Chucky Fears The Man Of Steele
Senator Chuck Schumer, who runs the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, has long decried the potential for identity theft and the loss of privacy in the marketplace. In April of this year, Schumer introduced legislation to create an entire new bureaucracy for "data merchants", the Schumer-Nelson ID Theft Prevention Bill. What penalties does the Schumer-Nelson bill prescribe for violations? A thousand dollars per violation, for starters, and repeated violations probably would get escalated.
Why do I bring this up? Because Schumer's Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee tried to steal Maryland Republican Lieutenant-Governor and all-but-declared senatorial candidate Michael Steele's identity (also via CQ):
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said Tuesday that two of its employees obtained the credit report of Maryland Lieutenant-Governor Michael Steele, a potential Republican challenger next year for the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Paul Sarbanes.
Phil Singer, spokesman for the committee, said in a statement issued in Washington that the two employees have resigned. He said the credit report was not used or disseminated to anyone, and the incident was reported to the U.S. attorney's office.
"While the DSCC did not authorize the employees to access Mr. Steele's credit report, we regret that this incident occurred and apologize to Mr. Steele," the statement said. Singer would not expand on the statement.
Paul Ellington, Steele's chief of staff, said in a statement that "this is a serious legal issue, and a criminal investigation is under way. We have been advised by the FBI to not comment and will honor their request."
Well, well, well. Mr. Steele hasn't even officially declared that he's running for Sarbanes' seat and Chucky's girls (Charlie's Angels?) are already trying to smear him. Looks like they are scared to death that he'll not only pick off another senate slot for the GOP, but become an instant national star.
They have good reason to be fearful. And now they've given his candidacy even more momentum. Always said Dems had a talent for something.
In addition to dirty tricks, they're also good at shameless hypocrisy:
Phil Singer, a spokesman for the Schumer-headed Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said two staffers were instantly suspended — with pay — in July after admitting they obtained the credit report of Maryland Lieutenant-Governor Michael Steele, who is running for Senate.
Sources familiar with the situation said the committee's head of research, Katie Barge, and a deputy, Lauren Weiner, got the credit report by using Steele's Social Security number, which they say they obtained from public documents.
Records obtained by the Post show the two continued to be paid by the Democratic committee at least through August 31. [emphasis added]
That was no accident. Neither was the hiring of Ms. Barge, whose speciality is identity theft - although in politics it's known as "opposition research." This woman rendered similar services for the hard-left media "watchdog" Media Matters and last year's abortive John Edwards presidential campaign.
What a trademark Donk operation: self-righteous, anti-capitalist moral supremacism topped with utter two-facedness and garnished with brazen unrepentance.
What I wouldn't give to be able to listen to the cloakroom conversations between Schumer and Steele in early 2007.
UPDATE: Hugh Hewitt is making Watergate parallels.
UPDATE II: Michelle Malkin wonders (rhetorically) where the Extreme Media mavens who rose to such hysterical high dudgeon about "Plamegate" are hiding.
UPDATE 9/23: Now Double-H is reporting that Chucky - the Man Who Never Met Microphone And/Or Camera He Didn't Like - is hiding from the press. He also has some prudent advice for any John Deans who happen to be in the DSSC's employ.
posted by JASmius at 2:25 PM
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