Ko$ola in the New York Post
Betsy's Page
Deborah Orin reports on the story that has been roiling some of the blogosphere.
<<< IMAGINE the outrage, especially from the Left, if President Bush were to hire an Internet guru who had a past as a Web shill for a worthless dot-com stock.
Nope, Bush hasn't - but "un-Hillary" 2008 Democratic prospect Mark Warner did just that when he hired Jerome Armstrong and has no plans to fire him, despite new revelations about his past.
The Post's Roddy Boyd recently reported that after a Securities and Exchange Commission probe, Armstrong agreed to a December 2003 SEC settlement that permanently bans him from stock-touting.
Armstrong also signed a court agreement with the SEC that he can't deny - or let anyone else deny - "any allegation in the complaint" that accused him of touting worthless stock for pay.
But Warner spokeswoman Ellen Qualls said he's keeping his $5,000- a-month job: "This is a private matter between Jerome and the SEC relating to activities years ago."
She declined to say if Warner disclosed Armstrong's SEC woes or if Armstrong, 42, meets the ethical standards required for, say, a White House job, saying Warner isn't now a candidate.
Dems are madly wooing left-wing bloggers - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton just hired one and Warner spent $50,000 to dish up sushi and a chocolate fountain for 1,000 at the Yearly Kos blogger convention.
Some Dems suspect Warner fears ditching Armstrong would spark rage from his ex-business partner, Markos Moulitsas-Zuniga of the Daily Kos Web site, who's had nice things to say about Warner so far. >>>
She's exactly right. If Bush had hired someone with Armstrong's background, the left would have been all over him.
Check out Mickey Kaus for more information, links, and speculation. Check out John Hawkins for more on Armstrong and astrology.
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