Report: Right-wing operative outed Clinton aide's trade talks Nick Juliano

Published: Tuesday April 8, 2008



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Print This Email This Legendary right-wing hit man Roger Stone may have another Democratic pelt to hang on his wall, according to a new report indicating he was the catalyst behind reports last week that Hillary Clinton's top strategist was working with the Colombian government on a trade deal the Democratic candidate opposes. Stone got his start as part of Richard Nixon's dirty tricks squad and his hand was seen in last month's prostitution ring bust of former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer. Now he's being credited with helping bring about Clinton strategist Mark Penn's demotion, according to Ron Gunzburger at Politics1. Infamous Republican hit man Roger Stone was directly involved in the downfall of Clinton campaign chief strategist Mark Penn. Information printed by conservative columnist Robert Novak last Saturday that Penn's company -- Burson Marsteller -- was kiting $3 million worth of polling bills in possible violation of the federal campaign finance laws, was supplied by Stone. ... Stone was also the person who leaked word of Penn's contract last week with the Colombian government to help strategize for a free trade agreement (note: which Hillary Clinton opposes). Novak's column reported a $600,000 discrepancy between Clinton's campaign debt to Penn's firm ($2.5 million) and the firm's expenses listed on behalf of the Clinton campaign ($3.1 million). The conservative columnist said the difference "has raised question of whether it constitutes an illegal corporate contribution or an illegal foreign contribution" because Penn's firm is a subsidiary of a British advertising firm. A few weeks earlier, Novak had noted Stone's prediction of Spitzer's downfall. Attempts to reach Stone for comment Tuesday morning were unsuccessful. Although the Colombian flap, which was first reported last week by the Wall Street Journal, apparently cost Penn his title as chief strategist, observers are speculating that little else has changed within Clinton's inner circle. Penn told colleagues Monday that he still would be a direct Clinton adviser, according to the Huffington Post. His polling firm will continue to run numbers for Team Clinton. The Washington Post reports that Penn was on a top-level Clinton campaign call Monday morning and will help the candidate prepare for her April 16 debate with Barack Obama.