The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

The Bill Schmalfeldt School of ‘Ethics’

Posted on | October 2, 2013 | 63 Comments

After his Monday meltdown, we might have hoped Bill Schmalfeldt would spend a day or two recuperating, but such hopes were inevitably disappointed. Instead, the deranged cyberstalker spent Tuesday and Wednesday ranting about how John Hoge’s “STALKING AND HARASSMENT” and “FALSE CHARGES” were driving him to an early grave. Because, you see, Bill Schmalfeldt is a pitiful helpless victim.

In between ranting about Hoge, Schmalfeldt also repeatedly sent Twitter messages to Ken White of Popehat (I counted 43 such messages in about 24 hours), who responded by reminding Schmalfeldt of his well-documented history of vicious harassment:

This refers to a threatening Facebook message that Bill Schmalfeldt sent to a Wisconsin woman in 2011:

“Now . . . you’re going to wind up being the Monica Lewinsky for Jeremy’s Bill Clinton unless you start telling the truth and start telling it quick. I’m done fucking around, and I am not going away. You’ve already had “the media’s” interest in this case explained to you. Now, do you wanna play dumb and lose your kids? Or do you wanna play smart and keep what you got? I am not making any threats. I am just trying to help you avoid a shit storm for some giggling fuck who doesn’t give a rat’s ass about you. Do you really want to be dragged through the mud for THIS giggling shitwit. I’ll wait to hear from you. But I send what I have … EVERYTHING … to the Wisconsin Media tomorrow.”

Is that “a trick of investigative reporting,” or is that harassment and attempted extortion? Do investigative journalists routinely threaten potential sources with harm to their children? John Hoge answers that question with an emphatic “no.” But criticizing the helpless victim Bill Schmalfeldt, is not journalism:

What I linked there was Bill Schmalfeldt’s rather notorious December 2012 article attacking Patrick “Patterico” Frey and Ken White, which you can read for yourself. OK, so why was Schmalfeldt attacking Frey and White? Because Frey was the defendant in a nuisance lawsuit which Neal Rauhauser had encouraged Nadia Naffe to file, and White was one of Frey’s defense attorney:

Bolstering my conclusion that this was a politically motivated attack were the admissions by Neal Rauhauser (the hatchet-man associate of Brett Kimberlin) that he had arranged counsel for Naffe. Rauhauser proudly trumpeted his silly but telling hope that the lawsuit would accomplish his (and Kimberlin’s) long-held goal of costing me my job.

Why would Bill Schmalfeldt be publishing personal contact information of the defendant in a lawsuit and one of his lawyers?

What had Frey or White done to deserve such treatment from Schmalfeldt? One might suspect that Schmalfeldt was acting in concert with Neal Rauhauser and Brett Kimberlin to help them accomplish their “long-held goal” of getting Frey fired from his day job.

One might suspect this — it would be a common-sense surmise of the available evidence — but it’s impossible to say for certain what Bill Schmalfeldt’s motive was, because Bill Schmalfeldt is both crazy and dishonest. Attributing rational motives to a madman is always risky, and nobody can accept the word of a proven liar. But, according to the Bill Schmalfeldt School of Journalism Ethics, a mere suspicion justifies all manner of “investigative reporting” tricks, such as the threats Schmalfeldt made against a man named Doug:

All Doug had done was to “like” a Facebook page that contained negative comments about Bill Schmalfeldt. Therefore, Schmalfeldt threatened Doug that he would “dig deeper into your background and find out what there is to find about you,” unless Doug would agree to “tell me everything you know about [a certain person’s] relationship with the [Knot My Wisconsin blog]. Is [the person] Jerry Fletcher? WHO is Jerry Fletcher? I want it all Doug.”

You see the typical deadline — “5 pm today, October 26, Eastern Time” — attached to the angry demand that Doug must supply the requested information, or else Bill Schmalfeldt would publish (presumably derogatory) information about Doug.

Go ask any professional journalist in America if they have ever used this type of tactic, especially in pursuit of so trivial a goal as discovering the identity of someone associated with a blog. Who is Jerry Fletcher? Why on earth would anybody care?

Perhaps Bill Schmalfeldt can explain all this. But I doubt anyone will take his explanation seriously, because Bill Schmalfeldt is crazy.

 

Comments

63 Responses to “The Bill Schmalfeldt School of ‘Ethics’”

  1. MrEvilMatt
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 9:49 pm

    Bill Schmalfeldt ‘Ethics’: After his Monday meltdown, we might have hoped Bill Schmalfeldt would spend a day o… http://t.co/7NhFy6W1vX

  2. jwbrown1969
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 9:49 pm

    Bill Schmalfeldt ‘Ethics’: After his Monday meltdown, we might have hoped Bill Schmalfeldt would spend a day o… http://t.co/kNExjPVsMy

  3. Lockestep1776
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 9:49 pm

    Bill Schmalfeldt ‘Ethics’: After his Monday meltdown, we might have hoped Bill Schmalfeldt would spend a day o… http://t.co/UJWgZGhKa9

  4. CHideout
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 9:49 pm

    Bill Schmalfeldt ‘Ethics’: After his Monday meltdown, we might have hoped Bill Schmalfeldt would spend a day o… http://t.co/dS9g8rmBFM

  5. Citzcom
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 9:49 pm

    Bill Schmalfeldt ‘Ethics’: After his Monday meltdown, we might have hoped Bill Schmalfeldt would spend a day o… http://t.co/HENSbm0IK2

  6. rsmccain
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 9:53 pm

    The Bill Schmalfeldt School of ‘Ethics’ http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz | @wjjhoge @KnotMyWisconsin @Popehat @Patterico

  7. AmPowerBlog
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 9:55 pm

    RT @rsmccain: The Bill Schmalfeldt School of ‘Ethics’ http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz | @wjjhoge @KnotMyWisconsin @Popehat @Patterico

  8. wjjhoge
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 9:55 pm

    RT @rsmccain: The Bill Schmalfeldt School of ‘Ethics’ http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz | @wjjhoge @KnotMyWisconsin @Popehat @Patterico

  9. yidwithlid
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 9:56 pm

    RT @rsmccain: The Bill Schmalfeldt School of ‘Ethics’ http://t.co/sLDDoSxEkM | @wjjhoge @KnotMyWisconsin @Popehat @Patterico

  10. rsmccain
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 9:56 pm

    RT @yidwithlid: RT @rsmccain: The Bill Schmalfeldt School of ‘Ethics’ http://t.co/sLDDoSxEkM | @wjjhoge @KnotMyWisconsin @Popehat @Patterico

  11. Ken
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 10:01 pm

    Mr. McCain:

    Let honesty and accuracy separate us from the Disturbed Freak. He did not tweet at me that day — as far as I know — until I tweeted that one response to his pretensions to humanity. The vomitus followed.

    With respect to journalistic ethics, I subsequently tweeted several cites to several codes prohibiting threatening or abusing sources to intimidate them into cooperating. I have seen no journalistic code of ethics condoning such behavior. It’s an acceptable tactic only in the mind of the Disturbed Freak, which condones any measure against anyone who dares to defy or criticize him or hold beliefs he does not.

    Ken

  12. WJJ Hoge
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 10:03 pm

    But Schmalfeldt’s methods aren’t threatening any more that simply noting that you have a nice blog here, McCain, and would be a real shame if something happened to it.

    Oh, and beware the Ides of March or September or when ever.

  13. Hanzo
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 10:33 pm

    Smalzie : “I’m going to DIE EARLIER”. YAY!!11!!

  14. Professor_Why
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 11:22 pm

    The Bill Schmalfeldt School of ‘Ethics’ http://t.co/EZAKdNxJyO

  15. LN_Smithee
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 11:29 pm

    Honest to God, I don’t know how anyone can function with that much hatred infecting their brain. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: He seems as if he doesn’t feel alive unless he’s doing something hateful. It’s worse than if he gets off on it, he can’t seem to turn it off for fear peace will melt him like a candle.

    I’d feel sorry for him if not for the fact that he’s so effective at making other people feel some of his pain.

  16. Finrod Felagund
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 11:30 pm

    It’s times like this that I wish marijuana was legal already, because it might make people like him settle down and stop bothering anything but his refrigerator.

  17. Prevarication Du Jour | hogewash
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 11:33 pm

    […] UPDATE—Stacy McCain appears to question Schmalfeldt’s journalistic ethics also. […]

  18. rsmccain
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 11:48 pm

    RT @commonpatriot: via @rsmccain: Bill Schmalfeldt ‘Ethics’ http://t.co/6EiOViMy5G #tcot

  19. rsmccain
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 11:53 pm

    “Perhaps Bill Schmalfeldt can explain all this. But I doubt anyone will take his explanation seriously …” http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz

  20. ali
    October 2nd, 2013 @ 11:59 pm

    RT @rsmccain: “Perhaps Bill Schmalfeldt can explain all this. But I doubt anyone will take his explanation seriously …” http://t.co/thxOV…

  21. OwainPenllyn
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 12:00 am

    The Bill Schmalfeldt School of ‘Ethics’ http://t.co/U4J87rbnON via @rsmccain #tcot #tgdn #brettkimberlin #cyberbullying

  22. wjjhoge
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 12:03 am

    RT @rsmccain: “Perhaps Bill Schmalfeldt can explain all this. But I doubt anyone will take his explanation seriously …” http://t.co/thxOV…

  23. OwainPenllyn
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 12:08 am

    Bill Schmalfeldt uses journalism as a means of harassment http://t.co/U4J87rbnON #tcot #tgdn #uniteblue #cyberbullying

  24. rsmccain
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 12:09 am

    WHO IS JERRY FLETCHER? http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz Deranged minds want to know! @Popehat @Patterico

  25. JeffWeimer
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 1:14 am

    I suppose if Bill had to resort to that to even find out who Jerry Fletcher is, I wouldn’t have a damn thing to worry about him digging up any dirt about me.

  26. Patterico
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 1:21 am

    RT @rsmccain: WHO IS JERRY FLETCHER? http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz Deranged minds want to know! @Popehat @Patterico

  27. Good Stuff
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 1:25 am

    He is about as welcome as a fly at the dinner table, and just as repulsive isn’t he? And just like a fly, this person makes you wish you could swat him away or better still, squash out his or her existence even with your bare hands if possible.

    Sadly though, the internet troll is just as resilient as the fly, and just as rancid. Annoyingly so. No matter how many of them you get rid of, there are more than plenty others ready and willing to take the place of a fallen comrade. They can be banned, have their accounts completely deleted and yet they keep on coming, and coming, and coming.

  28. M. Thompson
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 1:41 am

    I’ve been waiting almost 10 years for this to be used in this fashion.

  29. Adjoran
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 1:52 am

    Pretty good likeness, too.

  30. AaronWorthing
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 2:29 am

    RT @rsmccain: WHO IS JERRY FLETCHER? http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz Deranged minds want to know! @Popehat @Patterico

  31. Finrod Felagund
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 4:33 am

    You should see what it’s like over on NRO. There are literally more trolls than anything else there on any article with more than 100 comments. I go there to mock them and to tell them to go die in a fire or otherwise die in nasty painful ways.

  32. jakee308
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 4:46 am

    I nominate this PIC as the Official Schmalfeldt Replacement Icon.

    It has all the repulsive blobbiness with none of the Shiny Headedness.

    And it makes mock of him. (bonus)

  33. jakee308
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 4:49 am

    I know; promises, promises.

    Can we get a ruling on if we can make his early demise part of his sentence?

  34. Joe Dokes
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 6:04 am

    The lawyers of the blathering, hyperkinetic Youtube poodle I usually post at times like this have informed me the poodle wants no further association with Mr. S, not even in jest.

  35. Quartermaster
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 6:59 am

    I mocked NRO in the comment space when they were trying to get us to give them money. I ain’t giving those squirrels anything when they can’t properly police their comments. They also will delete decent comments.

  36. librarygryffon
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 7:15 am

    I think it’s a lot cuter than BS, not that that’s difficult.

  37. Bob Belvedere
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 7:19 am

    If I remember my Roman History correctly, every month has Ides [whereas, dogs often have Iams].

  38. Bob Belvedere
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 7:21 am

    I second that motion.

  39. Bob Belvedere
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 7:22 am

    I’ve seen you work over there – it’s good.

  40. Tex Lovera
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 8:46 am

    Awesome.

  41. rsmccain
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 9:06 am

    Is Bill Schmalfeldt a victim of “STALKING AND HARASSMENT” and “FALSE CHARGES”? http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz @wjjhoge @Popehat @AaronWorthing

  42. DaTechGuyblog
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 9:06 am

    RT @rsmccain: Is Bill Schmalfeldt a victim of “STALKING AND HARASSMENT” and “FALSE CHARGES”? http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz @wjjhoge @Popehat @Aaro…

  43. dave_mears
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 9:07 am

    RT @rsmccain: Is Bill Schmalfeldt a victim of “STALKING AND HARASSMENT” and “FALSE CHARGES”? http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz @wjjhoge @Popehat @Aaro…

  44. AaronWorthing
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 9:13 am

    RT @rsmccain: Is Bill Schmalfeldt a victim of “STALKING AND HARASSMENT” and “FALSE CHARGES”? http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz @wjjhoge @Popehat @Aaro…

  45. rjcarter
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 9:23 am

    Yeah, it’s the stress of the Internets that’s killing him. The stress has nothing at all to do with that extra pound of flesh (80 times over) he’s lugging around.

  46. wjjhoge
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 9:57 am

    RT @rsmccain: Is Bill Schmalfeldt a victim of “STALKING AND HARASSMENT” and “FALSE CHARGES”? http://t.co/thxOVdR2vz @wjjhoge @Popehat @Aaro…

  47. Kimberlinunmask
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 10:01 am

    MT @rsmccain: Is Bill Schmalfeldt a victim of “STALKING AND HARASSMENT” and “FALSE CHARGES”? http://t.co/qFvCNo9oDv || don’t think so.

  48. rsmccain
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 10:28 am

    RT @Kimberlinunmask: MT @rsmccain: Is Bill Schmalfeldt a victim of “STALKING AND HARASSMENT” and “FALSE CHARGES”? http://t.co/qFvCNo9oDv ||…

  49. Peaceable Journalism | hogewash
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 12:05 pm

    […] Good Stuff in The Other McCain‘s comment section for the Munchkin […]

  50. Quartermaster
    October 3rd, 2013 @ 12:13 pm

    I third!