to the editor that match a post are key.

There are dozens of pols who lurk here, and I'm not surprised if some of them post. I know reporters are here, and I'd be shocked if dem and GOP stratigests aren't here from time to time.

[NCPAC]

THAT, I cannot comment on.

[NCPAC]

Thanks for the "character" comment, CD.

I don't quite get the "private emails" thing, either. Not sure what emails to which the reporter is referring.

[AVNevis]

I really hope I didn't offend you by asking those questions. I went and looked back at the threads and found that everything you say is correct.

Sorry, I asked too quickly.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[NCPAC]

Thanks, Ken5050.

I'll be fine - probably going to take some time to just RELAX, as this has been building for a few weeks though, until Tuesday, I didn't know where it was headed.

I did imbibe earlier tonight: A few Guiness draughts with some non-political friends.

I'll consider the MD weblog idea. The thing is, I expect to be pretty busy rather quickly.

[NCPAC]

Thanks, Chad. Judging from your tag line, I think it's safe to say you rock, too!

[ClintonBeGone]

It's probably not that hard to figure out. There's IP traces, email addies posted, and those who probably know the posters and are able to figure out who they are from the style of writing or information there. Letters to the editor that match a post are key.

Unless this site is giving up the IP's, that's not possible. The other stuff is just too circumstantial. If he's been in politics for 10 years, he knows better than to leave an email address. No, it has to be something else.

[BillF]

The DUmmies tried to "out" Buckhead, but wasn't it the LA Slimes who "outed" his real identity?

Didn't the LA Slimes have investigative reporters & staff spend time working to uncover Buckhead? Instead of trying to uncover the source of the Rather forgeries, i.e., the wrongdoers and accomplices to a serious fraud, the LA Slimes went after a whistle-blower who helped expose the fraud of Rather's reporting.

Are you saying that the DUmmies helped the Slimes expose Buckhead's identity? I would doubt that most DUmmies would have the brains to help, but please enlighten me if they did contribute to the Slimes' efforts.

[ken5050]

follow up to my previous..go read the review of Condi's speech....this is the inside the State dept blogger everyone's talking about...all our FR ratings on Condi's speech in France today..a 10+..this person just RIPPED it..tell me that Condi and everyone else in the WH and Foggy Bottom right now doesn't know the name of the blogger