Scott Eckersley Fake E-mail Writer Suspect Has Ties to Billy Long

The Springfield News-Leader reports the fraudulent Scott Eckersley suspends campaign e-mail originated from an ISP located in Addison, Illinois. So that opens a question, why would someone from Chicagoland be interested in our Congressional race in Southwest Missouri?

Earlier this week, bloggers began talking about a fraudulent Scott Eckersley twitter account that was sending out tweets misrepresenting Eckersley's position on the issues. A closer look at the followers of the fake Scott Eckersley for Congress Twitter account identified a curious follower known as LFStrategies. LFStrategies tweeted the following encouraging people to take a look at why Eckersley is bad for Southwest Missouri.

Interestingly enough, that tweet, which was at the following link http://twitter.com/LFStrategies/status/28739191567, has been removed as has the fake Scott Eckersley twitter account shortly after news broke the Eckersley campaign was prepared to press criminal charges against whoever wrote the e-mail.

It was noted earlier today, that Billy Long's campaign strategist James Harris quickly tweeted about the fraudulent e-mail without ever verifying its accuracy. As well, Shawn Bell, who Fired Up Missouri identified as once working for Harris, and who are accused of using similar letter writing tactics against Brian Nieves, tweeted and removed their tweets within the hour. Bell is now calling bloggers begging them to remove his name from the story trying to distance himself from James Harris, Billy Long and this story about the e-mail. Jim Lee, who writes Busplunge spoke to a nervous Bell about 2:30 this afternoon. Lee recorded the conversation, and I listened to the tape of Bell distancing himself from James Harris and Billy Long. Why did Bell feel the need to call bloggers who quickly announced Bell's tweet and and his connection to James Harris? What is Bell afraid of?

Let's go back to LFStrategies, and look at why they may have deleted their tweet promoting the fake Scott Eckersley twitter account, and let's also ask was LFStrategies behind the fake Scott Eckersley twitter account.

As mentioned earlier, the e-mail's ISP shows that it originated in Addison, IL. It turns out that just a couple miles away is Lakefront Strategies (LFStrategies on Twitter) in Glendale Heights. Coincidentally, the current Missouri 7 Representative and US Senate candidate Roy Blunt follows Lakefront Strategies on Twitter and so does Billy Long.

Isn't it strange that when criminal charges began being tossed about, Lake Front Strategies, a political strategy company that was encouraging a fraudulent Scott Eckersley Twitter account suddenly removes the tweet that reads, @seckersleymo7; running in the 7th district of Missouri is not the type of character Southwest Missouri needs. Why remove this tweet if it was innocent shortly after Eckersley announces there will criminal investigation?

It's very possible the e-mail may have been sent from Lakefront Strategies. Considering how we see back scratching works in politics, especially in Jeff Roe's world with the Mike Huckabee's endorsement of Billy Long, which was a political favor for Roe's work in the 2008 Huckabee for President campaign, is Lakefront Strategies helping the Kansas City strategists out--a political favor so to speak?

Consider the closeness of Glendale Heights, Illinois, to Addison, IL. Here's a map of the two Chicago suburbs:

Addison boarders Glendale Heights and is divided by Interstate 355 formerly known at the North South Tollway now called Veterans Memorial Tollway. It's very possible Lakefront Strategies Internet server is located in Addison.

Here's some basic information about Lakefront Strategies. It's a political strategy organization like Jeff Roe's Axiom Strategies. It's owned by Patrick J. Binning.

Patrick J. Benning's Facebook page says he is from Springfield, Missouri. It also ties him to Re-Max, a real estate company, which is enforced on his Linked In page. Is this a coincidence, or does this suggest there could be a very real tie to Billy Long?

A closer look at at Patrick J. Benning's education shows he went to Greenwood Laboratory School from 1991 to 2004. Considering his age, that puts him at the school about the same time Billy Long's daughters would have attended Greenwood.

As well, Binning has been very active in Republican party politics starting in college. His Facebook page reads:

While at NIU, I was elected Chairman of the Illinois College Republican Federation in 2007. In 2009 I was appointed as Executive Director of the same organization. I also served briefly as Director of Operations for the DeKalb County Republican Central Committee.


Considering all these coincidences, did Patrick J. Binning write the e-mail to the media that claimed Scott Eckersley was suspending his campaign?

Considering Shawn Bell's nervousness to distance himself from James Harris and Billy Long, did Billy Long's strategists pay Patrick J. Binning to write the e-mail that caused the controversy today?

Since this was first published at BBCW, Binning has totally removed his LFStrategies from Facebook. As well, evidence shows that Binning, Axiom Strategies, and Shawn Bell followed and or particpated in a fake Ike Skelton twitter page.