Foley Communications Director Last Worked for Allen...and Cantor

By: Lowell
Published On: 10/4/2006 7:45:39 AM

From The Hill newspaper in 2004:

Jason Kello has been hired as the communications director [for Mark Foley]. Kello most recently worked as a speechwriter to Sen. George Allen (R-Va.). He also served as press secretary and policy director to Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) for his first election in 2000 and has worked on numerous statehouse campaigns in Virginia.

These interconnections are fascinating, aren't they?

Here's one of Kello's last statements in support of his (ex) boss:

Campaign spokesman Jason Kello blamed Foley's District 16 opponent, Palm Beach Gardens businessman Tim Mahoney, for leaking the e-mails.

"The e-mails were written in response to a thank-you letter given to Congressman Foley from a former page," Kello wrote in a statement. "This is nothing more than a political attack and an attempt at the worst kind of character assassination."

Yeah, this definitely sounds like a (former) Allen staffer to me - blame everyone but your boss for his self-inflicted problems.  Nice, huh?

Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign.  The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.

Comments



first of all, he's lying off the bat (Doug Garnett-Deakin - 10/4/2006 8:52:50 AM)
ABC has already confirmed the emails were leaked by Republican(s) to ABC, so he should retract that statement.

Do you have the dates he worked for Allen? It would be good to see the overlap with where the house leadership knew of the emails vs. when he was working for Allen and when he went to work for Foley.



Desperate Fox News? (PM - 10/4/2006 9:18:28 AM)
Fox News keeps labeling Foley as a Dem.

I'm sure this was completely accidental.

foley



DNC should sue (TurnVirginiaBlue - 10/4/2006 1:46:10 PM)
I think this one is blatant frankly and if there is any way to take legal action against FOX, I think they should.


Josh Marshall Humor (PM - 10/4/2006 10:04:58 AM)
www.talkingpointsmemo.com is a great read

today, some humor

Top Ten Foleygate Silver Linings for GOP ...

1. Gets George Allen out of the News.

2. Can Potentially Be Spun As Outreach to Young Voters.

3. New Hook for Discussing Monica.

We need seven more. Anyone got any ideas?

From readers (with some editing) ...

4. Foley May Share Some Credit with Gore for Inventing Internet. (TPMR CG).

5. Katherine Harris No Longer FLA GOP's Most Embarrassing Pol. (TPMR DP)



Tom Davis connections to Foley (Andrea Chamblee - 10/4/2006 10:37:04 AM)
When Tom Reynolds and Tom Davis worked together at the NRCC in 2001, Reynolds hired Kirk Fordham as his Chief of Staff.  Fordham came to Reynolds via a position as Mark Foley's Chief of Staff and campaign manager.  Fordham has been accused of acting on Reynolds’s behalf in a cover up, trying to strongarm ABC not to release the story.

So Fordham was working closely with Reynolds then, and Davis was grooming Reynolds at that time to take over the NRCC at the end of Davis's term.  Davis needs to explain how Fordham and Reynolds never told him about this scandal that would have such a devastating effect on their jobs of fundraising at the NRCC.  Wouldn't they discuss how to keep it quiet so they could continue breaking records raking in the money?

You can unseat Davis.  Donate to and volunteer for Andy Hurst.



What about Foley making a 2005 contribution? (PM - 10/6/2006 7:32:41 AM)
As I've said elsewhere, http://www.raisingka... from his personal political committee, Foley gave to just two candidates in the latest election cycle--Bob "Jailhouse Rock" Ney and Allen.  Why?  Throughout the years, Foley gave almost all his individual $$ to House members (and the GOP election committee).  Why did he single out Allen?