May 1, 2008

Bill Scannell resigns from Metcalfe campaign

Bill Scannell, the man outed Thursday morning by Jake Metcalfe's former campaign manager Dana Krawchuk as the person behind some nasty websites attacking Ethan Berkowitz, has resigned.

Krawchuk had overheard Scannell talking about building websites specifically to attack Berkowitz.

From the Fairbanks News-Miner

Dana Krawchuk, who served as Metcalfe's campaign manager from September to February, said Scannell, an aide to Metcalfe, told Metcalfe in September or early October that he was purchasing Internet domains based on Ethan Berkowitz' name in order to redirect voters to sites critical of the former state House minority leader.

Krawchuk said she told Scannell to stop talking about the plan.

"I had asked that it not be talked about again because I didn't think it was something the campaign should be involved in," she said in a telephone interview Wednesday.

AUDIO: Jake Metcalfe denying knowledge of Scannell's websites on KUDO
Brendan Kelley of the Anchorage Press grills Metcalfe and leaves him speechless at one point.

From a Jake Metcalfe press release:

Bill Scannell offered his resignation today as campaign advisor to Jake Metcalfe, Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress. Metcalfe accepted the resignation.

According to Scannell, allegations that he was responsible for creating website links that were harmful to one of Metcalfe's opponents convinced him to resign.

"It appears these ridiculous allegations won't go away until I leap on my own sword," Scannell said. "I'm dedicated to getting Jake Metcalfe elected for the good of Alaska. If that takes my resignation, then so be it."

"Bill Scannell worked hard on my campaign and I appreciate all he did. It's now time for me to move on and discuss issues Alaskans really care about, and to focus on this race," said Jake Metcalfe.

This is the final comment the Metcalfe campaign will be making on this subject.