Just amazing

Damn, that Jill Hazelbaker doesn't know
how to use the internets

This whole thing is just amazing. Stupid doesn't even begin to describe it. Tom Kean Jr's campaign spokeperson is posting on a blog under a psuedonym. Holy shit.

Confirmed: Kean Jr Campaign Behind Astroturfing
by: jmelli
Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:01:35 AM EDT

It's official now. What was very strong evidence that the Tom Kean Jr campaign was behind all the troll postings is now irrefutable proof. Below is the header information from an email sent out by Tom Kean Jr campaign spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker. Some information has been removed to protect the innocent, but the important thing here is that Jill Hazelbaker's IP address is 70.90.20.85: Return-Path: Received: from tomkean.com (mail.xquizit.com [66.194.148.20]) by XXXXX with ESMTP id XXXXX; Received-SPF: neutral (XXXXX is neither permitted nor denied by best guess record for domain of jill@tomkean.com) Received: from KFS05 [70.90.20.85] by tomkean.com with ESMTP (SMTPD32-8.15) id XXXXX; From: "Jill Hazelbaker" To: "XXXXX" This is the same IP address that several troll comments last night were posted from. It's pretty obvious that those comments were posted by Hazelbaker herself. The content of the comments is a dead giveaway. In one comment, "cleanupnj" says: "What happened to Mr. Mark Davis, the counsel who apparently gave Boss Bob "verbal approval" to line his pockets with tax-payer funded federal money." This sounds like nearly the exact same thing Jill Hazelbaker said to reporter Herb Jackson in his story today: "Menendez said it was another person that originally gave him approval, now his corroborating witness doesn't remember the act of approval." And then there's this highly defensive comment from "usedtobeblue" protesting attacks on Hazelbaker: Also, you guys are upset about the attacks on Menendez, but isn't it a little bit hypocritical to then attack his press secretary. Wow. I'm sure that's what random, rank-and-file supporters are thinking: "Why is that blog attacking the press secretary?" Uh huh. And perhaps the most damning evidence, again from "cleanupnj" (emphasis mine): She is also married to Russ Feingold's legislative director. Unbiased source? A conflict of interest certaintly. And the woman isn't even sure if she gave Boss Bob approval anyway. That was not public information until Herb Jackson's article appeared this morning. That's something only Herb and the people he spoke with for the article, like the campaign spokespeople, could have known at 7:15 PM yesterday. Jill - your campaign has been exposed. You're nothing but a bunch of liars, and sadly, you can't even do that well. Update: More Amateur Hour at the Kean Jr Campaign - Jill Hazelbaker strikes again in the comments below.

jmelli :: Confirmed: Kean Jr Campaign Behind Astroturfing

Tags: Jill Hazelbaker, Tom Kean Jr, astroturfing, trolls, (All Tags)

Confirmed: Kean Jr Campaign Behind Astroturfing | 15 comments | Post A Comment

They're not gonna win any votes here (4.00 / 1) Just like I was taught never to mess with local GOP internal operations or knock on the doors of my local Republican committee members, I dunno what will be gained by diehard Republicans fighting with yellow dog Dems on an obvious partisan site. It's pretty clear that our minds have long been made up over whom we will vote for on Election Day. by: thecontrarian @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:09:09 AM EDT [ Reply ] Children (3.00 / 2) Pretty childish behavior, on both parts. First of all, these troll posts evidently from the same IP address: That is pretty pathetic. It is one thing to honestly disagree with a viewpoint, and to promote debate.. but it is entirely another thing to actively pursue a flame fight, and argument just for the sense of argument. On the other side, I feel the amature investigation conducted and "confirmed" information is a bit silly. This isn't Earth shattering information that we're dealing with here guys. A bunch of idiots have decided to try and troll your forum. Don't sink to their level or add fuel to the fire, brush it off and don't give them the attention they're craving. Everybody can do better than this. by: DrGortex1 @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:12:04 AM EDT [ Reply ] OK But this is not just a bunch of idiots -- this is staff members of a campaign for the United States Senate. That's news for 2 reasons: 1) They don't have anything better to do with their time than worry about a blog; 2) They are this threatened by a blog. by: huntsu @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:44:38 AM EDT [ Parent ] This is behavior... That can be filed under the topic "Dirty Tricks", or you can use the rat-based phrase so popular with Republicans. The source is Juney's campaign headquarters. Put it all together and this is trivial? As if. If we were doing the same thing and it could be documented in the detail that Juan has documented this behavior, the press releases would be flying out of Juney's campaign headquarters in such numbers as to rival the snowflakes in The Blizzard of 96. Admittedly, documenting the public stupidities of young Republican thugs is also damn good fun, too, for verily, they are hamfisted clowns. ;-) by: Tandalayo Scheisskopf @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:55:15 AM EDT [ Parent ] These aren't just idiots They're official campaign idiots, pretending to be something they're not. And as for the "both sides do it" crap argument, if it's important enough to a campaign functionary to hide their identity when trolling an opposing site, it's important enough to expose them when they do. You want to elevate the dialog, leave off lecturing others about what they should do and elevate your own behavior. The irony of that last sentence doesn't escape me in this regard, but it's good advice, nonetheless... Before you win, you have to fight. Come fight along with us at TexasKaos. by: boadicea @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:02:41 AM EDT [ Parent ] Great work, jmelli (0.00 / 0) I love to see things like this exposed. So I guess whenever we see comments from "cleanupnj" and "usedtobeblue" we can just respond with "Hi, Jill" and post a link to her bio or something. Pity that Jill (and perhaps her minions) feel that they have to stoop to this level. It sure doesn't look good for the Kean campaign to have the campaign spokeswoman doing this. P.S. Jill, if you're reading this, did you really used to be blue? by: joanneleon @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 09:50:42 AM EDT [ Reply ] This is Typical of The Whole Republican Modus Operandi (0.00 / 0) All straight out of the Karl Rove handbook (maybe Rove at age 16 but still Rovian none the less). Of course, now Rove has this kind of crap done for him by people ten levels below him so he can claim (im)plausible deniability. Unfortunately, this garbage has achieved a certain amount of traction in the media. And it's being reflected by the polls. It's a shame, but lies seem to work unless they are fully exposed in the bright light of day. It's up to the Menendez campaign to blow this all up in Kean's face in a very public and effective way; or it won't matter in the slightest that a few dozen (hundred?) political wonks who follow this site know the truth. In particular, there was a broadcast on the Brian Leher show on WNYC that really did a number on Menendez that needs to be responded to! The Menendez campaign should demand an on air opportunity to rebut the misinformation. Go to the wnyc site at http://www.wnyc.org/... and then listen to the sement labeled as follows: >>>>>Not your garden variety politics Bob Hennelly, WNYC reporter and Kathy Barrett-Carter, editorial writer at the Newark Star-Ledger<<<<<<<<<< Meanwhile, there's nothing "amateurish" about the work that Xpat and Juan have done here . In fact it is PRECISELY what the press SHOULD have been doing! Sly attempts to minimized the significance of these dirty tricks smack, to me, of damage control. This is big, significant stuff as it cuts the whole rationale for Keane campaign off at the knees. Without the swiftboating of Menendez (and a tacit appeal to bigotry/prejudice), they have nothing to run on except the fact that Junior has the same name as his father. by: Nick Lento @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:05:00 AM EDT [ Reply ] a trap...... (0.00 / 0) .....hazelbacker has this entire blogsite talking ALL THE TIME about these ridiculous allegations. hence, we are not talking about the war. I hope we are not a bunch of suckers for allowing ourselves to let them frame this debate. This campaign should be about IRAQ IRAQ IRAQ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lassiter Space by: jay lassiter @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:08:21 AM EDT [ Reply ] This is sad (0.00 / 0) This is a truly sad day for the bluejersey. Covering NJ like a rug? Maybe you'd have a shot if you focused on actual campaign issues. As an ardent democrat who used to enjoy reading this blog, I am frankly disapointed at the turn bluejersey has taken. You're wrong if you think our generation is only interested in personal attacks...and the personal attacks aren't even on the candidates, but their staff. A new low point guys. Good job. Keep up the great work. by: blueforever06 @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:16:24 AM EDT [ Reply ] LOL, Hi Jill! Seriously, what is wrong with you guys? This is sad (0.00 / 0) IP Address: 70.90.20.85 This is a truly sad day for the bluejersey. Covering NJ like a rug? Maybe you'd have a shot if you focused on actual campaign issues. As an ardent democrat who used to enjoy reading this blog, I am frankly disapointed at the turn bluejersey has taken. You're wrong if you think our generation is only interested in personal attacks...and the personal attacks aren't even on the candidates, but their staff. A new low point guys. Good job. Keep up the great work. by: blueforever06 @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:16:24 AM EDT How is it that I can call you out on posting from Junior's campaign HQ and then... YOU KEEP DOING IT? Seriously, just stop it. It's laughable and embarrassing and a huge no-no in the world of the web. No one believes for a second that you're "an ardent democrat who used to enjoy reading this blog." It doesn't take an IP address to sniff out a concern troll from a mile away. It looks really silly for your candidate that you're spending your time fighting with a blog. I mean, we're flattered and all, but you just keep making the joke funnier and funnier. Princeton's Drinking Liberally by: jmelli @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:32:58 AM EDT [ Parent ] These Poor Folks Remind Me of "Baghdad Bob" Remember the Iraqi "information minister" who was in such bizarre denial that he could not acknowledge reality. (Hmmmmm, sounds like George Bush on Global Warming!!! lol) All they can do is to keep digging themselves into a deeper hole. Bob had no shame, and neither do these poor pathetic creatures. On the othere hand, it's people like this that are running the White House, and the Congress; so we do have to take them seriously, eh? by: Nick Lento @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 11:05:03 AM EDT [ Parent ] Maybe it's not Jill Maybe it's Junior himself. He does nothing (but perhaps whine)in Trenton, so why should he actually do work on his own campaign? by: PocketAces @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 11:28:19 AM EDT [ Parent ] Seriously Just stop. You keep digging the hole deeper. by: DrGortex1 @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:50:10 AM EDT [ Parent ] No. Don't stop. (0.00 / 0) I haven't laughed this hard in weeks. She's utterly clueless. You would think she'd at least open a new email account. The longer you keep her occupied like this, the better. by: Rufus T Firefly @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 11:18:03 AM EDT [ Reply ] emails She's created at least a half dozen different email addresses, though it doesn't make it any harder to figure out who she is. Princeton's Drinking Liberally by: jmelli @ Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 11:27:52 AM EDT [ Parent ]