I don’t know how many of you caught the spectacularly hateful hit piece on Ron Paul that Capitol Hill Blue ran yesterday, but it was a doozy. Here’s the last bit (only part I saved) on why they weren’t going to allow comments on their smearjob:

(EDITORS NOTE: Because of the documented practice of Ron Paul’s campaign of spamming web sites to try and artificially inflate their already-discredited claims of widespread support and our own experience with the underhanded and unethical tactics of his supporters, we have suspended comments on this story. This web site does not serve as a shill for any political campaign and we will not allow it to be used by Paul’s small but loud legion of unethical supporters to spread misinformation or perpetuate their candidate’s record of deception and hate. As we do with all elected officials of candidates for public office, we will continue to report misdeeds of the Paul’s campaign and expose it for the sham that it is.)

Yes, the article was even worse. I’ll try to find more of it, but that bit above is representative of the tone.(UPDATE: See here for the full text.)

Apparently, there were several of these pieces and one was up today. Here’s where an anti-Pauler posted it on Digg, with the title “Ron Paul “Spammers” Catch the Attention of the FBI.”Ironically, the link now goes to this:

Good grief!
July 7, 2007 – 5:38pm.

Wow, I take off a few days for the 4th of July holiday and all hell breaks loose.

I took a break from editing Blue during the 4th of July week and it seems that a few articles were posted that were not what I would have done (or approved) and some felt were my work. A friend that I left in charge incorrectly assumed that my lack of support for a particular candidate meant he could declare open season on that candidate. He was wrong and I apologize for his misuse of this web site. The articles posted have been removed.

Longtime readers of this site know I always sign anything that I write and if it doesn’t have my name on it, I didn’t write it. Just because I don’t like a particular candidate or their past or positions is no excuse to use this web site to declare war.

A lot of volunteers put in a lot of time and effort helping keep Blue up and running and I sometimes have to step in and bring things back under control.

I ask readers to remember that three people post comments under the heading of “editor” or use my login ID to edit articles and that when I post a comment, an article or a column I always sign my name to it. If it does not have my byline (”By Doug Thompson”) or my postscript at the end (”–Doug” or “–Doug Thompson”) at the end, I did not write it.

Likewise, I do not close articles or columns to comment. Each columnist on this web site has the option of opening or closing his or her writing to comments but editors do not have the authority to close an existing article to comments. The fact that one did was a mistake that has been corrected and the readers of Capitol Hill Blue have my apologies that it happened.

–Doug Thompson

Too funny.

UPDATE: A good post by Joe Gandelman of The Moderate Voice on the Capitol Hill Blue retraction: Capitol Hill Blue Retracts Controversial Negative Ron Paul Piece

Also, Doug Thompson, owner/editor of CHB pours oil on troubled waters at the RonPaulForums.com.