Mitch McConnell’s re-election campaign is decrying “Nixonian tactics” after the liberal bimonthly Mother Jones posted a secret recording of the Senate minority leader and staffers discussing campaign strategies against potential rivals in the Kentucky Senate race.

“We’ve always said the left will stop at nothing to attack Sen. McConnell, but Nixonian tactics to bug campaign headquarters is above and beyond,” McConnell campaign manager Jesse Benton said Tuesday.

The left-leaning Mother Jones website — known for also posting a secret recording of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney — released recordings and a transcript of a February 2 McConnell meeting with his staff on opposition research.

In response to the secret recording, Republicans are questioning whether McConnell’s campaign was bugged and are suggesting the FBI could get involved.

Brad Dayspring, the spokesman of the NRSC, wrote in a morning email to reporters: “MCCONNELL CAMPAIGN HQ BUGGED, DOJ/FBI INVESTIGATION IMMINENT? Stay tuned after this popped on Mother Jones overnight.”

Actress Ashley Judd — who recently opted against a Kentucky Senate campaign — is discussed in the recording at length.

“The first person we’ll focus on, Ashley Judd — basically I refer to her as sort of the oppo research situation where there’s a haystack of needles, just because truly, there’s such a wealth of material,” a staffer told McConnell in the recording.

Those at the meeting also discussed Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Kentucky Secretary of State who is thought to be considering a run.

“The best hit we have on her is her blatantly endorsing the 2008 Democratic national platform,” a staffer said.

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