In response to the news, first reported here on BMG and now picked up at the Globe, the Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, National Journal, Politico, and no doubt elsewhere, that Eric Fehrnstrom appears to be behind the satirical “CrazyKhazei” Twitter account, Alan Khazei’s campaign has released the following statement:
Alan Khazei’s U.S. Senate campaign issued the following statement today about the Boston Globe and Blue Mass Group’s report that U.S. Senator Scott Brown’s campaign strategists were behind an anonymous online campaign designed to discredit and malign Khazei.
“Instead of launching anonymous personal attacks against Alan Khazei, Sen. Scott Brown and his team should focus their time and energy on growing our economy and putting Massachusetts citizens back to work,” said Khazei’s Chief of Staff Emily Cherniack.
“Voters are cynical about the political process because politicians in Washington have spent more time on name-calling and tearing each other down, than they’ve spent working together to move the country forward.
“Sen. Brown should denounce these tactics, immediately close the fake Twitter account and apologize to the citizens of Massachusetts because we deserve better from our leaders,” continued Cherniack.
“Sen. Brown campaigned as a different type of politician, but since assuming office he has cozyied up to special interests, engaged in juvenile personal attacks, and become another Washington politician.”
Khazei, sensibly, makes no direct mention of Fehrnstrom. But the real story here is what happens to him. He’s one of Scott Brown’s key advisors, and he serves a similar role for Mitt Romney – who is having troubles of his own, as two new polls show that Rick Perry is now the clear front-runner in the GOP primaries. Neither Brown nor Romney needs the distraction of a consultant who got caught in an embarrassing sideshow.
sue12 says
‘front paged on Dailykos’.
dle777 says
The real question is why Brown and any purported consultant for him would waste time engaging with Khazei. Most of the citizenry has no idea who he is, or think he’s the leader of Afghanistan.
Isn’t it interesting that in this bluest of blue states the most formidable challenge to Scott Brown is from someone who isn’t running, at least yet?
Will the Harvard intellectual fare better than the AG who doesn’t know David Ortiz from Carmen Ortiz?
Al says
is nothing new. He has a long habit of making snarky statements about those who oppose his employers. His behavior is more punk like than merely aggressive, and he’s usually been saved by bosses in a position to look the other way.
johnk says
It seems that his campaign has been creating sock puppet accounts smearing opponents. You would think that he might want to clean house and take an aggressive approach to demonstrate to people he wants to run on issues and jobs. This sleazy and tasteless attacks need to be addressed.
dle777 says
what is with this “comment is awaiting moderation” for an non-offensive (perhaps unfunny) comment?
Mark L. Bail says
fires Eric Ferhnstrom and replaces him with a team of 8th grade boys.
“I expect the move to silence critics,” said Brown. “And the move saves me more money than I did when I switched to GEICO.”
A person associated with the campaign says that in addition to sock puppet Twitter accounts, Brown media team members will be sent incognito to Democratic senate candidate appearances to make fart noises and cough “Blow job!” into their hands.
David says
to unleash streams of profanity at high school kids. HA! Imagine if he really did that. Oh wait…
JimC says
It’s not every day that a blogger breaks a national story. Kudos.
JimC says
And if not, why not? It doesn’t really matter (to me) whether he knew. He should still apologize.
David says
Head-down Scott Brown strikes again.