DOCUMENT: Internet, Investigation

Issa Aide Linked To Weiner Twitter Tormentors

Duo sought guidance from GOP congressman’s flack

Anthony Weiner

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Stack-Wolfe E-mails

JUNE 6--The online duo who spearheaded a vicious months-long Twitter assault on Representative Anthony Weiner--whom they accused of improper contact with underage girls--apparently consulted with an aide to a powerful House Republican as they mulled over how to release information about Weiner’s purported relationship with a Delaware teenager, The Smoking Gun has learned.

In a series of e-mails exchanged on May 25, Mike Stack and his Twitter sidekick “Dan Wolfe” discussed a Tumblr posting by the high school student that they believed showed she was having “private conversations” with Weiner. Wolfe, who noted that he had made screen captures of the girl’s Tumblr blog, exclaimed, “This is MAJOR!”

Beginning earlier this year, Stack (a porn site moderator) and Wolfe (whose true identity is unknown) have carefully monitored Weiner’s Twitter page to catalogue the young women being followed by the New York Democrat. In several instances, they have sent tweets directly to these women “warning” them about the politician.

The insinuation in these messages--as well as in postings on their individual Twitter pages--was that Weiner was a predator.

After Wolfe told Stack about making the screen captures from the girl’s Tumblr page, Stack suggested how they could release the information: “I think that since we have the stuff screencapped we call or email his office. But cc a whole bunch of people asking for a comment.” But Stack then noted, “She is underage, however. Let me email Darrell Issa press sec.”

Stack, e-mails reveal, was referring to Seamus Kraft (pictured above), press secretary and “director of digital strategy,” for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which is chaired by Issa, a California Republican. Issa, who has called the Obama administration “corrupt,” is effectively the leading congressional investigator.

In an e-mail to Wolfe, Stack wrote, “This guy Seamus Kraft is awesome.” Stack noted that he was referred to Kraft by a woman who had recently worked for Issa’s committee. The female staffer, Stack said, “thought I would be good at keeping Seamus and Mr. Issa up to date with ethics and BHO [Barack Hussein Obama] issues around the clock.” Stack then remarked, “They have proven to be great allies,” adding that Wolfe should “Follow mr Issa at @darrellissa.” Issa is seen below.

Asked this afternoon about Weiner-related contacts with the toxic Twitter Twins, Kraft said, “I don’t recall that right now.” After saying that, “I have exchanged e-mails with Mike Stack before” Kraft promised he would call back a reporter in 15 minutes after conducting some research. By press time--nearly two hours later--Kraft had not called back with the results of that research (though Kraft did start following TSG's Twitter feed at 2:55 PM).

On May 25, as Stack and Wolfe continued to discuss how to release their purported Tumblr find, Wolfe wondered whether they should even give Weiner a heads-up, since it “will give him time to react. I think we should just run with it on Twitter/Blogs. Don’t give him time to react or make up more lies, etc.” In another communication to Stack, Wolfe seemed anxious to “launch our plan. I can’t wait!” 

This aggressive approach was standard for Wolfe and Stack, who had spent months excoriating Weiner over his looks, his supposed sham marriage to a Hillary Clinton aide, and even his wife, whom they accused of having ties to al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood. An online crony of the duo even launched a fake Twitter account--“@repneedledick”--that also viciously singed the liberal Democrat.

And, of course, on May 5 Wolfe and Stack began enthusiastically (and presciently) floating a rumor that a “big time” congressman was facing a scandal involving compromising photos. Wolfe tweeted, “@RepWeiner are you this Congressman?” In an interview, Stack told TSG that Wolfe was the source of the photo rumor, which he claimed to have heard from someone who worked for the Drudge Report. The timing of Wolfe’s rumor-mongering is more curious considering today’s disclosure on the Big Government blog that Weiner began sending “intimate photos” to an unnamed “young woman” on May 4.

During their May 25 correspondence, as the duo further discussed how to handle their “MAJOR” forthcoming Tumblr disclosure about Weiner, Stack wrote Wolfe to tell him that he had copied him on an e-mail, which apparently was sent to Kraft, the Issa aide. “Let’s see what Mr. Issa says. Talk in an hour,” added Stack, who is pictured in the mug shot at right.

Wolfe wrote back to caution that, “we have to be very careful who even in gop we tell.” He noted, for example, that Weiner was friendly with Jason Chaffetz, a second-term congressman from Utah who “has said publically he was at Weiner’s ‘wedding.’ I don’t know who else from the other side Weiner is friendly with but at this point I don’t trust many. I don’t want anyone giving him the heads up so he can scramble and wipe away all traces of this.”

A “paranoid” Wolfe would later write of his concerns that “there are a lot of RINO’s [Republican In Name Only] out there that would alert Weiner.”

In response, Stack vouched for the 26-year-old Kraft, who last year earned $76,599 working for Issa’s committee. Kraft, a Georgetown University graduate, previously worked in the Bush administration and took the House post days prior to Obama’s January 2009 inauguration.

The May 25 correspondence between Wolfe and Stack stretched into the evening. After Wolfe asked, “Hey bro! Any news from Seamus?,” Stack replied, “not yet. he was in the office but didn’t get to me.”

At 8:41 PM, Wolfe wondered, “You think we should wait til tomorrow?” Thirty minutes later, Stack answered, “unless you wanna do tonite…Seamus will get back to me in the morning, but we don’t need to wait for him. He can be of help later on if needed.” (4 pages)

Comments (107)

So these heroes tried to warn women that WEINER is a Sexual Predator? and they are not being credited and cheered? How many young girls did their actions save? We may never know..Just ask David Letterman hwo many women interns slept on his couch? Ask Bill Clinton how many Lewinski's he was afforded..or who was the Woman He Raper in Arkansas? Ooops I mean accused Clinton of raping her? TO liberals..the bad guys aren't the sick predators,,IT IS THE PEOPLE WHO STOP THEM..
Well, it looks like Mr Weiner has few friends on either side of the isle in congress... I'm suprised at TSG's attitude towards this whole story. You seem to have been thinking "Oh my gosh, someone was trying to dig up dirt on a congressman!!!" This goes on regularly on both sides. If you're in power you know they're out to get you - no matter what party you belong to. That's why you DON'T go pulling down you pants and jpeging your privates!!! Not trying to dig at your artistic license or freedom of speech or freedom of the press, but there are already more political pages out there than I care to try to look at.
For all of you claiming John Stuart's program isn't news proves that some people will believe anything they are told. Even if you think it is a comedy, if it is about daily events it is news. Many of you take it as the Gospel.
Mr Weiner brags his proficiency When he tweets his constituency, But the hackage Of his package Just shows his insuffiency.
See.
I'm always amazed at the people that act soooo surprised or shocked that a politician would act this way......my Father always said that the only thing lower than a politician was a child molester.....and most of the time even that was a coin flip..... Wiener whipped it out, took the pic, sent it online, lied to everyone, lied again and again, has found himself in a political leper colony and claims that he won't resign......tenacious little perv, isn't he?
I second your emotion.
It's interesting when there is an exposed democrat or liberal, the exposers are labeled with terms such as "vicious months-long Twitter assault" while the exposure of Republicans is denominated as "responsible, investigative journalism"! Your liberal stripes are showing! Looks like SG needs a good shot of "fair and balanced!"
Amen.
Good bye Smoking Gun. You guys used to be fun to read but lately you seem to be taking sides with your "reporting" and your articles. You can join the company of Huffington and daily kos and any other leftist POS propaganda organizations whose goals are to Lewinkski whomever of the leftist ilk is in the news
I'm saddened that TSG is now firmly in the HuffPo-type leftist media establishment. I thought you guys were neutral, but now I'm erasing you guys off my favorites list.
So the Smoking Gun has uncovered that a Republican congressman is secretly using a couple of "amateur" web investigators to dig up dirt on rival Democrats and damage thier careers and Weiner is their first victim. Wow. All that's missing is are those cool Halderman/Erlichman haircuts. I also think truthdouche better read up abut the Larry Craig case because your explanation of the "wide stance" reference is laughably wrong.
Sarcasm escapes you.
Dude, no one had to dig up anything on Weiner. Weiner put his dong out there all by himself. He was an idiot and uploaded the photo to a public feed when he meant to send it privately. Then he lied about it until the girls involved decided that they didn't want to be caught up in a weinergate scandal. He coached some of them to lie, but that's the problem with having multiple affairs. Once one girl finds out she wasn't the only one, she's going to be pi$$ed off and throw him under the bus. That's what the story is here - not a few idiots who managed to grab the photo before big Weiner deleted little Weiner. Political hacks on both sides are ALWAYS waiting for political manna like this to crush their opponent and Weiner just so happened to deliver a every political hack's dream story. A man named Weiner sending out his Weiner. You can say whatever you want - nothing you chirp about is going to "rise" to the level of any congressman (dem or repub) who embarrasses himself like this. It's kind of like Chris Matthews on MSNBC saying Weiner's wife might be partly responsible for all this. Come on dude.... just give it up and let it be what it is. Weiner should resign, just as any republican caught in something like this should resign. If a regular person spent half the work day on facebook cybersexing some chick, should his boss keep paying him? No politician should be treated any differently.
Who cares about his Weiner? The fact is the guy lied straight to the faces of his voting public and excuse my wondering, but i kind of doubt that his job is really in jeopardy. And if it is, so what! There is another Democrat to take his place. Seems like such a non-story. But, in the meantime, yeah... let's make this a story about who blew the whistle, as if the results will be a world stopping shocker! Makes one wonder about all those Bush administration leaks, does it not?
I don't get the furor around this. Its a neutral article as it relates to Anthony Weiner. TSG doesn't defend Weiner. They don't even mention him. It just seems like the originators of this story have their own semi-tawdry backgrounds they don't want exposed. Seems like fair play to me.
Wouldn't it be comforting if Issa had some integrity? Silly me. What am I thinking. A modern GOP'er with integrity would never get elected to anything.
A modern GOP'er?
Oops! I said "elected" when what I meant was "Diebolded in." Seeing the words "Issa" and "Reform Committee" in the same sentence--now that was funny.
The furor is because TSG is attempting to punish those who broke the story, instead of the public official who lied to his employers (the people) repeatedly, and most likely used taxpayer funded equipment to carry on these affairs. Even the woman involved stated that she couldn't figure out why Weiner was on Facebook all day in his office. But worse, TSG greatly embellished this story which calls everything TSG reports into question. Figuring out how to break a story about a congressman who's carrying on several online relationships is not TORTURING him. The media does this every day. So if TSG is going to embellish this story to a ridiculous level, what other stories is it embellishing? TSG is not a national media organization. It does not HAVE to be unbiased. It can report a story from any view point it wishes to. But in doing so, it's readers can re-evaluate just how much stock they want to place in the information published here.
How is TSG attempting to punish anybody? They're reporting a news story that's of interest to the public. If the subject of the story finds it an inconvenience that's their problem. Please show how TSG has embellished this or any other story.
I lean left and believe Weiner should step down. If he admitted it immediately then no, but since he lied he can no longer be trusted. Not that he was ever trust worthy to begin with, he is (was) a politician after all.
Why does TSG and the Daily Show blindly defend any liberal and trash any conservative?
I've read several of the regular commenters here and I don't believe I've seen any bias from TSG. They just put on the most embarrasing stories they can find, without regard to political affiliation. I think most people who align themselves with "Republicans" are very thin-skinned and overly defensive when it comes to stories which show their "team" in a bad light, REGARDLESS OF THE TRUTH OF IT! People who align themselves with "Democrats" seem to point at the repeated hypocrisy of Republican actors as a way to deflect from the poor judgment or moral leadership of their "team" Both of you are wrong. People who are always going on and on about "liberals" and "liberal bias" forget that this country is a LIBERAL country borne of radicalism. CONSERVATIVES in 1776 would have sided with the British like Benedict Arnold. So stop trying to use "liberal" as if you are not one yourself. You like clean water, clean food, and safe products--all of those exist because "liberals" force the greedy people who knowingly expose you to a hazard to pay or change if they want to continue to make cash. Most people who self identify as "Republicans" or "tea partiers" are not conservative in any way--that's why you are a joke. A fiscal conservative looks at the cost and benefit of a proposal and makes their decision on what will obtain the most benefit for the least cost, period. A social conservative avoids change for its own sake because the rituals and conventions in existence are a known commodity. They are also discrete when it comes to airing dirty laundry. Most Republicans and Tea Party people never exhibit ANY of these characteristics and that is why you are all humongous jokes, walking gag reels, and gaffes waiting to happen. Democrats will come clean when caught; Republicans pick a lie and stick to it. I don't know if I can trust a Democrat, but I know for sure I can't trust Republican--it's as simple as that.
I am not from the right, but TSG's coverage of this when the major breaking story the day this came out is Weiner admitting he was lying and the release of more photos is a weird stance. The most "embarrassed" person on this news day was Weiner, not the guys who broke the story, but that is not how TSG tried to slant it. And I've been a big fan of TSG for years.
Because it has the same right as FOX news.
And the crazy far left wing MSNBC lunatics. And the liberally slanted networks and CNN.
The Daily Show is the most ridiculous excuse for a news show ever. John Stewart is juvenile and silly. How can anyone actually think of it as serious news? It's unbelievable how leftists hate Fox News so much just because Fox News dares to call leftists out whenever they lie and try to ram bad policy down America's throat. Fox News blows all other TV news networks out of the water as far as ratings go and that's partly because their information is so good, that leftists also watch it to see what their own next move will have to be to try to cover-up the truths that Fox News revealed about them. If that weren't the case, then all the Democrats wouldn't be clamoring to be on a show they hate so much.
Oh man, listen, The Daily Show has gone to pain to make it clear it is NOT a news show, while Fox insists it is an objective, straight news show. Anyone who watches Fox and thinks they are getting the whole story is only hearing what they want to hear. Fox has better ratings b/c it is the Jerry Springer of news.
Right... That's why Fox News used a picture of Tina Fey recently, thinking it was a picture of Sarah Palin, lol. Daily show isn't news, it's a comedy show, hello? Even so, Daily Show has more journalist integrity than CNN, Fox, Msnbc ...
Could be that one of the left leaning Fox News employees (yes, they have some working there) 'accidently on purpose' used the wrong picture or that he/she thought Tina Fey actually is Sarah Palin, since lefties tend to believe anything that other leftists put out there that ridicules the right?. Now explain please, how The Daily Show has more journalistic integrity when it's a comedy show. Do you even know what journalism means? Or integrity? We are talking about John Stewart who is just a comedian, you know.
Well genius, you assume comedy cannot have integrity. You assume comedians do not have integrity. In other words, like most of your posts, you do very little thinking and a lot of talking (such as blaming Fox putting a Fey photo up instead of Palin on a liberal working there. I cannot believe you even wrote that!). The Daily Show is not news. It is comedy. And they often bring to light, through comedy, very serious issues. And I think they have more integrity than many--left and right slanted--news shows. And for all you people criticizing The Daily Show, watch how they dissed Obama and black voters just last night. Or himself for not getting Weiner enough the previous week, and then making it up for it the night before. So you should watch instead of just criticizing, besides he's still funnier than Limbaugh on his worse day. Then again, Lint is funnier than Limbaugh.
Your comment shows how much of an idiot you are! The Daily Show is NOT a news show and John Stewart will readily admit it, which he does on almost a daily basis. It's aired on Comedy Central for christ sakes! If you really want to talk about lousy news shows you should being up EVERYTHING on FOX NEWS and almost everything else on every other channel. Stick to what you know, and it's quite obvious news is not one of your stronger points.
Of course it's fake news. Unfortunately way too many young people and left wingers actually use it as their only news source and actually believe it's real. Just another reason this country is F'ed.
Exactly!
Brett Farve did the same thing, what exactly did this Weiner do different? Was this political? Not sure? Maybe just a moron thing to do.
Brett Farve isn't a public official. Weiner pledged to serve the public ethically and he led the voters to believe that he was able to do his job without scandal. So, he basically did lie before he admitted his guilt. Of course, it was political! It's up to any politician who knows of any scandals to investigate and present it to the public. To not do so is behaving just as badly as the scandalous one. And the party who protects him is also just as guilty. The smarter Democrats know this, so they're not supporting Weiner.
So, Bill Clinton was your hero? "I did not have sexual relations with Monica" "I only used a cigar" and "I didn't enhale" Greatest Democrat ever--NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's pretty sad to see TSG become just another cog in the liberal MSM disinformation machine. None of this really means anything, it's meant to buoy butthurt lefties who got their asses handed to them yesterday in an inescapable way. Stick to mug shots and police reports. It's all you're qualified to dispense.
"asses handed to them" LOL! Maybe a few constituents in Weiner's district, but all of us? No! Besides, this type of stuff happens to politicians all the time from both sides of the isle and is really no big deal. But I do enjoy watching the repubs, like you, get their "asses handed to them" on what seems to be a much more regular basis for this non news crap. The world wide baby raping catholic priests epidemic must really grind your beans.
Remember, Republicans: every single conservative activist that ever made a single left-winger look the tiniest bit flawed is EVIL. Every. Single. One. They are all RacistSexistHomophobic greedy opportunists to the core. By accepting this you will understand how people like TSG perceive the world.
Wolfe and Stack spanked Weiner. I didn't take long for the truth to spill. He's determined to stay strong until the end of his term. I dont think he'll get back up after this one.
*removed* Wrong thread.
All these comments defending Weiner or burning all democrats over what he did are ridiculous. I commented earlier that I lean left but I agree TSG seems biased here. Still, this is not a Repub vs Demo story. This is another slimy policitian (sometimes it's repub this time dem) vs the rest of us normal people, from both parties. The common denominator in these stories is not one party, but hypocritical, lying, slimy politicians who love power, money, and have zero integrity. And it's both parties. Washington is the problem, not the rest of us (well, in this case). When they convince us that our neighbor who has different beliefs from us is the issue, then they get off the hook. Place the blame on politicians. I'm a left leaning guy who hopes they burn Weiner down to the ground and ruin him for the lying scumbag he is.
Oh, so Washington is the problem. And not the people who vote the slimy politicians in? You left leaning guys should really be more careful who you vote for and that includes voting for left leaning Republicans as well.
Nor did Larry Craig (R) run on the on the "I like to play footsie in airport bathroom stalls" platform either. So, yes, Washington is the problem. My point is, as you demonstrated, is that political machines got people both sides hating the other party so much that they, as individuals, are getting away with murder. Weiner turns out to be a scumbag and every goes "hey, liberals are the problem!" If Weiner was a Repub, the other side would do the same thing.
Larry Craig was railroaded by the left because of his staunch conservatism. The gays were out to get him because of his anti-gay stance (that's where that stupid wide stance joke comes from) and I know more about it than you do. All you know is what you got from the media and like minded leftists because it's all you want to know. And, I didn't say Washington isn't part of the problem. Look, we have to face the fact that the two parties are what we have to deal with until other parties are allowed to fairly participate and so far the two main parties are managing to knock them down. The tea parties, the Independent party and the Constitution party have been trying to break the barrier, but as long as people like you keep siding with the left (and you do, admit it) who trashes all those parties, nothing is going to change. What party would you be interested in, anyway, the Socialist party or what about the Communist party?
I read the Larry Craig story pretty closely at the time and he was guilty of what he was accused of. He wasn't railroaded; he got caught in an embarrassing situation and ran for cover. But of course, you know what I know better than I would. Still, i agree with you about needing more parties. And we won't get them until people stop buying into this left vs right thing, as you apparently do. And I am not a leftist. Far from it. But, of course, calling anyone who disagrees with you a liberal, leftist, socialist of a communist is the knee jerk reaction you learned from the right so i won't blame you.
I was living in Idaho at the time and believe me, I know the truth of the story. I even corresponded with Senator Craig and his wife. He had been plagued with allegations from the local and national gay community because he continually spoke out and voted against gay rights. Every time he voted on a bill against them, the attacks got worse. Plus, when he was on the House Ethics Committee, he pushed for stiffer punishment (no pun intended, please) for Barney Frank when Frank was involved in a gay prostitution ring. Gays hated him for it, so they tried to smear him by pulling the old 'all men are gay and the reason they hate gays is because they can't face their own gayness' routine...just like they've done to so many other straight Christian men who stood up against the gay movement. If it's true that all men are gay, then where does that leave humanity? Anyway, Craig pled guilty to the misdemeanor of solicitation of an officer (who was said to be gay and waiting to trap Craig, according to investigations) just to make it all go away just as so many people do with plea bargains all the time. His mistake was that he didn't take into account just how vicious and vindictive gays can be. I have to admit that far right Republicans have a habit of not understanding that not everyone is as God fearing nor moral as they are, so they're always surprised how ugly and crooked people with opposing beliefs can actually get and they end up falling into their trap. And the rest is histrory with the leftist media running with the gay story. I'm sorry, WordFinder but 'left is left' and 'right is right' and never the twain shall meet. That's just the way it is and you might as well pick a side or else remain neutral and continue to sit on the fence while the rest of the world passes you by.
So the far right have no skeletons in the closet? Only moderate republicans, RINOs and liberals. Do you hear yourself? What do you suggest we do? Hook every potential politician up to a lie detector test and ask them personal questions. Your as dumb as they come. F'n a$$ clown.