Anatomy of a Smear Campaign: Pro-Cassidy Poll Tests Smear Tactic Against Basta

Our friends over at the Edgeville Buzz broke this story this morning.  Apparently the campaign of State Rep. Kelly Cassidy or her allies were caught doing a telephone survey testing whether voters would be more or less likely to vote against non-machine candidate Paula Basta if they knew she was under investigation for raising campaign dollars while working at her senior center.  Here's the problem -- Basta's not under investigation.  Nor has Paula Basta ever been under an investigation.  And as far as anyone can tell, in thirty years of working in the senior citizen community Paula Basta's ethics have never been called into question.

According to Marty Rogo -- Basta's campaign chairman, and the campaign chairman for Alderman Harry Osterman, "Paula Basta has an impeccable record of service to senior citizens in our community and there is not a shred of truth to this implied accusation." When asked for comment by the Edgeville Buzz, Lauren Peters, Cassidy's campaign manager, denied any knowledge saying she didn't know what the Basta camp was talking about.

We checked with a voter who was called for this survey and it is pretty darn clear it was a pro-Cassidy survey being done on her behalf.  Unless you are the dumbest person on earth, testing how voters would feel about politicians who had specifically endorsed Cassidy and testing how a made up attack fares against Cassidy's opponent makes it pretty obvious which camp this comes from.

The machine must be getting very, very worried about the aggressiveness of Basta's independent campaign.  But it certainly begs a bigger and extremely dangerous question:  Are the 'powers that be' so worried about Basta upending their candidate that they are on the verge of trumping up a fake investigation against her?  

It certainly sounds that way.  And it wouldn't be the first time the machine felt no compulsion about destroying an outsider candidate's reputation.

Political surveys are a legitimate means to test potential campaign messages and issues -- even attacks.  But testing an attack that is both slanderous and a clear lie is unethical.  It is like asking if you would you be more or less likely to support Candidate A if you knew they were a felon or a child molester...but the accusations are made up.

If the question tests well -- which let's face it, of course it will test well ---  What next? Will an investigation get planted to try to smear Paula Basta for having the audacity to run for office without the approval of bigwigs?  Back this summer, we warned that people who did not do what they were told had their reputations dragged through the gutter for the hutzpah for thinking for themselves.   This is frightening stuff, and voters deserve some answers about who is behind this survey and why the question is being asked.

Up in the 49th ward Monday night, Democrats are meeting to formally endorse their candidates.  But for the first time ever, Joe Moore (Alderman Foie Gras) has sent out an email ahead of time letting people know who his "preferred choices" are to help guarantee Cassidy's endorsement by the ward.   If it's an open democratic process, why the first time 'guidance' from Joe Moore?  Another sure sign that the establishment is worried about Basta.

For fifteen years, Andersonville has not had a real race as machine candidates and special interest groups teamed up to make sure voters did what they were told helping secure a lock on power.  But Basta's outsider liberal challenge to the machine's power has all those candidates lining up to protect Cassidy -- with well-respected Senator Heather Steans almost comically gluing herself to Cassidy's side.

These officeholders know that if voters are independent enough to select Basta over Cassidy, their hold on power might be next.   And that can't be allowed.  They will prevent it at any cost -- even if they have to manufacture an investigation and destroy someone's reputation to do it.  That's what passes for progressive values these days in Andersonville.

And for the democratic process...it's chilling, scary stuff.