Mike Connell, Republican IT Go-To Guy, dies in plane crash

Blogged by Brad Friedman on 7/24/2008 3:59PM

Rove Threatened GOP IT Guru If He Does Not 'Take the Fall' for Election Fraud in Ohio, Says Attorney

Letter Sent to Attorney General Mukasey Requesting 'Protection for Mr. Connell and His Family From This Reported Attempt to Intimidate a Witness' After Tip from 'Credible Source'

UPDATE: OH AG Reportedly Asked to Provide Immunity Protection...

Karl Rove has threatened a GOP high-tech guru and his wife, if he does not "'take the fall' for election fraud in Ohio," according to a letter sent this morning to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, by Ohio election attorney Cliff Arnebeck.

The email, posted in full below, details threats against Mike Connell of the Republican firm New Media Communications, which describes itself on its website as "a powerhouse in the field of Republican website development and Internet services" and having "played a strategic role in helping the GOP expand its technological supremacy."

[. . .]

Amazing how unlucky people get just before they're supposed to testify.

December 19th, 2008

MIKE CONNELL, GOP 'IT GURU', DIES IN SOLO PLANE CRASH

Key Witness in OH '04 Election Fraud Case, Built WH Email System, More, Said Threatened by Rove

Described as a "high IQ Forrest Gump" for his consistent proximity to Republican "crime scenes" Connell was killed in a solo plane crash in Ohio on Friday night. Connell had built the Ohio '04 election night reporting website, and sites for Bush, McCain and the Swiftboaters. He also created network firewalls for key Congressional committees and developed the email system which "lost" thousands of White House emails. He had reportedly been threatened by Karl Rove over the summer, just prior to being forced to testify by a federal judge in Ohio in a 2004 election fraud lawsuit..