Cross Post
A week ago, consultant Chuck Coughlin advised that the Babeu camp would be wise “to hire somebody” to “start chasing” the media around, and the Babeu campaign has done just that. The Rose Law Group is now pushing for retractions from media outlets (Arizona Capital Times) that have reported allegations that Babeu had a 17-year-old live-in boyfriend while he served as the headmaster at a Massachusetts boarding school that was eventually shut down by the state for abusive practices. After yesterday’s report was published, Attorney Tim LaSota offered a definitive statement from Babeu regarding allegations that he lived with a student: “I never had a sexual relationship with a student. A student has never lived with me either.” Attorneys from Rose Law Group requested a retraction of three items that appeared in yesterday’s report regarding the allegations and Massachusetts
state findings against Babeu and the DeSisto School, the response from Babeu’s campaign and comments from GOP consultants about the future of Babeu’s campaign. LaSota also sought a retraction from ABC15, which first reported on the allegations on Sunday, and sent both our reporter and the TV station a signed letter purported to be from the student in question. In the letter, which ABC15 noted in a story last night is not addressed, notarized or even dated, the presumed former student denied ever living with Babeu or engaging in a sexual relationship. (A second version of the statement, also provided by LaSota, is dated Feb. 27.) The former student, Joshua Geyer, wrote that he is friends with Babeu and is considering “potential legal action” for “defamation to my name and reputation.” (NOTE: ABC15 did not name Geyer in its initial story.) In a follow-up story, ABC15 reporter Dave Biscobing was told by several former DeSisto students that it was common knowledge that Babeu dated the student. News of the hiring of Rose Law Group spread quickly through Republican circles. “This is when you’ll see contributors ask for their money back,” said GOP consultant Bert Coleman. “Contributors don’t like to see their money go to attorneys’ fees.” More: Arizona Capital Times
