What a coincidence.

Posted at 8:19 PM on April 6, 2006 by Bob Collins (14 Comments)

Funny this should come up in a week when some folks have gotten themselves all worked up by my asking three simple questions.

Blue Ox has done some work to determine who is Molligator? A blog that appeared recently and disappeared just as quickly. It's gone now but apparently the postings were critical of gubernatorial candidate Becky Lourey.

While I can't be certain, a quick search pulled up sites here and here which seem to identify Molligator as paid Steve Kelley staffer Pam McCrory. My sources in the 7th Congressional District tell me that she is one of two Kelley staffers in the 7th and is based out of Bemidji. Ironically, this is confirmed by Molligator herself in, ahem, amusing comments left on Minnesota Blue.

If it were true that a blog was actually a front operated by a campaign, without actually stating that, would that be considered deceptive? Does it matter?

You tell me.

Comments (14)

Scaring up a story, Mr. Collins?

I hope you'll read the comments on that post at Blue Ox and at the related thread at Backbone Minnesota, who also plugged the Molligator blog before these allegations arose.

Here are the facts:

1. I plugged the Molligator blog yesterday, not knowing who was behind it.
2. I got an email indentifying Pam McCrory as the author, along with some choice words for the Kelley campaign.
3. I relayed the allegations to Kelley campaign staff in the form of questions - namely, is this true, and were you guys aware of it?
4. While the campaign staff was expressing their skepticism at the allegations, Pam McCrory confirmed that she was behind the blog.
5. I responded to the campaign staff that I thought it was an extremely bad situation to get into.
6. Pam McCrory removed the Molligator blog - whether it was a voluntary move or directed by the campaign, I do not know.
7. At some point late last night or early this morning, the Backbone MN thread and Blue Ox's work appeared. I followed with a retraction of my plug and have been continuing to respond to some pretty nasty, and frankly untrue, charges (see BBMN thread for commenter "Jay") toward the Kelley campaign ever since.

In conclusion - was it a mistake for Pam McCrory to blog anonymously? Yeah. Is it disappointing? Yeah. Did the Kelley campaign know about it? Absolutely not. Is it a long-term problem - not unless someone else is going to start doing the same thing for someone else.

Posted by MN Campaign Report | April 6, 2006 9:30 PM

The Kelley campaign needs to set clear expectations for staff - no anonoblogging.

I have requested comment from Steve Kelley.

A good story would be for MPR to call all campaigns and ask them for their anonoblogging policy for campaign staff.

Posted by Eva Young | April 7, 2006 12:00 AM

Has Blue Ox responded to your questions? That's only fair that they be asked.

Posted by Eva Young | April 7, 2006 12:01 AM

I'm happy to respond.
1. No
2. I have communicated and fact-checked with Tim Walz on some of my previous posts, but posts on Blue Ox are mine and mine alone.
3. No

Posted by Lost Ox | April 7, 2006 12:16 AM

//In conclusion - was it a mistake for Pam McCrory to blog anonymously? Yeah. Is it disappointing? Yeah. Did the Kelley campaign know about it? Absolutely not.

This was not a point you made in the recitation of the events. I assume you asked that question directly of the Kelley campaign? And is Pam a paid member of the campaign? Also, who issued the flat the denial that the campaign was involved?

Posted by Bob Collins | April 7, 2006 8:28 AM

//not unless someone else is going to start doing the same thing for someone else.

How do we know that's not already happening?

Posted by Bob Collins | April 7, 2006 8:29 AM

Yes, I did ask it directly of the campaign. As a blogger intent upon the success of disclosure efforts and NOT as a supporter of the campaign, I was satisfied that they (specifically, Matt Filner and Jessica Null) had zero prior knowledge of McCrory's blogging activity.

As for the flat denial, it was implicit in Matt Filner's response to my inquiry. With a promise that it would not be re-published, since it's private correspondence, I would be glad to send you a copy of his response to me for your perusal. Email me at mncampaignreport@yahoo.com if you're interested, Bob.

How do we know it's not already happening? We all agree not to blogroll or plug new blogs that appear until the author posts answers to your already-asked questions regarding paid campaign staff status. I know I'll be more careful in the future.

Posted by MN Campaign Report | April 7, 2006 9:12 AM

What is truly interesting here is the larger conflict between the expansion of blogging and campaigns. One of the challenges for each campaign is maintaining a consistent, candidate-derived message among all of the campaign's staff. In the past, this was much easier: staff could communicate publicly by writing letters to the editor and through direct, in-person conversations with people. In other words, the opportunity for a staff member to send a message that contradicted the campaign was severely limited. Now, however, staffers can easily set up a blog or comment on existing blogs. It becomes much easier for them to veer off message. And it becomes much more difficult for the campaign to control.

Eva has posted the solution elsewhere - disclosure. Unfortunately, the only real possibility for disclosure is self-disclosure. Self-regulation among bloggers is a possible enforcement mechanism (akin to "shaming" bloggers who do not disclose), but there is still no real way to prove that the self-disclosure is authentic. In any event, this is increasingly becoming a problem for all campaigns, not just Senator Kelley's.

Posted by minntelect | April 7, 2006 10:04 AM

In the interests of full diclosure, I should state that I used to work on the Reggie Edwards campaign. When I came on board I pulled down Blue Ox and didn't resurrect it until after I was no longer with the campaign.

Posted by Lost Ox | April 7, 2006 10:59 AM

Full disclosure all the time. This had the makings of a stinky situation, but ethical considerations prevailed and the blog was pulled.

End of problem.

Unlike South Dakota when no one found out what was going on until AFTER the election.

I think that top-tier reputable blogs and news media outlets should never link to any blog if there are any questions about them fronting for a campaign.

OTOH, if a blog states that it is clean and making full disclosure, you should take them at their word and then provide some background on the blogger(s).

But just to play devil's advocate, I write a fairly blue blog. My endorsement is worth very little, but I have the ability to launch some nasty attacks. If I don't get paid for them, do I need to disclose? And if so, will Bob Collins start telling us who he has lunch with?

Don't get too hung up on who's paying for whose blog. The real scandal is that reporters and blogs rely on confidential leaks, and where's the transparency in that?

Posted by da Wege | April 7, 2006 12:37 PM

//And if so, will Bob Collins start telling us who he has lunch with?

Mostly with the person sitting next to my in my cubicle since, except for rare occasions, I bring my lunch from home and eat at my desk. And in yesterday's post, I told you who I had lunch with.

//The real scandal is that reporters and blogs rely on confidential leaks, and where's the transparency in that?

I can't think of any anonymous source or confidential leak I've used. Ever, actually.

Posted by Bob Collins | April 7, 2006 12:47 PM

Seriously, it's really not that difficult. Put your name on your blog. Or don't, and know that you'll be treated with a bit of skepticism if you don't. Whatever. Personally, I don't think too much about who's doing what as paid members of campaigns because, let's be honest, most bloggers are so interested in having something first they'd do it for free.

And I'm not buying Wege's lunch anymore.

Posted by rew | April 7, 2006 4:27 PM

Please refer to my apology (Pam McCrory) regarding Molligator posts at http://nwminnesota.blogspot.com

Thank you.

Posted by Pam McCrory | April 10, 2006 2:52 PM

Pam McCrory's apology is interesting, because it states that she is still a Steve Kelley campaign employee.

Does the Kelley campaign need to be dependent on someone who is so involved in playing fast and loose with the rules (e.g. the e-mail delegates and the vote to not reconvene the Beltrami Co convention per request of the State DFL) or is the Kelley campaign so marginal now that they couldn't find competent campaign professionals to work for them... who don't want to be associated with what is shaping up to be a loss for Kelley?

Anyway, because of people in Beltrami like McCrory and Meuers (quite possibly the faithless elector of 2004, and someone who has essentially said in this cycle the DFL does not need the Native vote, or the youth vote)... the CD 7 convention on April 22nd, and possibly the State convention, are going to be spectacles of one sort or another.

Posted by impeccableliberalcredentials | April 16, 2006 12:04 PM

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