"BlueManGroup"

Question (0.00 / 0)

Could it be a wireless connection? Could I pipe through that office with my notebook?

It's not like the GOPers have a firm grasp of how the intertubes work.

"Ill writers are usually the sharpest censors." - John Dryden

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 19:08:32 PM UTC

free wi-fi (0.00 / 0)

He could have been using the free wifi at the State House. I will try to log onto an obscure page on my own web site today and see what IP shows up in my server log.

The IP address mentioned in the story indicate to me that he was using one of the wired computers at the State House.  That doesn't prove he's a legislative staffer, however.    

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 10:12:18 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

the ip address (0.00 / 0)

This is a gateway used by both the wifui & the semi-public wired computers at the state house.  All web browser traffic from those two networks goes through this IP:

Host Name: email01.leg.state.nh.us
IP Address: 216.177.20.245

So we can't draw any inferences about the identity of "BlueManGroup"

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 18:49:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

BMG identity (4.00 / 1)

Correct. The IP address only confirms that the comments came from someone in the State House. The more damning item is that the BMG account was set up using an email address that is linked to an employee in the House Majority Office.

"Politics ain't beanbag" - Finley Peter Dunne

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by: William Tucker @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 19:52:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not from this alone, but we have far more information available.. (4.00 / 8)

However we know exactly who BMG is. And we know his relationship with the majority party.

I watched him texting -- noted the temporal relationship to the postings and noted the fact that he was the only person in the room texting at the time of the postings. I also took pictures of him and have since identified him and his official position.

We haven't chosen to post his picture or release his identity, because he is young and young people often do stupid and foolish things and the internet is forever.

We am more interested in the involvement of more senior people in the majority and what their reaction to the letter from July 4th Forum will be.

One lesson they should take away from this and the Brunelle fiasco is that no one is going to be cowed by their bullying and that they really aren't sharp enough to get away with it, so they should just knock it off and address the problems of the state in an adult manner.

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  

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by: Paul Twomey @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 20:23:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Much respect for not posting name and pictures. (4.00 / 4)

Being merciful about the permanent digital record is the classy thing to do in my book.

Not that whoever this is has earned a classy response, of course. But I'm for being the good guys.

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 22:14:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Your Final Few Words... (4.00 / 4)

"...the only way to deal with a bully is to stand up to them..." are the core of the matter here.  

All House and Senate members, as well as all Legislative employees, should be concerned about the possibility that their resources are being used improperly, if that is the case.  

Intimidation by government elected or appointed officials or employees in any form, toward anyone, should not be tolerated.  That it was attempted to be anonymous makes it perhaps even worse.  Bullies -- who are usually cowards -- often work that way.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 19:15:49 PM UTC

Solution: Come Out Of The Closet (4.00 / 1)

It might be assumed that "BlueManGroup" monitors www.BlueHampshire.com, and if so the problem could be solved by "BlueManGroup" simply coming out of the closet.  He or she would feel better that way.  

We should assume that no one connected with state government would do this.  The state employees I know wouldn't want any part of this, and if it is anyone else now is the time to put a face out there -- and make a couple of apologies too.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 19:22:56 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

But what about (4.00 / 1)

O'Brien and his gang?  Republicans are know for dirty tricks and nasty behavior.

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by: mevansnh @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 19:25:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Republicans do read www.BlueHampshire.com (0.00 / 0)

Republicans do read www.BlueHampshire.com.  Sometimes I think they pay more attention to BH than our own side does.

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 10:18:31 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Republicans watching BlueHampshire reminds me of Russian spies in American suburbia. (4.00 / 1)

They think there's something big and secretive going on that needs digging to find, because that's how they operate. But it's not how we operate. There are no big secrets.

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 22:16:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Just Let's Not Tell Them... (4.00 / 1)

...about the secret handshake, or the location of our tree house.  :)

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 22:48:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Darn it, Jim... (4.00 / 1)

You weren't supposed to tell anyone!

The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. --Marcus Aurelius, courtesy of Paul Berch

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by: Lucy Weber @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 23:16:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Know Thine Enemy (0.00 / 0)

I think that it's more of a know thine enemy thing.  The Communist parties of the Soviet Union and Red China didn't / don't have spies in all sectors and levels of society because they want to be able to gossip about juicy scandals.

Analogizing the Republican-Fox News-Industrial Complex to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and Pravda falls somewhere between "appropriate analogy" and "dissimilar" but I find myself unable to say exactly where.

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by: Vis Unita Fortior @ Fri Mar 18, 2011 at 03:46:57 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Tad, Is that you? n/t (0.00 / 0)

"Ill writers are usually the sharpest censors." - John Dryden

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 19:50:04 PM UTC

I'm not sure I follow (4.00 / 1)

You are banning a troll, and it appears the troll is on the GOP payroll.

The larger issue is ... what? Making political comments on state time?

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by: JimC @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 20:56:00 PM UTC

Using State Assets (4.00 / 5)

If it isn't illegal, the flinty Granite Staters will frown on the trivial use of assets and human resources.

They should be mending the laser.

"Ill writers are usually the sharpest censors." - John Dryden

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 21:16:56 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Or the sharks (4.00 / 1)

n/t

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by: JimC @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 21:24:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

No, it appears the troll is on the STATE payroll n/t (4.00 / 4)

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by: elwood @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 22:17:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'd actually say the larger issue is the bullying and mockery (4.00 / 7)

I would tie it to the Harty comments to show there is a lack of understanding that there's a higher standard of discourse when these people are your constituents and your co-workers.

I think by itself it's trivial, frankly, but it's one more datapoint showing the 7th grade antics in the House. Harty, the Brunelle hearing, this -- it's a bunch of people who seem to fail to realize this is their freaking JOB, not a NH Insider flame of the week session.  

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by: Mike Caulfield @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 22:26:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks to Paul Twomey (4.00 / 5)

How to go!

Not quite phone tapping--but the same mentality.

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by: Chaz Proulx @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 21:23:22 PM UTC

Here is the issue (4.00 / 16)

The July Forum, Inc. sent a letter this afternoon to Speaker O'Brien this afternoon. I won't quote the whole thing here, as it is long, but here is the major point:

   

While the general tenor of the comments were juvenile and petty, they showed an obvious partisan bias targeting two sitting members of the General court and a private citizen who is a former member of the General Court.  The General Court has adopted a set of Ethics Guidelines which contain certain basic principles governing the conduct of all legislative employees.

The rules include:

(c) A legislative employee or officer should provide objective advice, information, and
alternatives to legislators, independent of the employee's or officer's personal beliefs or
interests or the interests of third parties. A legislative employee or officer should avoid
activities that conflict with this objectivity or give the appearance of conflict.
(d) A legislative employee or officer should treat all legislators with dignity and respect, and provide services of equal quality to the employee's or officer's appropriate legislative
clientele.
II. Definitions.
(a) "Legislative Employee" includes all house, senate, and joint staff whether employed on a
part-time, full-time, permanent or temporary basis.

Posting at Blue Hampshire, pretending to be a Democrat, making stupid comments, is juvenile and petty.  But, legislative staff is not supposed to treat legislators or private citizens in a juvenile and petty manner - particularly not on the state dime, and not in the State House or the LOB. BMG went after two sitting reps and one private citizen, at about 2 p.m. in the afternoon.  If this was legislative staff, it is a problem. If you do not draw a line here, what is the next thing to happen?

I also think Jim Splaine makes a good point about the intimidation factor. This type of juvenile, petty bullying also demeans the institution.



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 21:29:20 PM UTC

Piscine decay originates capitally. n/t (4.00 / 3)

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 21:59:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The perp is a Pisces? (0.00 / 0)

Who knew! ;-)

They. Don't. Care.
We do.
Rinse, repeat.

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by: GreyMike @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 22:07:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Petty and juvenile... (4.00 / 6)

Would that include, say, large numbers of Republicans getting up and walking out of the chamber as soon as Rep. Brunelle began to speak today?

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by: Tim C. @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 22:08:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Are you kidding? (4.00 / 5)

That is beyond petty and juvenile; that is undermining the integrity of the institution.  



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 22:18:03 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

With all due respect (0.00 / 0)

He was not the only Rep this happens to... there are (and have been, consistently, for as long as I've sat in the Gallery and watched over many years), Reps on both sides of the aisle who when they begin to talk, many seats somehow empty, and this occurs on both sides of the aisle.

I got up many times today, but that's not a sign of disrespect, it's because I was doing things inappropriate to do while seated like talk to others about bills/etc, not to mention visit the restroom, drink water (it's dry and stuffy there), and so on.


BH's token Republican / Libertarian / TeaPartier / Free Stater, courtesy of a Federal Affirmative Action grant, despite many of his comments being marked down and hidden.

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by: SethCohn @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 04:18:55 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well this is the true measure of Seth's comments (4.00 / 10)

-disingenuous claptrap. The walk out was immediate massive and impossible to mistake. The Republican reps who were honorable enough to stay were clearly chagrined.

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by: robert @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 04:47:13 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Just because it is St. Patrick's Day... (4.00 / 3)

Don't think you can snow us with blarney.  If you walked out with other reps when Mike Brunelle got up to speak on the minimum wage, you crossed the line and engaged in behavior demeaning to the institution of the General Court.    



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 12:22:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

"with all due respect" (0.00 / 0)

from a Republican is a meaningless phrase. This legislative session proves that the GOP has absolutely no respect for the state of NH or the people they claim to represent.

If you respected us, Representative Cohn you'd stop trying to spin egregious acts on the part of your leadership as being acceptable. Or, to be perfectly clear - you'd stop lying to us.  

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by: susanthe @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 13:53:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

that was bad (4.00 / 4)

There are some members who give long and boring speeches on the floor, and people use those speeches as the opportunity to take a break.  Mike is not one of those: he gives cogent speeches and he is very listenable.

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 10:59:35 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I Had One Person... (4.00 / 1)

...walk out on me once.  :(

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 13:26:45 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

This was not a Stretch Kennedy moment. (0.00 / 0)

This was clearly a "walk out on Brunelle" moment.

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by: Tim C. @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 18:44:36 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes, Kathy this is exactly right -- what part of "This is your workplace" don't they get? (4.00 / 9)

If I treated co-workers or customers like this I would not last a week at my job. Neither would you, neither would anyone.

If anyone disagrees, tell them to send an all-work email at their own job saying someone who works down the hall is a crybaby hiding under the bed, and then have them get back to us on how that worked out for them.

Harty & this, same problem.

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by: Mike Caulfield @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 22:39:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The Return of Donald Segertti? (4.00 / 3)

The "Blue Man Group" activities remind me of the efforts of Republican operator Donald Segretti's efforts in the 1972 Presidential Primary.  Segretti specialized in putting out misinformation claiming it was from Democratic or from ordinary voter's sources.  The most famous of these was the "Canuck letter" where a letter, supposedly from Democratic Presidential candidate Edmund Muskie maligned French Canadians.  They created so much confusion and false accusations that Muskie simply could not respond in any meaningful way.  Segretti was rewarded for his efforts with a jail sentence.

The "Blue Man Group" situation is a bit different and is in some ways worse.  As Jim Splaine pointed out their actions tend to intimidate political leaders and this appears to have come out of the Majority Leader's office.  If this was ordered by the Republican leadership and state resources were used, I can't see how this is legal.  Is it also an impeachable office?  It strikes me as an arrogant abuse of power by the Republicans.

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by: ProfessorMike @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 22:55:09 PM UTC

*Segretti n/t (4.00 / 1)

note to close readers: this might be sarcastic so think twice before reading to candidates for use in their attacks on each other

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by: JonnyBBad @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 02:45:16 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well, that's revealing. Juvenile behavior is actually a good cover (4.00 / 1)

for dirty tricks, since it is likely to be dismissed as behavior by someone who's not worth bothering with.
I'll admit that was my reaction initially. Eventually, I was annoyed by the waste of time of people being distracted when they could have been doing something more useful, if only organizing their thoughts.
A waste of time is really more harmful than wasting money because time lost is gone forever.  Money we can always make more of.
Wasting people's time is abusive, akin to torture.

But, I'm glad for the heads up. Juvenile behavior is a dirty trick.

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by: hannah @ Wed Mar 16, 2011 at 23:57:07 PM UTC

Right (4.00 / 2)

Punching holes in the safety net is much worse, but posting petty crap on a web site about sitting legislators is just another example of the same behavior - bullying, picking on people, lack of respect.



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 00:40:29 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

And so "BlueManGroup" (4.00 / 5)

joins the illustrious Hall of Heroes that include IndyNH and RockinNH.

They never learn.

Good for BH and the 7/4th Forum for tracking this down.

Looks like another sterling example of the Bill O'Brien statehouse mission to focus on jobs and the economy.

birch paper; on Twitter @deanbarker

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by: Dean Barker @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 00:50:37 AM UTC

And former House GOP staffer... (4.00 / 3)

Grant Bossie for impersonating a Democrat for a political dirty trick (see 2000 campaign)

Have you told a stranger today about Bill O'Brien and his Tea Party agenda? The people of NH deserve to hear about O'Brien  and his majority committed to destroying New Hampshire and remaking it into a armed survivalist preserve.  

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by: Ray Buckley @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 02:06:34 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

ziiiiiing n/t (0.00 / 0)

note to close readers: this might be sarcastic so think twice before reading to candidates for use in their attacks on each other

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by: JonnyBBad @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 02:45:56 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Bettencourt says it is okay (4.00 / 1)

Furthermore, this seems like an exercise in futily, accusing a partisan office of being partisan

No, we are saying a legislative employee may have violated the ethical guidelines and was  blogging on the internet during the work day.

IOIYAAR.  



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 21:33:31 PM UTC

Uh, Kathy? (4.00 / 2)

...and was  blogging on the internet during the work day.

Let's not go there, m'kay?

Full disclosure: I'm one of probably very few innocents here.

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by: Tim C. @ Fri Mar 18, 2011 at 03:11:41 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Full disclosure (4.00 / 1)

I'm the only guilty man in Shawshank.

To my (biased) mind, a bit of blogging during the day on anyone's payroll, I can understand. But partisan trolling during the day, I can't abide. I make no claim to this being a rational position.

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by: JimC @ Fri Mar 18, 2011 at 03:27:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'm disappointed by this whole affair. (0.00 / 0)

I read BMG's comments. They're pretty poor. Put aside, for the moment, that Republicans play dirty, because we've known that forever. I'm accustomed to their shenanigans being more impressive than this.

Once you set an expectation for masterfulness in your unethical behavior, you have to live up to it.

--
Hope > Anarch-tea
Twitter: @DougLindner

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Thu Mar 17, 2011 at 22:27:10 PM UTC

Demand the people be fired. (0.00 / 0)

If they are paid by taxpayer money, they are answerable to all of us. Demand the person be fired immediately!

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by: tesha @ Tue Mar 22, 2011 at 12:19:07 PM UTC