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Updated: Allegation On Blog Untrue, Target Says

April
21

The website Politics1.com is citing unnamed sources today that claim that John McCain’s national finance co-chairman Wayne Berman spearheaded an 18-month-long effort to smear former Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

Updated: Berman just called to say that the report is “total fiction.”

“There’s no truth to it whatsoever,” he said. “It is total fiction. There is absolutely no truth to it. Absolutely none. Zero. It is completely fabricated. No part of it has any shred of truth whatsoever.”

The site claims that Berman, a consultant for insurance executive Maurice Hank Greenberg, helped lead a “private investigation that discovered the links between Spitzer and a Florida escort service ring.”

The site said that the effort cost $2.2 million and was “allegedly paid for by a highly-secretive shadow committee Berman directed, informally nicknamed ‘The Group.’ Sources tell Politics1 that The Group included Greenberg, Home Depot founder Ken Langone and former New York Stock Exchange Chairman Ken Grasso—all high-profile targets of Spitzer when he was attorney general.”

The article says that the effort was aided by Republican consultant Roger Stone, who warred with Spitzer and was briefly hired by Senate Republicans. Yet Stone was fired by the state Republicans last year after he allegedly left a threatening message on Spitzer’s father’s home phone.

Stone is scheduled to appear tonight on NY1. Liz Benjamin at the Daily Politics has some information on Stone’s interview.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 21st, 2008 at 4:22 pm by Joseph Spector.
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12 Responses to “Updated: Allegation On Blog Untrue, Target Says”

  1. ed

    How does one smear someone who is guilty, and admits guilt of the “smear?” This charge is palpable pap. It is called a pap smear.

  2. Paul Revere

    Good one, Ed. And while you’re at it, shouldn’t a hysterectomy be called a hersterectomy?

  3. ed

    Ha! Yes. And two doctors would be called a paradox.

  4. Paul Revere

    Hmmm….and if they were two bad doctors who looked alike they’d be quacksimilies.

  5. ed

    Almost quacked up over that one, but then I’d have to be an upside-down duck. Do ducks eat sturgeons? Guess that wouldn’t be hospitable.

  6. LOU

    I DON’T CARE IF MCCAIN’S GUY DID DO IT. THIS GOC WAS AND IS A DISGRACE TO NYS. ON A SIDE NOTE – ANDREA GOT REAL BAD NEWS ON A NEW POLL. IT APPEARS NICK SPANO IS IN THE LEAD AND I HEAR HE IS NOW STRONGLY CONSIDERING RUNNING FOR SENATE AGAIN. THIS IN MY OPINION WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE 35 DISTRICT. COUSINS HAS SHOWN HERSELF TO BE LAZY AND HAS ALSO DONE NOTHING FOR US IN ALBANY. ANY MONEY THAT YONKERS RECIEVED CAME FROM THE ASSEMBLY. IT’S TIME FOR HER TO GO.

  7. the consultant

    If I were Hank Greenburgh I would be pissed at what
    Spitzer did …he mortified and humiliated him in
    public with wild accusations then never charged him
    Greenberg who was the head of AIG didn’t deserve it
    along with a lot of others…so the Sheriff of Wall
    Street turned out to be a fraud…good for those who
    exposed him…whether Berman had and active role or
    not..Stone professes to have provided certain information
    after he was the target of Spitzer’s petulence when
    he was hired to consult to Joe Bruno..Spitzer got
    exactly what he deserved for holding himself out
    as holier than thou on the issue of prostitution
    rings while at the same time patronizing them…
    A little closer to home there is a similar
    scenario being played out…

  8. 7Curses

    if it is a republican saying he didn’t do it then probably he did.

  9. the consultant

    right…like Spitzer denied troopergate…or Hevasi
    said he didn’t break the law..or Clinton denying
    sex with Monica…get a little more objective..your
    union ties are showing

  10. Wahoo

    There are Albany rumors that finally, maybe, the pols will be forced to deal with all the union perks and bennies because of the very bad financial straits NY is in. Of course that should have happened years ago. If it had, the state wouldn’t be as bad off as it is now.

  11. 7Curses

    let us all take this opportunity on earth day to congratulate president george w. bush for achieving the highest disapproval rating in the gallup poll since its inception.

  12. Tim Hays

    Ed, Paul Revere—let’s get together for lunch. With “consultant,” whom I know, we’ll have fun. timhays@oponline.net

    “Beware the wrath of the righteous.”—Spitzer should have read this before taking a high ground against others.

    But he wasn’t biblical, only debaucherous.

    Our God will forgive him, though he hurt some good people while he was in office.

    He still isn’t proved to be as egregious as Bill Ryan. ;>

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