Anonymous Mailings Targeting PCs?

I wasn’t going to give the cowards behind two recent anonymous hit mailers the satisfaction of spreading their disease for them, but since other local bloggers have already broached the subject, I decided to put in my two cents. I’m not going to itemize or debunk the charges, Ted has done that quite sufficiently at R3.

First, let me be clear that I think these anonymous letters are most likely breaking the law. Whoever is behind this had better hope that no one complains to the Attorney General (hint, hint!) about these letters. They are not personal letters; they are being very clearly targeted at Democratic PCs in a blanket manner. Every person I’ve spoken to who has received one of these letters is a PC. These letters are clearly campaign advocacy, and if they are in any way connected with any campaign, that campaign is officially %100 fucked.

I don’t know if all or any of the allegations made in these letters agaist council member Ibarra and Senator Giffords are true. I don’t much care, frankly. The allegations strike me as the sort which would be made by either a very small, and far too insulated, clique of paranoiacs, or the sort of bombs calculated to sow discord and conflict within the Democratic party by those outside of it.

I think the latter is more likely: my personal opinion is that this is Republican ratfucking, not a intramural hit.

What benefit is gained by attacking Ibarra? Well, his term is up next year and he’s likely to face a stiff Republican challenge once again. Softened support for Ibarra in his base due to corruption rumours couldn’t help but benefit the challenger.

What benefit is gained by attacking Giffords? Obviously, she will be facing a close race if she wins the nomination. Softening support on the left of her party might keep enough folks home in a snit to let Graf or Huffman squeak into office.

In short, I don’t see much benefit to ANY Democrat, no matter their section of the big tent, in attacking BOTH Ibarra AND Giffords in this anonymous fashion (and the likelihood of two independent hits with the exact same M.O. seems absurdly low). The only common interest I can imagine lies on the other side of the aisle. And Democrats simply aren’t corrupt and slimy enough to stoop to such obviously unethical and somewhat inept ratfucking – there are some in the AZ GOP, on the other hand, whom I don’t put anything past.

The authors of these cheap shots want southern Arizona’s Democrats at each other’s throats. They want us to forget how much we have in common and fail to present a united front in the upcoming battles. Well, folks, don’t let these ratfucking bastards get their dearest wish. Next time you get one of these illegal mailings, contact the AG’s office, and don’t even bother reading it.