Who the Hell is Rogers Cadenhead?

There's a new story on Firedoglake this morning titled Who the Hell is Rogers Cadenhead? The author goes through my background and describes me as a "semi-deranged" former journalist. That's disappointing. Not fully deranged?

A lot of people on Firedoglake and Daily Kos are questioning my motives and accusing me of writing a "hit piece" against Hamsher. I do not regard it as a personal attack to investigate how a PAC spends its money and ask the founders about specific expenditures. A PAC is answerable to the public, which is why the Federal Election Commission requires it to file reports. If Hamsher and FDL Action PAC treasurer DeVeria Flowers refuse to answer questions that's their prerogative, but it does not engender much confidence in the operation of their PACs.

One of the commenters on Firedoglake claims that by asking questions about these expenditures I am JAQing off:

JAQing off is the act of spouting accusations while cowardly hiding behind the claim of "Just Asking Questions".[1] The strategy is to keep asking leading questions in an attempt to influence listeners' views; the term is derived from the frequent claim by the denialist that they are "just asking questions", albeit in a manner much the same as political push polls. It is often associated with denialism in general.

The Internet is a weird place.

Politics · Firedoglake · Jargon · 2010/03/30 · 10 COMMENTS · Link

Comments

Well Woggahs....

What do you expect from such partisans? If this was France in 1943 you would of been branded a collaborator.

You have your support out here (even if you don't respond to FB request)

Stick to your position!

#1 · Dusty · 2010/03/30

What Facebook request? Send it again. I don't always check that regularly.

#2 · Rogers Cadenhead · 2010/03/30

I am flabbergasted that the commenters over there don't know that Suck was a comedy website.

#3 · Mark Morgan · 2010/03/30

The fact that they're trying already to smear and intimidate you like this just shows that your reporting has hit a nerve. Keep up the good work!

#4 · Will · 2010/03/30

"He registered the domain name benedictxvi.com and tried, apparently in jest, to extort from the Catholic Church."

"Apparently?" Like maybe it wasn't necessarily in jest?

Man, "bmull" at Firedoglake is one humourless nit.

He seems to believe that when Rogers posted that he'd give the domain name to the Vatican in exchange for a mitre and "complete absolution, no questions asked, for the third week of March 1987" that this was an actual request of the Catholic Church.

"bmull" must be fun at parties. Sheesh.

#5 · diablo · 2010/03/30

When I saw your story earlier today I was reminded what great journo you've been giving lately. ("Lately?" I can only vouch for "lately" because I have a terrible attention span.) Keep it up!

Kos and FDL (including Jane, maybe especially Jane) need to find funds somewhere. Consulting fees from a PAC are a legitimate way to support their work, I think. The push-back you're getting for surfacing the matter is to be expected. Don't let it get you down.

#6 · Frank Paynter · 2010/03/30

I've always had the opinion that if they start mud-slinging, then you must be on the right track. Otherwise, they'd just ignore you.

#7 · Randy Charles Morin · 2010/03/30

As long as you're discussing JAQing off, do you have any insight into why the expenses listed on the FEC form ($209471.01) might not match the expenses listed on the website ($175438.23)? (Repeated from bottom of BJ thread)

#8 · Morbo · 2010/03/31

Despite being a dirt-eating druid and commie freak, you are the best journalist I ever knew and I've often fantasized about winning the lottery and paying you enormous sums to do journalistic justice to the many major but completely ignored stories of the last 5-10 years. I hope you don't lose friends over this, but it may be inevitable. You go girl

#9 · Uncle Mikey · 2010/03/31

JAQing off ... never heard of that one!

It's similar to the "concern troll" label that the Kos people slap on anyone who doesn't toe the line:

Link

#10 · Henry · 2010/04/02