Paul denies Washington Post report that he approved racially charged newsletters in 1990s

[Galraedia]

WASHINGTON — Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul on Friday flatly denied a Washington Post report that he was deeply involved in the company that produced provocative, racially charged newsletters and that he signed off on articles.

The newsletters from the 1990s have dogged Paul for years, resurfacing as his presidential campaign gained momentum. The Texas congressman has denied writing the inflammatory passages — the articles included racial, anti-Semitic and anti-gay content — and said that he didn’t read them at the time or for years afterward.

The Post story published Friday said the newsletters were part of a marketing strategy by Paul’s company and that three people familiar with his businesses described his involvement with the newsletters.

“It was his newsletter, and it was under his name, so he always got to see the final product,” Renae Hathway, a former secretary in Paul’s company, told the Post. “He would proof it.”

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/paul-denies-washington-post-report-that-he-approved-racially-charged-newsletters-in-1990s/2012/01/27/gIQA6XaRWQ_story.html

So I guess now Ron Paul is pleading ignorance.

[MarianJack]

1. Even if I believed him,...

...it was his "news"letter under his name which makes it his responsibility.

If he didn't know then he's stupid. Does anybody else see a potential problem with a stupid far right Texas republican in the White House? UGH!

PEACE!

[Skinner]

4. Exactly.

It was published under his name. He is responsible.

[MarianJack]

15. Thank you, Skinner.

I can't imagine something like that flying around here with the scrutiny that you've put in place. YOU of all people must know that you're responsible for what is under your name. That paul doesn't alone disqualifies him from office.

PEACE!

[pamela]

5. Here's something I always wondered about his "I didn't know" defense.

Every person in his life, who read those things, must not have been the least surprised by the racism. If I had a newsletter in my name and I didn't write it or read it and it had a bunch of racist stuff in it, I would get a bunch of calls from people who know me saying "What the fuck is going on?" But Ron Paul would have us believe that he didn't know. Ok, so why didn't his friends or family call him and tell him? Surely, some of the people close to him read his newsletter and the fact that they weren't shocked enough to alert him to what was being said tells me no one who knew him thought this was odd. That makes me think that he is so openly racist in his personal life, no one thought anything of it.

[jsmirman]

7. I find this to be a very interesting point

the only question I would have is are you sure that these weren't out there enough that the people he would encounter in "polite society" wouldn't be on those particular mailing lists?

Your point, overall, definitely deserves to be part of the conversation, though. I just don't understand the world of shadowy newsletters well enough to know the exact mechanics in play here.

[MarianJack]

16. Great Point that would be valid among sane prople.

Unfortunately, his friends and family must be as racist as he is. That's certainly the case with his idiot son.

It would certainly make for an absolute DREAM of a cabinet and WH staff wouldn't it?

PEACE!

[geek tragedy]

2. Who cares? He is good on weed.

/glenngreenwald

[Wind Dancer]

12. Wrong!

[arely staircase]

3. what else would he say?

you got me, i'm a racist?

[Major Nikon]

8. Jesus H Fucking Christ I can think of all sorts of things he could have said

He could have said he took enough mescaline back in the 70's to kill a horse and doesn't remember large segments of the 80's and 90's.

He could have said some John Birch Society thugs told him they would beat him to death if he didn't sign off on the newsletters.

He could have said he accidentally left some of the newsletters in a hooker's apartment and by the time he got them back someone had edited them.

Instead he basically said...

"I'm not a racist, but I'm so fucking rock hard stupid that I let some racists write some newsletters under my name, bearing my signature, that I promoted, but didn't bother to actually read."

[arely staircase]

10. bwahahahaha

thank you! funniest f'n thing i've read, heard or seen today.
i lived in the congressional district he won in '96 and did some voluteer work for his opponent, the late Charles "Lefty" Morris (who would have made a great congressman) and these newsletters were an issue then. Lefty lost by a hair that year, in a very Republican district. He passed away a couple of years later - one of those rare non-smoker lung cancer cases. paul has been winning re-election handily, cunningly convincing everyone from right wing militia freaks to hippies that he's one of them.

[Spazito]

11. Bwaaaa Haaaaa!

That is a stellar post! Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

[arely staircase]

14. great minds think alike nt

[Major Nikon]

6. Perhaps he's suffering from brain rot like Raygun

[EFerrari]

9. Just like Rand Paul didn't know his communications guy was a neo-Nazi skinhead.

Yeah, I can see how these things happen.

[arely staircase]

13. at least his communication guy wasn't a "middle eastern student"

then he would have deserved real scrutiny according to the freedom-loving paul boys and like-minded "lovers of liberty."