John McCain's Integrity in Action: Hiring Concern Troll to be Communications Director

Via Talking Points Memo:

U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today issued the following statement by Communications Director Jill Hazelbaker:

"It is a shame that the New York Times has lowered its standards to engage in a hit and run smear campaign. John McCain has a 24-year record of serving our country with honor and integrity. He has never violated the public trust, never done favors for special interests or lobbyists, and he will not allow a smear campaign to distract from the issues at stake in this election.

"Americans are sick and tired of this kind of gutter politics, and there is nothing in this story to suggest that John McCain has ever violated the principles that have guided his career."

You might think such a laughably false claim (McCain was one of the Keating 5) takes a special talent. Perhaps you then recognize Jill Hazelbaker's name? For those of you who don't, here's a story on the kind of integrity John McCain looks for in his staff...

During the 2006 Senate campaign in New Jersey, Jill Hazelbaker worked for Republican candidate Tom Kean, Jr.  Juan Melli, the founder of Blue Jersey, noticed that the site had a lot of concern trolls.  You know, the kind of commentator who says he is a "lifelong liberal," but he just can't vote for Menendez due to ethics concerns. Unfortunately for Hazelbaker, the concern trolls all came from the Kean campaign's IP address.  Indeed, Juan showed that one troll posted information that had not yet been published, leading to his belief (though it certainly cannot be proven) that Hazelbaker herself may have posted the comments.  She after all, was in a position to know the information, and a low-level intern would not have been.

Hazelbaker's -- or her subordinate's -- special stupidity was seen when she criticized the story using the very same IP address:

The astrogate story was covered by the mainstream media, including the Star-Ledger, ABC 7, and the AP.  And the media caught Jill Hazelbaker lying about it:

Jonathan Miller at the New York Times:

The Kean campaign's technical adviser said that the Internet protocol, or I.P., address that linked the posts to the Kean headquarters was an old one, from over a month ago. But an e-mail message Ms. Hazelbaker sent to a reporter on Wednesday shares the same I.P. address.

Deborah Howlett at the Star Ledger:

Hazelbaker argued that the address Melli published -- 70.90.20.85 -- is not the campaign's IP address. It is, however, the same IP address that appears on numerous official campaign e-mails sent by Hazelbaker to The Star-Ledger through the course of the campaign.

   Hazelbaker said last night that she could not explain why that IP address shows up on her e-mail, but that the campaign's technical staff assured her Melli had it wrong. She declined to say what the campaign's IP address is.

Anyway, that's the person that John McCain trusts to serve as Communication Director.  He's got about the same ability to pick staff that George W. Bush does.

Update:  Why not tip Juan Melli's comment below, since he did all the work.