Libertarian Blogger - Knows the 'Ghostwriter', pleads he should out himself

[Victrix]

This info and link where taken from posts in another thread but I wanted to condense it here in a new thread just for this topic.

http://www.wendymcelroy.com/news.php?item.1297.1

Wendy McElroy blogs that she and others know and have known the identity of the Ron Paul newsletter ghostwriter for years. He is apparently known well in libertarian circles and was once closely associated with Paul whom McElroy names as his mentor.

McElroy does not seem to care much for Paul but she cares about the collateral damage that Paul's Newsletter scandal is doing to the libertarian cause in general. She pleads to the ghostwriter to do the honorable thing and to come out and take personal responsibility for his past writings.


The following is a quote taken from Eric Dondero (the estranged former congressional aide of Paul who is running against Paul in his congressional district) that names some possible ghostwriter suspects. It can be found as a comment left to this Reason blog: http://reason.com/blog/show/124291.html

Eric Dondero | January 8, 2008, 8:42pm | #

The ghost writer was 80% Lew Rockwell.

There were a few others like Gary North from time to time. And even some super RP insiders like Nadia Hayes, Jean McCiver and Marc Elam contributed, and also did some heavy editing out of the Nasa Blvd. 1 office in South Houston and Elam's office on Fuqua.

But I'd say 80% Rockwell.

When I say Rockwell, that also included his interns and helpers like Jeff Tucker, Mark Thornton, and such.

But I remember the faxes of the Newsletter drafts always came from Lew.

 

[Duckman]

If the "real author" outs himself, won't that contradict the official campaign explanation that this was written by a fired staffer? Unless it's Dondero who comes out and says it was him?

 

[Shavenyak]

Perhaps by fired, Paul meant he took over control of the newsletter and kicked the guy off it.

 

[Quick]

If the "real author" outs himself, won't that contradict the official campaign explanation that this was written by a fired staffer? Unless it's Dondero who comes out and says it was him?

It is quite possible that the fired staffer was someone low on the totem pole who's involvement might have been minimal, but enough to be fired over because of his/her involvement.

Who knows..

 

[pauleocon]

If the "real author" outs himself, won't that contradict the official campaign explanation that this was written by a fired staffer? Unless it's Dondero who comes out and says it was him?

Could it have been Dondero? After all, he was fired and is beyond disgruntled. Perhaps Dr. Paul is just too much of a gentleman to expose him, and feels himself somewhat responsible for not watching more closely.....

 

[Deborah K]

Please. Outing the writer just creates more drama. No matter who it was, the media is never going to let President Paul off the hook for failing to micromanage his ghost writers.

Enough already!

 

[kushaze]

I think Dondero was involved, but I also think there were others. I wouldn't be surprised if Rockwell was one of the main ones. Whoever it is, they should come forward and explain themself. I just think Dr. Paul doesn't want to be a snitch.

 

[angelatc]

I do not think Dondero was on staff then. He is crank anyway - I wouldn't believe a thing that came out of his mouth.

This story got no traction in the old media, which I still think was Tucker's reason for airing it when he did.

You're spinning your wheels in the mud.

 

[Pete]

I've only read the 1992 newsletter about the Rodney King riots, etc., but even though this letter was as un-PC as could be, I do not think it was actually racist. It was a scathing indictment of self-defeating black ghetto culture, almost along the lines of what Chris Rock would do.

For Paul to protest along these lines would never work, but the "real author" could.

 

[Kuldebar]

I've only read the 1992 newsletter about the Rodney King riots, etc., but even though this letter was as un-PC as could be, I do not think it was actually racist. It was a scathing indictment of self-defeating black ghetto culture, almost along the lines of what Chris Rock would do.

For Paul to protest along these lines would never work, but the "real author" could.

From what I read of the excerpts in the newsletter, I have to agree. I think the "racist" label is being flung about a little too easily here. But flinging things like around are what some people do best.

My feeling is that Paul has responded adequately and taken moral responsibility for the remarks made under his name, and that's how it should be.
Whether the actual author comes forward and responds will be entirely up to that individual. This is how Ron Paul operates, he leaves such choices up to the individual. After all, ultimately matters of conscience must always remain the individual's choice in order to have any real value.

 

[Balden]

Oh yes, Wendy McElroy, the "individualist feminist," a contradiction if ever there was one. Group identity + individualism = inconsistency.

 

[Johncjackson]

Oh yes, Wendy McElroy, the "individualist feminist," a contradiction if ever there was one. Group identity + individualism = inconsistency.

And the person(s) who wrote the Ron Paul newsletters is a collectivist who opposes the individualism Ron Paul campaigns on.

So people want to know which one is the truth.

Smearing the messenger is what someone does when they have nothing to say about the merits. And sadly that is what LR and a lot of other supporters are doing the TNR, rather than addressing the allegations and making a rational response.

 

[LastoftheMohicans]

Oh yes, Wendy McElroy, the "individualist feminist," a contradiction if ever there was one. Group identity + individualism = inconsistency.

Wendy McElroy is a libertarian, an anarcho-capitalist to be specific. The reason she refers to herself as an individualist feminist is to distinguish herself from the socialist/fascism gender feminists like Hilary Clinton, Gloria Steinem, etc. It also distinguishes her from equity feminists like Susanna Hoff Summers, who are essentially neocons.

 

[colin1]

I did it! I wrote the newsletter! I repent! Now can we pretty please get back to something productive, like figuring out how we're going to do better than 6th in Michigan?

 

[thisisgiparti]

If the "real author" outs himself, won't that contradict the official campaign explanation that this was written by a fired staffer? Unless it's Dondero who comes out and says it was him?

Eric Dondero has said it was Lew Rockwell and a half dozen other people. If it was Dondero he will never admit it. He is trying his best to destroy Ron Paul (in this likely scenario.) If it is Lew Rockwell, Ron Paul's friendship itself is incriminating.

 

[colin1]

Doesn't anyone here read? I admitted it was me. Happy? Now let's move on. Thousands of our boys dead in Iraq, thousands more grievously wounded and people here are getting hysterical over something Ron Paul didn't write in 1990. Maybe if y'all channeled a little of your righteous indignation into something productive we wouldn't be in the position were in now.

 

[rockwell]

TRUTH BE TOLD, WE WROTE THOSE PIECES.

WOULD YOU CARE FOR A GLASS OF CLARET?

 

[Jake!]

It wasn't Lew Rockwell.

 

[murrayrothbard]

It wasn't Lew Rockwell.

I can't really think of anyone else that she would be talking about. I would be sort of shocked, but oh well. I've read Lew for years and have never seen anything like this in his writings. But when McElroy is talking about former friends that don't support Paul, it makes me think it really might be Lew. I mean his blog really has turned into a RP blog. He gave up his tax exempt status to promote Paul.

 

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Perhaps by fired, Paul meant he took over control of the newsletter and kicked the guy off it.

I doubt it, and I'd be shocked if true. I think there were only a few really offensive newsletters, but if someone put a single newletter like that in my name, I couldn't continue a relationship with them. It's not just the racism... the poor grammar fear and mongering would have been bad enough by themselves.