In the Concord Monitor

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

In the Concord Monitor this morning, former <$Ad$>Senator Bob Smith (R-NH) unloads a fusillade of denunciation against Jim Tobin for his role in the 2002 phone jamming case.

It is only fair to say that Smith is not without an interest or an axe to grind in this matter. You’ll remember that he left and then rejoined the Republican party. And then John Sununu, the eventual Republican candidate in whose interest the phone jamming scam was perpetrated, beat him in the 2002 Republican primary, thus ending his senate career.

All that said, however, his denunciation is right on the mark.

From Mr. Smith, who once went to Washington …

Both parties have a right to expect a fair election result even if it is not always a favorable one. Tobin also said, “It is disappointing, indeed, to see the opposition party (Democrats) manipulate the court system in a blatant attempt to influence the election.”

What a mind-numbing hypocritical answer that is! Who is trying to influence elections, Mr. Tobin? Please do not insult us further.

New Hampshire Democrat Party Chair Kathy Sullivan said, “The public should know Tobin’s role in this, along with the roles of any other high-level GOP officials.”

Kathy and I have not agreed very often, but she is absolutely correct. We need the truth now to restore confidence in the coming election. She has a right to be angry. Can you imagine the Republican outrage if the Democrats had been guilty of similar conduct? Does a party that refuses to tell the truth before Election Day deserve our vote on election day?

Exactly.

The guy who helped organize election tampering last cycle gets appointed by the Bush campaign to run their election operation this cycle. And he only resigns his post after his role becomes public knowledge rather than the inside scoop among Republican operatives and a few DOJ lawyers. That’s as big an outrage as the original offense.

Latest Editors' Blog
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: