Yesterday, I ran a short post that quoted a June 4th Washington Post story on the role of Karl Rove’s American Crossroads in the Mississippi Senate runoff. The Post reported:
American Crossroads, a GOP establishment organization, has decided to shift its political focus almost entirely to the general election and will not be spending money in the likely runoff election to decide the Mississippi Senate nomination that was virtually deadlocked after Tuesday night. […]
“Other than Alaska, we have completed our work on Senate primaries this cycle and are now focused on general elections. With the Chamber, the NRSC, and a local super PAC already backing Cochran, this is not our fight,” Paul Lindsay, spokesman for Crossroads, said in a statement.
I noted the July FEC reports of the donors to Mississippi Conservatives — the controversial group being accused of playing the race card — included a June 20th donation of $50,000 from American Crossroads. Which is to say, a complete contradiction of the statement given by Mr. Lindsay, the American Crossroads spokesperson, to the Post.
This morning I have received the following e-mail from Kristin Davison, Karl Rove’s chief of staff. In fairness, I am running it below in full for readers to make up their own minds:
Jeff,
I noticed your latest posting “Rove American Crossroads In Mississippi Controversy” and just wanted to make sure you were aware of the disclosure in Karl’s column from June 26:
https://www.rove.com/articles/536
“Full disclosure: I donated to Mr. Cochran’s campaign and the super PAC that I help, American Crossroads, donated to Mississippi Conservatives in the primary and runoff.”
Hope that clears up any confusion.
Best,
Kristin Davison
Chief of Staff |Karl Rove & Company
I would add one thing. The Rove column to which Ms. Davison refers appeared on June 26th. Which is to say, two days after the Mississippi runoff. When any report about a controversial contributor could no longer have an effect on voting.
Kristin, if there was any statement from Karl between the end of the first primary and the day of the run-off — June 24 — that contradicts what American Crossroads was saying to the public on June 4, I will be happy to report that as well.
