WH Political Director, Patrick Gaspard Behind Scozzafava’s Owens Endorsement

Buried deep in a Washington Post profile of the “low-key” Patrick Gaspard, was this interesting tidbit:

Steeped in New York politics, he played a pivotal role in the effort over the weekend to persuade Republican State Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava to endorse the Democratic candidate in the special election in New York’s 23rd Congressional District, two senior White House officials said Sunday. One senior official added that Gaspard was the “air traffic controller” of multiple parties as events in the district unfolded. Scozzafava, a rare Republican who who supports same-sex marriage and abortion rights, endorsed Bill Owens rather than the Conservative Party candidate two days ahead of Election Day, a major victory for Democrats in arguably the most closely watched contest in the country.

A Public Policy poll has Hoffman leading Owens in a two-way race: 54% – 38%.

Some disturbing background on Gaspard, “ACORN’s man in the White House” from Stanley Kurtz on his close ties to Bertha Lewis and ACORN, in case you’re interested:

No doubt, some will dismiss the newly revealed connections between the Obama administration, Patrick Gaspard, Bertha Lewis, and ACORN as “guilt by association.” Yet it seems to me that the evidence points to something more significant than that. We are talking about a persistent and shared political-ideological alliance between President Obama and the complex of community, labor, and party organizations controlled by ACORN. (See especially “Life of the New Party” for more on New Party ideology.) Again, the Gaspard issue is new and needs further investigation and consideration. Yet preliminary indications are that the Gaspard-ACORN-Bertha Lewis-New Party-WFP-SEIU ties are significant, and tell us something disturbing about the political ideology and intentions of President Obama. In particular, the connection between Gaspard, Lewis, the New Party, and the Working Families Party ought to draw our attention back to what may ultimately be the most important Obama-ACORN tie of all, his time with Chicago’s New Party.

See also Trevor Loudin’s: Obama File 88 Parallel Lives? Obama’s “Go To” Man, Patrick Gaspard and New York Socialism

Hat tip: Gateway Pundit, who notes:

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa suggested yesterday that the Obama White House offered Scozzafava favors for endorsing Bill Owens.

Scozzafava had already taped robocalls in support of Bill Owens by Sunday night. Her husband, a top union official, was in talks months ago with Democratic operatives about her switching parties.

Scozzafava took $1 million from the GOP for her campaign this year.

MORE at Bizzy Blog:

Organizing for America Potential Privacy Invasion, Robbery, Vote Fraud, and Worse in NY-23

Thanks, Eddie.

Michelle Malkin has more on this:

How Patrick Gaspard, Obama’s ACORN/WFP/SEIU “air traffic controller,” intervened in NY-23

RELATED:

Matthew Vadum has more on that White House visiters list at The American Spectator:

ACORN at the White House

The newly released list of visitors to the Obama White House makes the president’s claim he’s clueless about his former employer ACORN — and its election fraud trials and tribulations — especially difficult to believe.

Of particular significance is the visit by ACORN spokesman Scott Levenson who met with White House political director Patrick Gaspard in March. The purpose of the meeting with Gaspard, a former ACORN employee himself, was not disclosed.

Levenson, who is also a registered lobbyist for New York ACORN, is the charming fellow whom Glenn Beck threw off his set May 6 for calling the TV host a racist. He’s been helping to coordinate ACORN’s public disinformation strategy which relies heavily on lies and misdirection.

Scott Levenson?

This Scott Levenson????

At the White House?!

UGH.

UPDATE:

Bad news…

A new Siena poll has the race narrowing Hoffman 41% to Owens 36%, with undecideds up to 18%, a very precarious situation for Hoffman, considering the Working Families/ACORN involvement.

Previously:

Heartache: Bertha Lewis’s Rolodex Ends Up At Redstate

BREAKING!: Obama Has “Curiously Close Labor Friendship” With SEIU According To LA Times

Obama’s Limbaugh Strategy

Obama Poised To Silence Critics