The Other McCain

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

No Lower Form of Human Scum Exists: @TheRickWilson Engaged in Blackmail?

Posted on | September 17, 2020 | Comments Off on No Lower Form of Human Scum Exists: @TheRickWilson Engaged in Blackmail?

 

Whenever some “alt-right” type accuses Republicans of being “controlled opposition,” my instinct is to dismiss this as paranoia. But then I remember that, for years, Rick Wilson claimed to be a Republican and now insists, along with the rest of the #NeverTrump crowd, that his unlimited support for Democrats is testimony to his “principles.”

Ace of Spades calls attention to a tweet by Wilson in which he rather transparently threatens Ben Domenech of The Federalist with an “oppo file” he describes as “hideous and vivid” in its details.

Let me share some advice: Never make threats.

If you’ve genuinely got the goods on somebody, either publish it or don’t.

Never threaten to publish dirt about somebody, because that makes it look more like blackmail than journalism. Of course, this business of treating journalists as public figures, subject to gossipy reporting about their personal lives, is a consequence of “cancel culture.” And notice this difference between Wilson and Domenech — Wilson is a longtime political consultant, someone who earned his living on the payroll of campaigns, whereas to my knowledge Domenech has always been an independent conservative journalist, rather than a campaign operative.

Domenech is obviously very close to powerful Republicans, but he is not (and, to my knowledge, never has been) on a campaign payroll. So if Domenech is “fair game” for the kind of “oppo file” smear that Wilson is threatening, then what political journalist is not fair game? Are we now supposed to “vet” journalists as we would a candidate? Because let me tell you that (a) journalists are generally a hard-drinking crowd, and (b) what journalists do when they’re drunk . . .

Well, finish that sentence however you wish. Suffice it to say that there is a pile of potential #MeToo stories lying around in the world of journalism, just waiting for someone to strike a match. You may have noticed the #MeToo campaign kind of lost its momentum once the subject of sexual misbehavior by journalists started making headlines.

Are Republican campaign operatives more scrupulous than journalists? Based on my own years of close observation, I’d say the answer is no.

Rick Wilson ought to consider whether he is scandal-proof, and whether some of his #NeverTrump allies might be vulnerable.

At any rate, anyone who ever had a high opinion of Rick Wilson needs to contemplate their own poor judgment. He’s vile scum.




 

Category: Scandal

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