In a blistering editorial published Sunday, the Louisville Courier-Journal sought to shift attention away from the alleged transgressions committed by Progress Kentucky, arguing that the “despicable” content of the audio recordings from a secret strategy session involving Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) constitutes “the real story.”
The meeting, held Feb. 2 in Louisville, was allegedly recorded by two activists involved with Progress Kentucky before the audio tapes were obtained and reported on by Mother Jones. In one of the recordings, an aide to McConnell can be heard discussing Ashley Judd, then a potential challenger, and how her history with depression might be exploited in a campaign.
“The contents of the audio are as despicable as they are damaging, leaving Mr. McConnell unable to defend them,” the Courier-Journal editorial board wrote. “Instead, he blustered he was the victim of ‘Watergate style’ bugging by left-leaning enemies and demanded an FBI investigation.”
The editorial made a case that the “clumsy stumbling” of the “little-known group” has played into the GOP leader’s hands, “helping establish him as the victim he badly wants to be.”
“Meanwhile, Mr. McConnell has masterfully diverted public attention from the offensive content of the tape — which is the real story here — to his outrage over how it was obtained,” the editorial read.
Read the entire piece here.