McCain Hired Robocall Firm That Smeared Him in 2000

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On Friday, a recipient of one of those calls, Chris Schoff of Minnesota, said that he had tied the origins of the campaign to the St. Paul-based firm FLS-Connect, run by prominent GOP figure Jeff Larson.

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This past week, Schoff, a Minnesota Democratic county commissioner, received the Hollywood call while at work. Because state law dictates that any such calls be made by an actual human, Schoff demanded that he be connected to the supervisor. That official, who worked at the robocall shop King TeleServices in Brooklyn, N.Y., said that they had been contracted out by FLS-Connect.

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Officials with King TeleServices did not respond to messages seeking comment.

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Asked about the connection to King TeleServices, a receptionist for FLS relayed a message from her supervisors that implicitly acknowledged that they have been working on behalf of the Arizona Republican: “If it is having to do with the McCain campaign or the RNC, you will have to direct your question to them.”

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Any tie between the McCain campaign and FLS represents an ironic twist of fate and a reflection of just how far the Arizona Republican has moved politically in the last eight years. During the 2000 election, FLS and Larson helped then-presidential candidate George W. Bush smear McCain during the now-infamous South Carolina primary. As the Washington Post reported in April 30, 2000:

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“The advocacy calls for George W. Bush’s campaign that became an issue in this year’s South Carolina GOP primary were developed by Feather, Hodges, Larson & Synhorst [FLS]. The firm maintains seven phone banks and 500 phones scattered from Phoenix to Minnesota. South Carolina, home of the Bush blitz, is one of the firm’s “best” phone centers, said partner Jeff Larson. “Military wives from all over the country make calls for us there.” “Phones are great,” he said, “because you can change your message right away.” With better voter lists and a new trend toward recorded messages, today’s political calls are “narrowcast”–antiabortion activists will hear one script, voters in one small area will hear directly from a local pol. “It’s a blossoming business.”