Break-In Blogger’s Wife: McDaniel Told Husband To Take Anti-Cochran Video Down

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The wife of political blogger Clayton Kelly said that her husband had been ordered to quickly take down a video clip against Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) featuring Cochran’s wife by primary challenger state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R-MS).

Those comments come as Kelly remains in jail after being arrested for “exploitation of a vulnerable adult” after breaking into the the nursing home of Cochran’s wife, Rose, to photograph her for an anti-Cochran video. Kelly supports Cochran’s primary challenger, state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R-MS). The McDaniel campaign has denied any direct connection to Kelly.

Tara Kelly (pictured), Clayton’s wife, in an interview with the Clarion-Ledger of Mississippi, said that when Kelly posted the video on April 26, he was quickly ordered by McDaniel himself to take the video down.

“The video was up for about an hour and a half when Clayton received word, either through Facebook or the phone, I’m not sure, that ‘the big man,’ meaning Chris McDaniel, wanted it taken down,” Tara Kelly told the newspaper. “The exact words, I remember Clayton told me, were ‘the big man himself says take it down.’ Clayton was already going to take it down but did so at that time.”

Tara Kelly said that her husband had been encouraged to go to the nursing home by Internet users he interacted with.

“They gave him information as to where Rose Cochran was staying, as well as other information,” Tara Kelly said. “I wish I could tell you the names of these people on the Internet that gave my husband this information. But I don’t know and can only hope it comes out who they are.”

The point of the video, Tara Kelly and attorney Kevin Camp said, was to add to a previous anti-Cochran video on his work with an aide.

“He was trying to drive home a point,” Camp said. “I think he just went about it the wrong way.”

Camp also said that Clayton Kelly had been used as a “pawn” in a larger political game at hand in the Senate race.

The McDaniel campaign did not respond to requests for comment on Tara Kelly’s remarks.

Watch the video of Tara Kelly below:

This post was updated.

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