There are competing schools of thought in political crisis management, and different methods are applied to different circumstances. Sometimes it’s better to ignore a controversy, deny it oxygen, and wait for it simply wither on the vine. Other times, it’s preferable to use overwhelming force to crush a story on day one, before it spirals and does real damage.
When David Corn reported yesterday on Mitch McConnell’s opposition-research strategy regarding Ashley Judd, the Kentucky Republican and his aides obviously chose the latter — lashing out wildly, concocting a theory about nefarious liberals bugging the senator’s office. The p.r. push was intended to create a distraction from the story itself, while positioning McConnell as a victimized martyr — whom far-right donors should reward with cash.
To a large extent, the strategy played out in a predictable way — BuzzFeed applauded Team McConnell’s ability to spin the media — but a day later, there are some lingering questions. Is there any proof at all that McConnell’s office was bugged? Isn’t it possible the recording came from within McConnell’s own team? And do the recordings point to possible ethics lapses?
Much of the news coverage focused on the McConnell team’s comments about Judd’s religious views and her mental-health history. But the tape might raise ethics questions for McConnell and his staff.
Senate ethics rules prohibit Senate employees from participating in political activities while on government time. But the tape indicates that several of McConnell’s legislative aides, whose salaries are paid by the taxpayer, were involved with producing the oppo research on Judd that was discussed at the February 2 meeting.
Mother Jones sought an explanation from McConnell’s team about this, but for some reason, the aides were reluctant to talk about it.









