Lee Fisher's Out-of-State Political 'Consultant' Was Plowed Under In 2002 Iowa Scandal

Earlier this month, there was wonderment about a young man who seemed to be tracking Jennifer Brunner on the U.S. Senate campaign trail. There was open speculation that Lee Fisher was gathering data on his Democratic primary opponent. While we don't know much about the young man who showed up to film a Brunner event at the YWCA in Elyria, we do know that Fisher is using the services of a Des Moines firm, Link Strategies LLC, whose principal officer figured in a political spying scandal that rocked an Iowa Senate race. In September 2002, Jeff Link was replaced as Sen. Tom Harkin's campaign manager after a Republican opponent's strategy session in a hotel was taped and leaked. Link at first denied the Harkin campaign had anything to do with the taping. Harkin, a Democratic liberal, replaced him. He said his aides had made a mistake -- his campaign was involved in the taping. The New York Times account of the incident described the scandal as "a tornado of turmoil in a state proud of its pristine election etiquette."

So far this year, Federal Election Commission data shows that Link's Des Moines firm received $7,000 from the Fisher campaign in April, then another $16,504.18 in August. The money is expensed as consulting fees.

No charges were even filed by prosecutors who investigated the Iowa taping. But Republicans said it was a dirty trick, and the incident tightened up a contest that Harkin won. What happened out there? A young Harkin aide contributed to GOP Senate candidate Greg Ganske, then infiltrated the campaign by posing as an enthusiast.