Attacks on Democrats and on Progressive Charlestown all part of a playbook

IN CASE YOU MISSED THIS DURING THE STORM:
Misdirected e-mails describe attack strategy being used by CCA, GOP

By Will Collette

It really sucks when you mistype an email address. Especially if that sends it to your opposition.

According to misdirected e-mail traffic we received last June, there was some buzz among South County Republicans about Progressive Charlestown and what to do about it.

It started when Clay Johnson, the Republican opponent to incumbent Rep. Larry Valencia, sent a link to one of my articles to Sen. Frank Maher, who is attempting to defend his seat against strong Democratic challenger Cathie Rumsey.

Maher forwarded the e-mail to other GOP strategists in South County, including influential Hopkinton Republican Scott Bill Hirst.

Hirst gave his counsel to his colleagues, advice that also apparently went to the Charlestown Citizens Alliance, since they are also following it to the letter:

Seriously, this web site while not technically be the Charlestown Democratic web site it virtually is. I believe Mr. Collette's wife is Dem Town Chair in Charlestown. Just have a response for any comment. Politically never respond to an opponent unless you think it hurts you. I would hit the Dem candidates as enablers for the Dems in legislature and this web site a Charlestown Democratic mouthpiece albeit maybe unofficially.  Sharing with Mr. Johnson.

When Hirst shared his advice “with Mr. Johnson,” he was obviously planning to share with Clay Johnson, Larry Valencia’s opponent, and the originator of the e-mail string.

Except Hirst sent his e-mail to the wrong Clay Johnson. The Clay Johnson he sent the e-mail to is the founder of Blue State Digital, a Democratic online fundraising and campaign service.

That Clay Johnson sent the e-mail string on to me with the note, “They've clearly got their Clay Johnsons wrong. I think the one they mean is the tea party nut job running in your state…. Go Rhody.”

Armed with that advance warning and Scott Bill Hirst’s misdirected strategic plan, we knew the CCA would be mounting their attack on Charlestown Democrats by using Progressive Charlestown as a distraction. If they are following Hirst’s strategic advice, the increased intensity of their attacks must mean that they sense that Progressive Charlestown is really hurting them.

How much, I don’t know. It’s fair to say that we haven’t done the CCA any favors, except perhaps to give them a target they can use to try to distract voter attention away from their four years of mismanaging Charlestown.

But when you see the CCA “running” against Progressive Charlestown, bear in mind that this is what the playbook says they need to do when they feel threatened by what we do.

Hirst’s e-mail was also a pretty good prediction of what Tina Jackson, the GOP challenger to Rep. Donna Walsh, would do. Since Donna has a sterling record of service and Tina Jackson, to say the least, does not, Jackson’s only hope has been to try to tag Donna Walsh as responsible in some inexplicable way – and contrary to all the evidence – for 38 Studios.

Just like Coach Hirst says she should do.

Here’s the e-mail string that was sent to me by the other Clay Johnson:

From: Scott Bill Hirst <scottbillhirst@yahoo.com>
Reply To: scottbillhlrst@yahoo.com
To: Kevin Breene <brnholwfrm@aol.com>, Ted Nataly <almostr@aol.com>, Senator Maher <senatormaher@yahoo.com>
Cc: clayjohnson@gmail.com, scottbillhirst@gmail.com
Date: Monday, June 11, 2012 10:24:13 AM
Subject: Re: Charlestown progressive blog

I guess they know Frank and Kevin! Seriously, this web site while not technically be the Charlestown Democratic web site it virtually is. I believe Mr. Collette's wife is Dem Town Chair in Charlestown. Just have a response for any comment. Politically never respond to an opponent unless you think it hurts you. I would hit the Dem candidates as enablers for the Dems in legislature and this web site a Charlestown Democratic mouthpiece albeit maybe unofficially.  Sharing with Mr. Johnson. Scott Bill Hirst XXXXXXXXXX Ashaway,RI 02804-1300 USA (401)XXXXXXXX Note:Telephone if you need quick reply. Alternate E-Mail: scottbillhirst@gmail.com --- On Sun, 6/10/12, Senator Maher <senatormaher@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Senator Maher <senatormaher@yahoo.com> Subject: Charlestown progressive blog To: "Kevin Breene" <brnholwfrm@aol.com>, "Scott Bill Hirst" <scottbillhirst@yahoo.com>, "Ted Nataly" <almostr@aol.com> Date: Sunday, June 10, 2012, 6:43 PM FYI Best regards, Senator Frank Maher Senior Deputy Minority Leader XXXXXXXX Begin forwarded message: From: Clay Johnson <claypjohnson@gmail.com> Date: June 10, 2012 18:06:10 EDT To: Senator Frank Maher <senatormaher@yahoo.com> see the comments at the bottom. http://progressive-charlestown.blogspot.com/2012/05/mark-your-calendars.html#more