Plan crash kills man connected to Rove/White House email scandal

[liberal N proud]

Michael Connell was killed when the Piper Supercub he was piloting crashed three miles short of an Akron-Canton Airport runway. He leaves behind a wife and four children.

Connelly, 45, of Bath Township, is considered to be one of the Republican Party's top computer experts. He led the companies that designed websites for the GOP and a virtual who's-who list of republican political leaders including President George W. Bush, Senator John McCain, as well as national organizations. Connelly developed a host of federal government software and data management systems. Connelly is also said to be a close confidant of the Bush family.

Earlier this year Connell was subpoenaed to testify in an Ohio federal court regarding voter fraud just days before the November presidential election. His alleged intimate knowledge of White House and Capitol Hill email systems has been a hot topic of conversation for Washington insiders regarding the Karl Rove/White House email scandal.

http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=103520&catid=3


:tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat: :tinfoilhat:
Is this crash really and accident?

[LaydeeBug]

1. you know I think they "offed" him...

They have no moral conscience, just an oral one.

[burythehatchet]

2. When will they believe us when we say "stay out of small planes"

[liberal N proud]

3. I know if I had anything to fear from these criminals

I don't think I would be flying anything for a while

[SpiralHawk]

4. "We republicons are all broken up about this (smirk)." - Karl 'Draft Dodger' Rove

"Sincere (smirk) condolences from me, Commander AWOL Bush, and VP Dickie 'Five Military Deferments' Cheney, and all the other republicon CHICKENHAWKS who sit atop the Republicon Homelander Hero Heap. Smirk."

- Karl 'Draft Dodger' Rove

[Botany]

5. He was whacked

So Who Is Mike Connell?
So we learned last week that new information concerning Republican high-tech guru Mike Connell's alleged participation in computer-aided fraud from Florida to Ohio to the Swiftboaters to RNC headquarters to Congress has helped lead Ohio attorney Cliff Arnebeck to reignite a long-standing federal lawsuit concerning Ohio's 2004 Presidential Election.

We learned this week that Connell may have been threatened by Karl Rove should the GOP's "high IQ Forrest Gump" --- so described for his uncanny ability to be found "at the scene of every crime" --- fail to "take the fall" for election fraud in Ohio, according to a letter sent by Arnebeck to AG Michael Mukasey asking for Connell's protection.

But who exactly is this exceptionally successful, yet largely-below-the-radar-until-now Republican operative?

The following clip (appx 6:45 mins) from the new documentary film, FREE FOR ALL! (downloadable in full, free for all, at www.freeforall.tv) by filmmaker John Ennis, gives us a small taste of who Connell is, and how he fits into the big picture.

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6220

*********************

This is the man behind Smartech .... Ken Blackwell / Karl Rove's computer manipiulation of
the handling of Ohio's 2004 vote data.

The man had been loyal to the bush's for years and even helped in the swift boat operation
but to me it seems that now he was paert of tying up lose ends operation.

[DemReadingDU]

13. Connell's death sounds very suspicious

I heard this on my local NPR station this morning in my half-sleep, half awake mode. Thanks for posting the video link to BradBlog.

[WVRICK13]

6. HMMMM

Well now, isn't that handy!

[malaise]

7. Wow!

This one is very strange. Men are burning bridges with tasteless haste.

[knitter4democracy]

8. How many small plane crashes have to happen before it's not tin foil?

I'm just wondering. It sure does seem to be a lot.

[Double T]

9. Another member of Ken Lay's Paradise Heaven located somewhere in the South Seas.

How convenient.

[ThomWV]

10. People die unexpectedly, Get over it.

[malaise]

12. Are you sure about this one?

Today Attorney Cliff Arnebeck, who last week filed papers seeking discovery and depositions from Karl Rove and others for election manipulation, wrote to Attorney General Mukasey asking for protection for GOP IT guru Michael
Connell and his wife Heather. Mr. Arnebeck stated that he had received credible
confidential information from various sources indicating that Rove and his henchmen
threatened Mr. and Mrs. Connell. In short, Rove et al, either directly or
indirectly, demanded that Connell take the fall for the election manipulation
or the Justice Department would target Mrs. Connell for some lobby related
money laundering.

Arnebeck, an officer of the federal court, took these threats seriously. First he reported this to the federal judge handling the case, the Ohio Attorney General and the United States Attorney in Columbus.

Next he wrote to Attorney General Michael Mukasey insisting on protection for the
Connells.

http://adap2k.blogspot.com/2008/08/witness-protection-after-rove-threats.html

[chimpymustgo]

30. Wow. Murder, she wrote.

[SpiralHawk]

15. No. Not about to 'get over it.' I demand some truth for a change.

And there is no way I am going to 'get over' the need for truth.

I am not a republicon homelander. I will not drink the kool aid as they do, and swallow a load of bullshit. That's a Freeperish response to life. You can go there if you want. But not me.

I demand an investigation. I hope the truth will emerge. In my view, that's what any American patriot must demand in this matter, and in dozens of other matters where republicon corruption seems apparent.

[malaise]

11. Very important link

http://adap2k.blogspot.com/2008/08/witness-protection-after-rove-threats.html
<snip>
Today Attorney Cliff Arnebeck, who last week filed papers seeking discovery and depositions from Karl Rove and others for election manipulation, wrote to Attorney General Mukasey asking for protection for GOP IT guru Michael Connell and his wife Heather. Mr. Arnebeck stated that he had received credible
confidential information from various sources indicating that Rove and his henchmen
threatened Mr. and Mrs. Connell. In short, Rove et al, either directly or
indirectly, demanded that Connell take the fall for the election manipulation
or the Justice Department would target Mrs. Connell for some lobby related
money laundering.
---------------------
Hope KO interviews Arnebeck next week - this is huge.

Another link
http://adap2k.blogspot.com/2008/11/michael-connell-ohio-election-testimony.html

[mod mom]

14. Since this happen late last night, Cliff might not be aware. I forwarded this info to him

as well to Don Siegelman's daughter. We need some prominent calls for investigation!

[malaise]

16. Excellent move

These people are evil.
Will M$Greedia cover this story?

[BeFree]

25. mom

I am so sorry to hear about this.
Peace be with you and yours.

[mod mom]

34. Thank you BeFree.

I feel bad for Cliff and Bob. You'll never meet two more dedicate and principled people. They have self funded much of their efforts, in hopes of getting to the truth. How convenient, for BFEE and rove. Certainly this needs to be investigated.

Taylor Fano, who lives two doors away from the crash site on Charolais, said she heard the crash.



''It blew up and shook the ground a little bit,'' Fano said. ''I was standing in the kitchen and I looked out the window and all I saw was fire.''



http://www.ohio.com/news/36486224.html



Best of holidays to you and yours :hi:

[BeFree]

35. I know those two are yours

And I too, feel for them.
I hope we get to the truth. We need it. We all need it.

[mod mom]

17. some background:

WASHINGTON, October 30, 2006 — Since starting New Media Communications in his Ohio basement in January 1995, Mike Connell has built his firm into one of the leading Web designers for conservative causes and Republican politicians. That GOP business also has led to significant government accounts for GovTech Solutions, a separate online services company owned by his wife Heather.

-snip

In Ohio, Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell's office paid about $465,000 to GovTech, which redesigned the Web site and worked with the office to present Election Night results in 2004. In 1999, when Blackwell co-chaired the congressional Census Monitoring Board, New Media had won a contract to redesign a bilingual Web site for the board.


http://www.publicintegrity.org/consultants/default.aspx?act=profiles&pid=10

1. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/7/144314/082
Ohio website for live Election Night Dashboard moves from State of Ohio to
SMARTechcorp.net IP address managed by the Republican National Committee

AND


2. From betterwhois.com:

AboutUs: GWB43.COM


Registrant:
Republican National Committee
310 First Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
US

Domain Name: GWB43.COM

Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
Republican National Committee [e-mail]
310 First Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
US
999 999 9999 fax: [phone]


Record expires on 16-Jan-2008.
Record created on 16-Jan-2004.
Database last updated on 21-Mar-2007 17:45:46 EDT.

Domain servers in listed order:

NS1.CHA.SMARTECHCORP.NET
A.NS.TRESPASSERS-W.NET


AND


3. Look who was hosting the OHIO election result site on NOVEMBER 3, 2004:

Windows 2000 Microsoft-IIS/5.0 3-Nov-2004 64.203.98.137 SMARTECH CORPORATION

[malaise]

19. You might want to send these links to KO and Rachel

This story should be huge.

[Junkdrawer]

18. More details of the crash...

LAKE TWP.: A single-prop, private airplane crashed next to a vacant house on Charolais Street Northwest Friday evening, exploding into flames and killing the pilot.

Michael Connell, 45, of Bath Township, was alone in the plane, according to State Highway Patrol Lt. Eric Sheppard.

Connell was a prominent Republican political consultant. He founded New Media Communications in Richfield, which developed campaign Web sites for Republican presidential candidate John McCain and President George W. Bush.

The plane was attempting to land around 6 p.m. Friday at Akron-Canton Airport when it crashed about three miles short of the runway.

Taylor Fano, who lives two doors away from the crash site on Charolais, said she heard the crash.



''It blew up and shook the ground a little bit,'' Fano said. ''I was standing in the kitchen and I looked out the window and all I saw was fire.''

Fano said the plane came down in the front yard at 2017 Charolais, then skidded along the side of the house.

The plane came down between two houses, separated by about 100 feet, in the upscale neighborhood. Neighbors said one of the homes was unoccupied, while the other was lighted with holiday decorations.

....

http://www.ohio.com/news/36486224.html

Sounding more and more like the Wellstone "all engines stop mysteriously, plane drops like a rock" M.O.

[malaise]

20. Serious question

How do we know he was flying the plane. Maybe he's now in witness protection :shrug:

[Junkdrawer]

21. Firey aftermath.... I'm guessing he'll be identified by dental records...

...

Greentown Fire Department Capt. Lorin Geiser said he arrived within three minutes of getting several 911 calls about a plane down.

Geiser said the crumbled fuselage from the plane was fully engulfed. It took less than five minutes to extinguish the flames.

The burning debris apparently set fire to the side of the garage of the unoccupied home.

....

[burythehatchet]

22. Sounds like he managed to manouver the plane so it wouldn't hit the houses.

[Junkdrawer]

24. He was on his final approach....IF he lost engines during that time...

about all he could do would be to avoid big things while he crashed....

[Junkdrawer]

23. Brad Blog discussion link...

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6765#comments

[Nikki Stone1]

26. Wellstoned.

.

[Swamp Rat]

27. The headline should read: "Michael Connell Murdered By Karl Rove To Prevent His Testimony At Trial."

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

28. The favorite modus operandi of the BFEE.

[judasdisney]

29. There will be ZERO investigations.

Except the one where it was found to be a magic bullet.

[Junkdrawer]

31. IF an exotic EMT weapon was used, no official would believe it...

much less investigate it.

Which, of course, makes it the perfect choice...

[liberal N proud]

32. Additional information

Provided by DUer lala_rawraw

One of my sources died in a plane crash last night...
I don't usually reveal sources, but I think this is incredibly important. Michael Connell died in a plane crash last night. He was a key witness in the Ohio election fraud case that I have been reporting on. More importantly, however, he had information that he was ready to share.

You see, Mike Connell set-up the alternate email and communications system for the White House. He was responsible for creating the system that hosted the infamous GWB43.com accounts that Karl Rove and others used. When asked by Congress to provide these emails, the White House said that they were destroyed. But in reality, what Connell is alleged to have done is move these files to other servers after having allegedly scrubbed the files from all "known" Karl Rove accounts.

In addition, I have reason to believe that the alternate accounts were used to communicate with US Attorneys involved in political prosecutions, like that of Don Siegelman. This is what I have been working on to prove for over a year. In fact, it was through following the Siegelman-Rove trail that I found evidence leading to Connell. That is how I became aware of him. Mike was getting ready to talk. He was frightened.

He has flown his private plane for years without incident. I know he was going to DC last night, but I don't know why. He apparently ran out of gas, something I find hard to believe. I am not saying that this was a hit nor am I resigned to this being simply an accident either. I am no expert on aviation and cannot provide an opinion on the matter. What I am saying, however, is that given the context, this event needs to be examined carefully. If you want to understand the context more broadly, I suggest you read this article I did a while back about the break-ins and arson cases that Siegelman and others have experienced.

Just to be very clear and state again, I am not claiming conspiracy theory or direct relation to Karl Rove or the White House in any of these events. What I am saying, however, is that these possible relationships cannot and should not be overlooked by investigators. There are far too many serious and reasonable questions that must be answered for the public.

I have been to Mr. Connell's home. Mr. Connell has confided that he was being threatened, something that his attorneys also told the judge in the Ohio election fraud case. When I met with Heather, his wife, I did so carefully because of the threats he was getting.

http://www.atlargely.com/2008/12/one-of-my-sources-died-in-a-plane-crash-last-night.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

33. This just in! Rove is actually Santa Claus

and is busy this weekend getting ready for Christmas by packing toys for poor children. And tonight he will be serving food to the homeless.

(Just predicting the spin LOL)