As has been widely reported, including this article, the Virginia Beach Republican Party plans to ask the Federal Elections Commission to investigate the relationship between Democrat Phil Kellam and MoveOn.
The proof is flimsy at best. The offending email is addressed to “Dear MoveOn member.” And, as Bearing Drift reports, anyone can sign somebody up for the email list. I’m not buying the other argument that some emails were deleted.
In any event, let’s just say the FEC does take up the investigation. How long will it take to complete? Will they be done by November 7? Given how slow the wheels of government turn, I suspect not. So what we will have is an unresolved charge hanging around for the next few weeks.
I suspect the FEC will see this for what it is: grandstanding by the VB GOP. There are enough issues in this campaign that we would be better served having the candidates discuss those, instead of these silly charges.
Technorati Tags: Phil Kellam
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Viv, what do you think about staff “cleaning up” emails after a FOIA request?
You guys are pushing it, Insider. If the Drake Campaign is really THIS desperate, that your forced to trying to make scandals out of nothing, then you really must be worried. I’m going to feel really sorry for you guys when Kellam beats Thelma in November.
My guess is (and only a guess, mind you) is that it was part of a normal routine to clean up his email. It should be easy enough to verify that, as most companies have policies in place about this.
If it wasn’t routine, then it was stupid.
If Phil was communicating with MoveOn, then BOTH of them are demonstrating an amazing lack of knowledge about email and the trail it leaves.
I can’t believe that Phil would be dumb enough to use his work email to communicate with MoveOn. It makes no sense, no matter how you look at it.
I’m inclined to agree Vivian that Kellam isn’t stupid enough to use his work email to contact MoveOn.org. And, heck, I’ve got an email that’s somehow ended up on the DNC list, so that stuff happens.
But don’t forget that MoveOn was targeting Thelma Drake early on. I’m simply not buying that he’s never talked to them.
(pssst…it’s “flimsy”…I do that stuff all the time…)
Got it – thanks. (Guess I forgot to run the spell checker first 😦 )
Ward:
I happen to know for a fact that the only communication between Kellam and MoveOn during the “Red handed” ad was Kellam trying to persuade MoveOn that the ad was bad. And I don’t think that Kellam himself actually said anything. Probably advisors did it for him. Kellam, like most VBeach Democrats, were pissed at those ads. MoveOn did damage to Kellam with those horrible ads. Why would he be in contact with them?
I’m almost positive that the FEC will toss the charges out, and this could possibly backfire on Thelma.
*was pissed (rather than were pissed)
I can tell you for sure that the Kellam campaign never, ever had anything to do with Moveon. They didn’t like the commercials, didn’t want their involvement and hated the bad press from the Pilot over it.
Republicans are reaching here–badly.