Maddow Stunned By Think Tank Targeting Professors Who Use Her Name In Emails (VIDEO)

Rachel Maddow reacted incredulously to a report that a conservative think tank in Michigan has filed a Freedom of Information request to seek any emails that mention her from three state universities.

The request was uncovered by Talking Points Memo on Tuesday, and Maddow described it on her Tuesday show. She cast it as part of a growing pattern of broad FOIA requests from conservative politicians and organizations seeking to obtain access to the private emails of academics. Among other incidents, a University of Wisconsin professor has had his emails sought by Gov. Scott Walker.

"The latest incarnation of this breed of conservatism weirdly involves this show," Maddow said. As she described it, a conservative think tank in Michigan called the Mackinac Center submitted a FOIA request seeking any emails from labor professors at the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Michigan State University. The center demanded any email that includes the words "Scott Walker," "Wisconsin," "Madison," and "Maddow."

Maddow said she thought that the Center's interest in her was due to her highlighting of a controversial bill in the state that seeks to allow the state government to declare a financial emergency in a town and send in an unelected official who can actually dissolve the town.

"This show was the first national news outlet to report in detail on that policy, and now, the Mackinack Center is demanding the emails of anybody who could be an expert on that subject who might have the temerity to type the word 'Maddow' in any context in an email," Maddow said. "How's that leave me alone personal liberty thing working out for you?"

She also noted that the Center is funded by many prominent conservative foundations, such as those of the Koch brothers, the Waltons, and the parents of Blackwater chief Erik Prince. In another segment, Maddow said her show had contacted all of the above foundations, as well as the Mackinac Center itself. None, she said, had been willing to talk to her.

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Comments

[shangrolah]

03:42 PM on 04/02/2011

"Shocked" Why so? This is what Rachel would do in pursuit of a story. A big fan of hers. But this is what goes on.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/16/AR2006041601027.html

[holiday2010]

10:24 AM on 04/04/2011

Good link, puts things in context I suppose. Things aren't always as one sided as they seem. Who knows what games Maddow has been playing as well.

[N Rathke]

05:34 PM on 04/08/2011

Her name isn't mentioned. "This is what goes on." By Maddow?
Really.

[robodawa]

09:21 AM on 04/02/2011

Erik Prince's Dad is dead. The article must be referring to his father in law: Dick DeVos, Sr. De Vos and Van Andel started the pyramid scam company Amway. De Vos funnels a lot of his lucre to the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Instititue and other right wing think tanks(usage?). The family does try to do good acts in Michigan. Yet they always have strings as thick as the suspension cables of the Mackinac Bridge attached to their dough.

[N Rathke]

05:35 PM on 04/08/2011

Yeah, and David Koch funds Metropolitan Opera telecasts.
While he's busy conniving ways to rob the middle class of their rights.

[Uncle Bill]

08:30 PM on 04/01/2011

I'll take "Terrifies Conservatives" for $1000, Alex.  
Who is Rachel Maddow.

[capercaper]

08:55 PM on 04/02/2011

The good news is they are gracious about their rejections,

Notice is better than no notice,

Go Rachel!

[GeeuaReux2]

05:27 PM on 04/01/2011

Rachel can probably also count on losing other things previously considered private or personal if she has bubbled to the top of these guys' lists.

[ProgressivesWin]

03:42 PM on 04/01/2011

This is why God gave us a middle finger, folks. Professors are private citizens with a right to private communications, and as private citizens should demand the right to be secure in those communications, and sue the Republibaggers whenever possible to maintain that right.

[capercaper]

08:31 PM on 04/02/2011

Professors are proud union members.

Let them stand tall and influential.

After all, they of course somehow are victims.

What role will they choose, since they are playing dress up, anyway?

[N Rathke]

05:37 PM on 04/08/2011

Ah caper, slamming anyone smarter than you again, eh?

[Traynor]

09:33 PM on 04/02/2011

Let's hope the courts will support their rights. The SCOTUS could be problematic.

[capercaper]

03:18 PM on 04/01/2011

The FOIA was made by

The [Mackinac] center, which conducts research on public employment and, in the newsletter, specializes in uncovering information about public corruption, government waste and inefficiency, has filed hundreds of FOIAs.

Its legal arm was deeply involved in one of the most significant electronic records court decisions ever in Michigan, a lawsuit brought by the Michigan Education Association union to block release of employee e-mail about a labor dispute in Howell schools. That case was decided, in favor of the MEA and against disclosure, last year.

The Mackinac Center, Michigan Press Association and others are seeking to have the case reconsidered and last week sought to bolster their case with evidence that the teachers union was urging schools to deny release of e-mails in another Mackinac Center request, this one seeking records in which union representatives discussed possible illegal work stoppages.

http://www.freep.com/article/20110331/NEWS15/103310502/0/NEWS05/Request-professors-e-mails-labor-strife-sparks-outrage-latest-think-tank-?odyssey=nav|head

[Just a passerby]

06:55 PM on 04/02/2011

The Mackinac center = Koch.

[capercaper]

07:54 PM on 04/02/2011

Of course, sweetie.

It's just that simple.

Ta ta, la la.

[essar1]

03:11 PM on 04/01/2011

And once again, the GOP and Cons feel the First Ammendment is only for people they agree with.

[GeeuaReux2]

05:31 PM on 04/01/2011

.......and woe to them that do not.....;(

[MadMoll]

12:38 PM on 04/03/2011

This is typical in a one-party state, where you can anything you like, as long as it supports the dictator. See former USSR, absolute monarchies and other maille gloved authoritarian rulers

[gilbskg]

01:31 PM on 04/01/2011

The new McCarthyism.

[Skip Gorham]

01:28 PM on 04/01/2011

The GOP's only threat is an educated populous

[Skip Gorham]

01:24 PM on 04/01/2011

The Biggest Threat to the GOP is an educated populous.

[gilbskg]

01:32 PM on 04/01/2011

Yep. Sure explains their eagerness to gut all things related to teachers and public education.

[capercaper]

07:59 PM on 04/02/2011

That's why ED unions are attempting to to take charge!

To EDUCATE (hhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa) the children of others to the Dem ways.

They are child snatchers, paid by the govt to do so.

Paid by your tax dollars to do so!

[pghperson]

12:35 AM on 04/03/2011

Government-paid child snatchers? Come on.

[KWHOO]

03:46 PM on 04/03/2011

Your fondness for education is apparent in the quality of your posts.

[IRON]

01:17 PM on 04/01/2011

Another pathetic attempt by Maddow to get attention. Who cares.

[gilbskg]

01:33 PM on 04/01/2011

Conservatives, apparently.

[ranchero42]

02:33 PM on 04/01/2011

Don't you get tired of folks who point out the obvious - like '...and yet - here you are'? Please get back to me and let me know if you've heard this one as well:

http://www.alternet.org/sex/145941/gop_lawmaker_demands_recall_of_car_that_drove_him_to_gay_club

[Dee321]

12:15 PM on 04/01/2011

I know.
Let's call GOP Governors and pretend we are the Koch Brothers.
Will they take our calls and grovel at our feet?

Oh wait. We already did that and they DID Grovel!

[Lloyd Cata]

12:08 PM on 04/01/2011

If she would read my posts then she, and everyone else, would know that the assault on education is not about teachers or salaries.....it's about 'what' is being taught.

Schools teaching a 'conservative curriculum' will be rewarded, and the 'others' will be the target of 'budget cuts'. If your university library has 'banned material' Scott Walker will find cuts need to be made.

If your still confused, have Texas Gov. Rick Perry send you the latest Texas schoolbooks.

[VitriolAndAngst]

09:50 PM on 04/01/2011

When the 10 commandments is on the "standardized test" -- it becomes the curriculum.

Standardized testing -- when it becomes the SOURCE of income for a school, guarantees that it becomes the INFORMATION that is put in kids heads. It also guarantees a cookie-cutter education, where the kids in Georgia know what the kids in Ohio know -- as if the world isn't about specialization, and everyone knowing the same platitudes is even a useful goal.

You can determine which schools are going to "fail" and lose money in this country by Zip Code -- the poor ones. Underpaid, overworked families are not going to have time to "work with" their kids or be involved. Troubled, unfed kids come to school, low performance scores reinforce the stress and failure is guaranteed. It's another scheme to make life difficult for the Have-nots -- just like School Vouchers.

>> Destroying Unions, ruining lower income schools, shifting costs to the middle class, solving problems by blaming Workers, rather than planners -- is ALWAYS the goal.

[capercaper]

08:10 PM on 04/02/2011

Have you enrolled in a teaching program yet so that you can make a contribution to society?

Ready to redirect your work flow in the interests of the "poor children"?

Much to celebrate if that is the case!

[capercaper]

08:43 PM on 04/02/2011

Oh, my!

Meritocracy based on market demand.

[Allen Reed Jensen]

10:42 AM on 04/01/2011

How can she be stunned? She has been firing her almost exclusively her political ammo at conservatives. How can she be stunned if they fire back? I am sure she feels honored that she struck a nerve.

[wespenn56]

01:05 PM on 04/01/2011

If the right wingers feel hurt, the adult reaction would be to rebut her facts. However, since she has arguably the most competent research staff, that isn't an option, thus they attack. The simple solution otherwise would be to cease the hypocrisy and political pandering and thus not to provide her with ammunition.

[capercaper]

08:48 PM on 04/02/2011

What would the right wingers feel "hurt" about?

They have no reason to do so.

[MJinCanada]

01:05 PM on 04/01/2011

It doesn't look like they're firing back at her -- it looks like they're going after any academic who might have given her information.

It makes me think of those villages in Greece and Spain and France where the N@zis would shoot hostages in retaliation for a bridge or ammo dump getting destroyed by the Underground.

[Allen Reed Jensen]

06:07 PM on 04/01/2011

I thought both the rational part of the left and the rational part of the right agreed that the comparing the other side to Nazis was uncivil and taboo. I understand your point and am grateful for your reply but even truth loses its luster when it is cloaked with hatred and libel.

[catrancher]

01:50 PM on 04/02/2011

The tactic of intimidation is similar, but fortunately no academics have lost their lives.

Hopefully none of them have succumbed to the intimidation and never will. We know Maddow won't.

[BadWolf]

10:42 AM on 04/01/2011

In the GO/T Party Police State anything and everything is fair game. Your personal rights to liberty and privacy no longer exist. Nor, it seems will your locally elected officials if The Dictator of Michigan has his way.

[capercaper]

08:51 PM on 04/02/2011

Run, run. now!

Russia awaits you!