Caffeinated Thoughts

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Heki Files Suit Against Bachmann, Sorenson over NICHE Email List Leak Posted: 30 Jul 2012 10:30 PM PDT Barb Heki, a former staffer with Michele Bachmann's former presidential campaign in Iowa, is now suing Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, the Bachmann for President campaign, former Bachmann staffer and/or consultants Keith Nahigian, Guy Short, Brett O'Donnell, Rebecca Donatelli, and Eric Woolson.  Nahigian Strategies, LLC, C&M Strategies, Inc., O'Donnell & Associates, Ltd., Campaign Services, Inc., and The Concept Works, Inc. have also been named in the lawsuit. This lawsuit is based on the incident last fall when the Bachmann campaign uploaded the NICHE (Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators) email list into their campaign database without permission.  At that time The Iowa Republican noted that Barb Heki was a NICHE board member and was on staff with the Bachmann campaign.  Heki at the time of the email list being leaked resigned her position from the NICHE board of directors. In the lawsuit, Heki accuses State Senator Kent Sorenson (R-Indianola), who was then the Iowa Chair for the Bachman for President campaign, of stealing the NICHE email list from her private computer from her private office in the Bachmann campaign headquarters in Iowa.  Prior to this Heki said she informed the campaign of her inability to share the NICHE database or release any information about the database to the campaign.  The suit also alleges that the computer contained Heki's personal confidential information including personal passwords and bank account information. Heki in the lawsuit alleges that the defendants named in the suit new of the theft of the list, and that at the direction of some or all of the defendants two emails were sent out to the misappropriated full NICHE database around November 10, 2011.  Heki then alleges that the Bachmann campaign concealed the alleged theft of the list by Kent Sorenson. Heki contends that some or all of the defendants inferred to the media and the public that Barb Heki had misappropriated and missued the email list from NICHE.  On November 29, 2011, Barb Heki and her husband Richard were removed from the NICHE board by the other members of the Board of Directors.  The Heki's claim that this also led to their removal from another national organization of homeschooling leaders and that they "have been isolated and expelled from their professional, social, political, and spiritual lives and careers in Iowa and nationally" due to the alleged cover up by the Bachmann campaign. They are charging the defendants listed with trespass, conversion, computer trespass, misappropriation of trade secrets, invasion of privacy, libel and slander, conspiracy, and concerted action.  Barb Heki was not able to speak to me about specifics of the case or damages they will be seeking.  She requested that I speak with her attorney, Daniel D. Dykstra with the Heidman Law Firm, LLP in Sioux City Iowa.  The suit was filed in the Iowa District Court of Polk County.  Heki did assure me that they had solid evidence and eyewitness testimony or they would have never filed the lawsuit. You can read the court filing below: Heki v. Bachmann Picture by Dave Davidson – Prezography.com.

Romney, the Press and Public Land Posted: 30 Jul 2012 02:10 PM PDT Supporters at Romney campaign event waiting in the rain. I wanted to share an interesting side story from the Romney's campaign event on Saturday.  I arrived early with flip cam attached to my monopod in hand at the Iowa Statehouse grounds.  I was talking to a friend when approached by a couple of young Romney staffers.  They asked who I was with, and I replied I was with Caffeinated Thoughts.  They were not familiar with me (evidently they are *incredibly in touch* with Iowa politics) so they asked me if it was a conservative site.  I said "yes" and handed them my card with the URL so they could check me out. I was told that if I was a liberal blog I would be asked to leave.  I asked how would that work since the rally was being held on public land.  One of the staffers told me, "right now, we own the land." Some thoughts… If I had not been so shocked by that remark I would have told this "kid" (which is what he was) that no… the Romney campaign my have a permit to hold a rally there, but the land belongs to the taxpayers of Iowa.  Secondly is the question of whether it is legal to ask anybody, let alone a member of the press (blogger or not, that is what I am) to leave a public meeting on public land.  I have contacted the Iowa Department of Administrative Services about the incident and wanted their feedback on whether or not, according to state law, whether the Romney campaign has the authority to remove people who are not being disruptive. The third thing to note is the asinine practice of singling out bloggers at these events.  Who cares if I was a liberal blogger or not?  If they have nothing to hide it shouldn't matter.  This event was open to the press.  Credentialing wasn't required, and frankly anybody attending the event who wanted a video to post to Facebook  or YouTube could have videoed the event with their cell phone.  Any video taken whether it was a conservative blog, liberal blog, member of the mainstream media or a spectator when made public can be used or linked to anywhere. Ask Rick Santorum that question after The Huffington Post and Think Progress caught wind of his comments about contraceptives in an interview I had with him.  That video was also played on Rush Limbaugh, CNN and MSNBC.  It is poor practice to exclude any media from your event.  If Republicans believe in free speech and the freedom of the press they should allow anybody to participate.  It doesn't matter what the other campaign does or doesn't do.  It doesn't matter what slant they take.  It is making a huge assumption that members of the mainstream media will take a non-biased approach. Also having been to numerous political events for numerous candidates or organizations this is the first time I've ever been asked such a question.  I've run into Think Progress bloggers, for instance, at Rick Santorum events and events The FAMiLY Leader has held.  They weren't afraid of their presence and neither should the Romney campaign. So if you want to run a transparent campaign this is a stupid practice, and what they threatened to do on Saturday had I not been a "favorable" blogger is likely illegal.

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