Massachusetts’ Chief Law Enforcement Official Ignores Political Assault; UPDATE: DSCC’s Meehan Apologizes

Posted on | January 13, 2010 | 31 Comments

UPDATE 4:45 p.m. ET: Michael “I Work For Me” Meehan admits he was “was a little too aggressive” with John McCormack — a convenient admission, considering that the incident was caught on video and photographs.

PREVIOUSLY: What else can you say about this photo?

A campaign aide to Martha Coakley has just shoved reporter John McCormack to the ground. Coakley sees it and . . . keeps walking.

(Via Legal Insurrection, the Weekly Standard and Hot Air.)

UPDATE: OK, wanted to get that posted as quickly as possible and now will fill in the background with updates. This incident had been mentioned in an earlier post, but as William Jacobson says, this photo could decide the election. Like the beating of Kenneth Gladney by SEIU thugs, it illustrates the blatant lawlessness of the Democratic Party in the Obama age.

UPDATE II: McCormack believes the goon who shoved him is Michael Meehan, an experienced political operative and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee staffer reportedly sent Monday “to assist the Coakley camp with messaging.”

Heh. Yeah, we got that message.

UPDATE III: McCormack’s account of the incident makes clear that the campaign staffer was trying to prevent him from asking more questions about Coakley’s dinner last night with health-industry lobbyists. Because Democrats are all about transparency.

UPDATE IV: Irony with compound interest — Jim Hoft reports that President Obama recently appointed Meehan to the Broadcasting Board of Governors. Clearly, Meehan is all about protecting the freedom of the press.

UPDATE V: DSCCC spokesman Joseph Goebbels Baghdad Bob Eric Schultz issues a statement: “It is no surprise that Washington Republicans are trying to use every dirty trick they have to throw the Coakley campaign off their stride . . .”

Reporter asking questions = GOP “dirty tricks.”

UPDATE VI: Chris Good of the Atlantic Monthly:

When McCormack asks the staffer whom he works for, the staffer replies, “I work for me” . . . which would be a sweet line if delivered by Clint Eastwood or a member of organized crime.

Hmmmm. Is he trying to say the Democratic Party is disorganized?

Also blogging about the Coakley campaign’s committment to transparency, accountability and freedom of the press: Dana Loesch at BigGovernment.com, Stogie at Saberpoint, Moe Lane at Red State, and Dan Collins at Piece of Work in Progress, plus more at Memeorandum.

Category: Election, Journalism, Massachusetts, Senate

Comments

31 Responses to “Massachusetts’ Chief Law Enforcement Official Ignores Political Assault; UPDATE: DSCC’s Meehan Apologizes”

Access Denied
January 13th, 2010 @ 2:20 pm

[…] And David Gergen thinks she comes across as more accessible than Scott Brown . . . you know, as a person, as opposed to, say, as an Attorney General. […]
uberVU - social comments
January 13th, 2010 @ 2:26 pm

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by rsmccain: @CalebHowe Massachusetts’ Chief Law Enforcement Official Ignores Political Assault: http://bit.ly/50c10n PHOTO #MASen #tcot…
Huey
January 13th, 2010 @ 8:02 pm

I mean…come on…who couldn’t make a great commercial out of THIS?
Basil Fawlty
January 13th, 2010 @ 8:02 pm

Political Assault?

Martha and her storm trooper were just taking care of the “little people”
Huey
January 13th, 2010 @ 3:02 pm

I mean…come on…who couldn’t make a great commercial out of THIS?
Basil Fawlty
January 13th, 2010 @ 3:02 pm

Political Assault?

Martha and her storm trooper were just taking care of the “little people”
Liz
January 13th, 2010 @ 9:21 pm

Seriously Coakley is just looking on with a complete poker face, like this happens frequently in her presence or something. Has she made a statement? Has she identified her escort at the time of the incident? Will she testify for or against her friend at the trial? She needs to clarify which side of this occurence she is on immediately. Since he is an Obama appointee, Obama should at least come out and say he acted stupidly.
Liz
January 13th, 2010 @ 4:21 pm

Seriously Coakley is just looking on with a complete poker face, like this happens frequently in her presence or something. Has she made a statement? Has she identified her escort at the time of the incident? Will she testify for or against her friend at the trial? She needs to clarify which side of this occurence she is on immediately. Since he is an Obama appointee, Obama should at least come out and say he acted stupidly.
Liz
January 13th, 2010 @ 9:23 pm

They guy has a purple shirt on, likely he’s SEIU. OR schmoozing the SEIU. Ya think? These people have no soul, I tell you.
Liz
January 13th, 2010 @ 4:23 pm

They guy has a purple shirt on, likely he’s SEIU. OR schmoozing the SEIU. Ya think? These people have no soul, I tell you.
Liz
January 13th, 2010 @ 9:24 pm

I am so irate. If the facts of this are true, they should absolve those special forces dudes that popped the big deal terrorist in the lip, and THIS guy should be getting the court martial.
Liz
January 13th, 2010 @ 4:24 pm

I am so irate. If the facts of this are true, they should absolve those special forces dudes that popped the big deal terrorist in the lip, and THIS guy should be getting the court martial.
Kos Spins Mass. Senate Campaign: ‘Teabaggers’ Doom Scott Brown? : The Other McCain
January 13th, 2010 @ 4:32 pm

[…] energy at the moment.”At least none of those dangerous “teabaggers” have started shoving around reporters, eh, Kos? var addthis_pub = 'smitty1e'; var addthis_language = 'en';var addthis_options = 'twitter, […]
A Late Shift in the Polls Has Dems Boiling in Beantown | REPUBLICAN REDEFINED
January 13th, 2010 @ 4:58 pm

[…] Government, Ben Smith’s Blog, Gateway Pundit, The Other McCain, Nice Deb, Ruby Slippers, The Hill, RedState, Saberpoint, Taylor Marsh, The Natural […]
Joe
January 13th, 2010 @ 10:19 pm

Rumor has it that Michael Meehan, who works for Martha Coakley, is a Yankee fan. Coakley’s assistant Meehan considers Bucky Dent a personal hero (as is Mookie Wilson). Martha Coakley’s assistant Meehan thought Wade Boggs’ career really came alive when he played for New York. Meehan, who works for Martha Coakley and the Democrats, openly mocks Tom Brady and roots for the Balitmore Ravens.

And that Martha Coakley does not have a problem with any of this and Michael Meehan’s love of New York and Maryland sport franchises. She is too busy cowtowing to national union representatives and big pharm to worry about the Rex Sox or the Patriots.
Joe
January 13th, 2010 @ 5:19 pm

Rumor has it that Michael Meehan, who works for Martha Coakley, is a Yankee fan. Coakley’s assistant Meehan considers Bucky Dent a personal hero (as is Mookie Wilson). Martha Coakley’s assistant Meehan thought Wade Boggs’ career really came alive when he played for New York. Meehan, who works for Martha Coakley and the Democrats, openly mocks Tom Brady and roots for the Balitmore Ravens.

And that Martha Coakley does not have a problem with any of this and Michael Meehan’s love of New York and Maryland sport franchises. She is too busy cowtowing to national union representatives and big pharm to worry about the Rex Sox or the Patriots.
Joe
January 13th, 2010 @ 11:26 pm

Coakley mocks Fenway Fans, call them idiots.

Scott Brown, however, honors the heroes of Fenway Park and the proud traditions of Boston Sports.
Joe
January 13th, 2010 @ 6:26 pm

Coakley mocks Fenway Fans, call them idiots.

Scott Brown, however, honors the heroes of Fenway Park and the proud traditions of Boston Sports.
miles
January 13th, 2010 @ 11:45 pm

If charges are not filed for this by the local DA, then the reporter should file a civil suit claiming humiliation and injury. There is no way Meehan should get away with basically pushing a man to the ground who wasn’t even looking at him. Thats the equivalent of a sucker-punch to someone who wasn’t even talking with you.

Thats a brick sidewalk and an iron railing people! What if the reporter hit his head and split it wide-open with the fall after the “sucker-push” that he didn’t see coming?
miles
January 13th, 2010 @ 6:45 pm

If charges are not filed for this by the local DA, then the reporter should file a civil suit claiming humiliation and injury. There is no way Meehan should get away with basically pushing a man to the ground who wasn’t even looking at him. Thats the equivalent of a sucker-punch to someone who wasn’t even talking with you.

Thats a brick sidewalk and an iron railing people! What if the reporter hit his head and split it wide-open with the fall after the “sucker-push” that he didn’t see coming?
Natedawg
January 13th, 2010 @ 11:48 pm

“…When McCormack asks the staffer whom he works for, the staffer replies, “I work for me” . . . which would be a sweet line if delivered by Clint Eastwood or a member of organized crime.”

Apparently he IS a member of organized crime. Didn’t you notice the SEIU “colors” he’s sporting? Guys don’t wear purple willingly.
Natedawg
January 13th, 2010 @ 6:48 pm

“…When McCormack asks the staffer whom he works for, the staffer replies, “I work for me” . . . which would be a sweet line if delivered by Clint Eastwood or a member of organized crime.”

Apparently he IS a member of organized crime. Didn’t you notice the SEIU “colors” he’s sporting? Guys don’t wear purple willingly.
Bob Belvedere
January 14th, 2010 @ 1:41 am

Quoted from and Linked to at:
Who’d A Thunk It?…[Update at 1759: Scott Brown NUDE]
Bob Belvedere
January 13th, 2010 @ 8:41 pm

Quoted from and Linked to at:
Who’d A Thunk It?…[Update at 1759: Scott Brown NUDE]
Massachusetts. Vote. Scott Brown for Senate. January 19 « Oldhardhead's Weblog
January 13th, 2010 @ 8:42 pm

[…] Massachusetts’ Chief Law Enforcement Official Ignores Political Assault; UPDATE: DSCC’s Meehan A… A campaign aide to Martha Coakley has just shoved reporter John McCormack to the ground. Coakley sees it and . . . keeps walking. […]
Michael Meehan
January 14th, 2010 @ 1:48 am

I pushed that damn Boston Red Sox fan and supporter of Scott Brown down and then kicked him in his teabag, yelling “Go Yankees! Go Coakley! Go Yankees!”

I apologize for getting caught doing it.
Michael Meehan
January 13th, 2010 @ 8:48 pm

I pushed that damn Boston Red Sox fan and supporter of Scott Brown down and then kicked him in his teabag, yelling “Go Yankees! Go Coakley! Go Yankees!”

I apologize for getting caught doing it.
Just Bought My Ticket to Boston : The Other McCain
January 13th, 2010 @ 9:59 pm

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Ran / Si Vis Pacem
January 14th, 2010 @ 3:23 am

Pal, dude, man…

…don’t insult Baghdad Bob with such comparisons. Please, show some compassion.
Ran / Si Vis Pacem
January 13th, 2010 @ 10:23 pm

Pal, dude, man…

…don’t insult Baghdad Bob with such comparisons. Please, show some compassion.
For Massachusetts, Journalism Reinforcement Arrives : The Other McCain
January 16th, 2010 @ 9:35 am

[…] […]