early and often

Blogger Who Allegedly Slept With Female Candidate Releases the Texts

When South Carolina blogger Will Folks claimed earlier this week that he and married Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley had had an “inappropriate physical relationship” three years ago, his bombshell blog post was supposed to be his final word on the subject:


I will not be discussing the details of that relationship, nor will I be granting any additional interviews about it to members of the media beyond what I have already been compelled to confirm.

But that was a whole two days ago, and his planned strategy of clamming up hasn’t materialized. In fact, it’s been quite the opposite. He talked to a local Fox affiliate. He talked to a major newspaper. And today his FITSNews blog posted a string of alleged text messages between Folks, Haley’s campaign manager, an AP reporter, and a political consultant backing a Haley rival, that reveal the frantic run-up to Folks’s admission on Monday.

But that was a whole two days ago, and his planned strategy of clamming up hasn’t materialized. In fact, it’s been quite the opposite. He talked to a local Fox affiliate. He talked to a major newspaper. And today his FITSNews blog posted a string of alleged text messages between Folks, Haley’s campaign manager, an AP reporter, and a political consultant backing a Haley rival, that reveal the frantic run-up to Folks’s admission on Monday.

Here’s just one interesting segment: Folks and Haley’s campaign manager, Tim Pearson, trying to avoid inquiries by AP reporter Jim Davenport.

—— SMS ——

From: Jim Davenport
To: Will Folks
Sent: May 14, 2010 7:31 PM

What is this stuff about ur having an affair with Nikki Haley?
Jim Davenport-AP_ 803-917-9562

—— SMS ——
From: Will Folks
To: Jim Davenport
Sent: May 14, 2010 7:32 PM

?

—— SMS ——
From: Jim Davenport
To: Will Folks
Sent: May 14, 2010 7:33 PM

Call. Talk.

—— SMS ——
From: Will Folks
To: Jim Davenport
Sent: May 14, 2010 7:39 PM

Can’t talk right now. You are not writing on this are you?

—— SMS ——
From: Jim Davenport
To: Will Folks
Sent: May 14, 2010 7:40 PM

Supposedly someone is. Just chasing tip.

—— SMS ——
From: Will Folks
To: Tim Pearson
Sent: May 14, 2010 7:37 PM

Davenport is texting me asking about this now. WTF? Did something happen at Palin event?

—— SMS ——
From: Will Folks
To: Tim Pearson
Sent: May 15, 2010 11:58 AM

Davenport calling again.

—— SMS ——
From: Tim Pearson
To: Will Folks
Sent: May 15, 2010 2:10 PM

Ok. Keep me posted.

—— SMS ——
From: Tim Pearson
To: Will Folks
Sent: May 15, 2010 2:20 PM

What you thinking?

—— SMS ——
From: Will Folks
To: Tim Pearson
Sent: May 15, 2010 2:48 PM

His mssg said “you know why I am calling”

—— SMS ——
From: Tim Pearson
To: Will Folks
Sent: May 15, 2010 2:57 PM

I think we both deny it. I think an affadavit is something we can beat down. Legally and politically.

—— SMS ——
From: Tim Pearson
To: Will Folks
Sent: May 15, 2010 2:58 PM

There doesn’t seem to be a smoking gun in this batch of texts that definitively indicates an affair between Folks and Haley — as in, “Hey Will, it’s Nikki Haley, thanks for all that sexual intercourse last night” — but it certainly seems as if all the parties involved are treating it as something that actually happened and not a false rumor. And with FITSNews promising that “Nikki will play a more prominent role in future updates,” Haley’s denials are looking more dubious by the day.

Haley-gate: The Storm Before The Storm [FITSNews]
Purported Haley-gate Text: ‘Your The One Who Screwed Her’ [TPM Muckraker/TPM]

Blogger Who Allegedly Slept With Female Candidate Releases the Texts