The Not-So-Private Mailing List of Markos Moulitsas

If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and shits in a pond — it’s probably a duck.

And right now, the case against Markos Moulitsas (the DailyKos) and his partner Jerome Armstrong — where they are alleged to be running a pay-for-play scheme: hire Armstrong as a consultant and get the support of Kos. — sure has a lot of feathers flying from it.

The fact that Marko$ is trying to cover it up by flexing his make-you-or-break-you blog-influence muscles doesn’t make it look any better:

TNR’s Jason Zengele has the email from Mr. “Screw Them:” The Blogosphere’s Smoke-Filled Back Room. (Hat tip: Allahpundit.)

The YearlyKos media people have already forced corrections at Slate and NY Times (Suellentrop’s blog). There has been some serious overreach by the few outlets that picked up this story (which as I mentioned before has been shopped around). It was interesting how this one piddly-ass story was used to try and smear Jerome, me, AND YearlyKos.

So the only paper to run this as a news story is the disgraceful NY Post. Others who picked up on it have had to backtrack from their original sensationalistic claims.

I am exploring legal options against some of the wingnut bloggers who are claiming I’m syphoning netroots money into consultants and my own pockets. Note how Glenn Reynolds is fueling it with his typical passive aggressive, “I don’t think it’s a big deal, but let me provide links to everyone who thinks this is THE BIGGEST STORY EVER!”

And Jerome’s case, if it could be aired out, is a non-story (he was a poor grad student at the time so he settled because he had no money). Jerome can’t talk about it now since the case is not fully closed. But once it is, he’ll go on the offensive. That should be a couple of months off.

This story will percolate in wingnut circles until then, but I haven’t gotten a single serious media call about it yet. Not one. So far, this story isn’t making the jump to the traditional media, and we shouldn’t do anything to help make that happen.

My request to you guys is that you ignore this for now. It would make my life easier if we can confine the story. Then, once Jerome can speak and defend himself, then I’ll go on the offensive (which is when I would file any lawsuits) and anyone can pile on. If any of us blog on this right now, we fuel the story. Let’s starve it of oxygen. And without the “he said, she said” element to the story, you know political journalists are paralyzed into inaction.

Thanks, markos

The funniest part of this email? Other then the fact that he’s trying to do something that, if he were aware of any other blogger — Left or Right — attempting to do he would tear them apart and castigate them to the depths of blogger hell (would that be MYSpace blogs or Livejournal?)? Oh, and yes, Marko$, I am calling you a hypocrite.

No. The funniest part of this super-duper, extra-top secret email is where Marko$ threatens to sue another blogger (Glenn Reynolds) for having the chutzpah to link to other’s people’s posts about this story.

I think when we all finally get a better look at what’s behind the curtain of DailyKos, we’re going to find that the great Wizard of the Left is really much, much smaller then he built himself up to be.

Posted by Robbie Cooper on Thursday, June 22nd, 2006 | Trackback |