It appears Ben Tribett is calling off the dogs on Shaun Kenney. Either he is looking for bigger fish to fry (if you believe Ben, which I don’t) or he didn’t expect the blowback he got from Riley, Not O’Reilly at Virginia Virtucon, Shaun’s brother Jason, and Shaun’s friend yours truly.
So now, Ben is looking for the door (Not Larry Sabato): “By the way – as far as the beating up of Shaun Kenney- it should stop.” Unfortunately, Ben is still getting a few things wrong (emphasis in original):
If you read all the articles the only time I attack Shaun is when he lies about telling me about the indictments in advance . . . we can be fairly sure that someone in the Grand Jury did NOT leak this information to Shaun directly. Shaun would be out of this entire thing if he would just say who told him about the date of the indictment. Other than that the only thing Shaun appears to have done wrong is mislead the media when they first called him about it. He’ll recover from that once he comes clean and says who told him and when.
The only trouble with that is this: Ben still has presented no evidence that Shaun tipped him off about anything regarding in the investigation. The only thing Ben can show Shaun actually discussed were supposed efforts in the party to talk Mark Tate into dropping out of the Republican primary for the 27th State Senate District, something Shaun never denied.
Now, I don’t expect Ben to say, “Oops! My bad – Shaun didn’t give an indictment date,” but if he really wanted this to go away, he should have edited out the insistence that Shaun “lied.” All he had to do was make clear his view that Shaun was a “bit player,” and that his real target – for lack of a better word – is Gillespie.
Either way, it’s pretty clear Ben is waving the flag of truce (if not the white flag) regarding Shaun.
Why have a truce? Maybe someone should go after Tribbett’s silly story of making a living paying poker. Who has ever seen any proof? Certainly it gives Not Larry a little glamor when his real job working at 7-Eleven or whatever would just make him look like a punk.
I don’t even understand what you are asking for?
I wasn’t asking for anythig, Ben; just offerign advice. Had you dropped the references to Shaun “lying” and just said, “hey, look folks, the problem is Ed,” I’d have been a lot less critical this morning. That’s all.
Maybe folks are asking for an apology, NLS.
D.J., Shaun did lie. Read the first article from Leesburg Today- he told the reporter he has not spoken to me since macaca last year and it wasn’t until I sent all the emails he has sent me since then, as well as my phone records that the reporter no longer believed him and published the first story. By the way when the reporter called Shaun back the next day, Shaun tried to play it off as the reporter taking poor notes the day before and misunderstanding him. You would think that Shaun would know in 2007 that every news reporter records their calls.
Ben, I did read the Leesburg Today piece, and it clearly states Shaun only said he didn’t talk to you about the investigation, not that he never talked to you. Your quarrel on this is with Charlie Jackson, not me.
On Wednesday, Kenney denied having any contact with Tribbett, who operates the Web site Not Larry Sabato, concerning the investigation into Tate.
Context can be a funny thing. DJ’s right, NLS, and you owe someone an apology.
DJ and Anon- Why don’t you email Charlie and ask him what Shaun said? You might be surprised.
Funny… Ben’s story STILL doesn’t pan out.
Here’s the problem:
(1) Kenney didn’t leak to himself, so where did Ben get his information? Tate?
(2) Ben Tribbett has done nothing but backpedal on this story, while Kenney’s story hasn’t changed one iota.
(3) Ben Tribbett isn’t blameless… macaca, jiffy law, felix macacawitz, jeff dion, and a host of other missteps don’t offer much hope.
(4) If Ben’s story is true, it would entirely OOC for Kenney… but if Kenney’s story is true, it fits Ben’s MO completely.
That’s what this boils down to. The WaPo alluded to it, the RTD is gunning for Ben, both Democrats and Republicans have scolded Ben Tribbett.
Thing is, even if Kenney demanded an apology, he’s astute enough not to ask for one. Just let Ben’s reputation drag itself out… and to think Kenney fended off Tribbett while doing a national press event! HA!