Controversial Clinton ally trashed 'alcoholic' John Boehner in emails to Hillary
Boehner became speaker of the House of Representatives after the GOP's spate of victories in the 2010 race. In the weeks surrounding the election Blumenthal sent multiple messages to Clinton about Boehner. Among other things, Blumenthal called Boehner an "old scandal ridden hack Republican" and described him as "louche, alcoholic, lazy, and without any commitment to any principle."
Boehner's office did not respond to a request for comment on this story Monday evening.
The messages were part of the fourth batch of emails from Clinton's private account that was released by the State Department on Monday. In May, a federal judge ordered the agency to release Clinton's emails from her time as secretary of state on a rolling basis at the end of each month. Clinton's use of a private email address for official business while she led the State Department from 2009 through 2013 has led to an ongoing scandal as she embarks on her presidential campaign. Critics argue Clinton's private email server may have violated regulations and compromised sensitive information. Clinton and her team have steadfastly maintained her email practices were safe and in compliance with all rules and regulations.
Emails from previous State Department releases of Clinton's correspondence show Blumenthal advised Clinton on an extensive array of foreign policy issues. Among other things, Blumenthal provided Clinton with unofficial intelligence about the situation in Libya. Blumenthal's communications with Clinton about Libya have caused controversy though she has maintained his advice was unsolicited.
The new emails show Blumenthal sent Clinton lengthy memos ahead of the November 2010 elections and the majority of this correspondence targeted Boehner. Blumenthal did not respond to a request for comment on this story.
In a message dated September 1, 2010, Blumenthal forwarded Clinton a Huffington Post article written by political analyst Drew Westen with that contained suggestions for how Democrats should approach the election. Blumenthal's subject line for that message described it as "more on mid-term strategy."
"I'll write you another memo very soon," he wrote.
Blumenthal clearly believed it was imperative that Democrats focus on Boehner. On September 3, 2010 he sent Clinton an article about an USA Today/Gallup poll that he said "underscores need to elevate Boehner." Blumenthal included a note counting down the days to the election and suggested it was urgent for Democrats to adopt his Boehner-centric plan of attack.
"58 days left. Whether the Democrats have the ability and will to execute is a separate subject: "If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly..." Making Boehner the GOP poster child should be systematic and relentless. Tick, tock, another day gone," Blumenthal wrote.
Three days later, on September 6, Blumenthal sent Clinton a lengthy strategy memo that he indicated was the third one he crafted for her on the 2010 election. The memo included intelligence Blumenthal claimed he gathered from pollsters and other sources. Blumenthal argued it was clear installing Boehner as the speaker was the GOP's "stealth agenda" for the midterm races.
On September 8, 2010, Blumenthal forwarded Clinton an excerpt of another poll that he said provided "more evidence on why focusing on Boehner is important."
Three days later, he sent Clinton a New York Times article that highlighted Boehner's connections with lobbyists. Blumenthal seemingly begged Clinton to get Democrats to launch a television blitz based on Boehner's lobbying ties.
"Paid TV ads, please," he wrote.
Blumenthal is a former writer and senior adviser to Clinton's husband, President Bill Clinton. In addition to his work in her husband's administration, Blumenthal also advised Clinton's failed 2008 presidential campaign. In 2009, Clinton unsuccessfully pushed to get Blumenthal a position at the State Department. That same year, Blumenthal became a full time employee of the Clinton family's charity foundation and was reportedly paid $10,000 a month. During this time he also received money from the liberal watchdog group Media Matters and the progressive Super PAC American Bridge.
"Our new message testingi shows that progressives should not only talk about Boehner but define him and his agenda," Westen wrote.
Blumenthal's message to Clinton suggested he worked on the polling.
"Got this poll done with Brock; Begala helped," Blumenthal wrote.
This was almost certainly a reference to David Brock, who founded both Media Matters and American Bridge, and Democratic political consultant Paul Begala.
On October 8, 2010, Blumenthal forwarded Clinton another Huffington Post article by Westen that highlighted Media Matters' polling on Boehner. This time, Clinton replied.
"Are you reachable by phone tonight?" she asked.
Blumenthal responded with his availability. The next day, he sent along an article about a House candidate who participated in World War II re-enactments in a Nazi uniform. Blumenthal suggested this could be ammunition for another attack on Boehner.
"Dems should demand Boehner remove this GOP Nazi reenactor. Put Boehner in this blitzkrieg," he wrote.
This got another response from Clinton.
In some of his messages to Clinton on various topics, Blumenthal has taken credit for planting various stories in the media. He also did this in the leadup to the 2010 election. Blumenthal indicated he "briefed" the writer of a Financial Times piece that praised President Clinton's performance on the campaign trail. In another message, he also claimed to have a role in a New Yorker piece by Sean Wilentz that criticized the Tea Party.