http://cameron.blogs.foxnews.com/2007/11/10/another-question-planted-by-team-hillary/I they said they wouldn't do this anymore?
Another Question Planted by Team Hillary?
by Aaron Bruns
From Major Garrett, a Fox News Exclusive:
In a telephone interview with Fox, Geoffrey Mitchell, 32, says he was approached by an operative for the Clinton campaign to ask a planted question about standing up to President Bush on Iraq war funding. The encounter happened before an event on a farm outside Fort Madison, Iowa. The Clinton event was hosted by Iowa State Sen. Gene Fraise.
Mitchell tells Fox that Clinton campaign worker Chris Hayler approached him and asked him to ask Sen. Clinton a question about how she was standing up to President Bush on the question of funding the Iraq war and a troop withdrawal timeline.
Mitchell told Fox the Clinton campaign wanted to contrast Clinton to Sen Barack Obama, who had recently said the president would probably prevail in the Iraq funding battle with Congress.
Mitchell said he refused to ask the question.
I told Chris I had other issues I wanted to raise with Sen. CLinton, Mitchell said. Asked what those were, Mitchell said: I wanted to ask her why she voted for the Iraq war and why she didnt consider that a mistake.
Mitchell told Fox that Hayler, the Clinton campaign worker, was unhappy and moved on to others. I know he tried to have others ask that question, Mitchell said.
Ultimately, Mitchell said Clinton took no questions at the event.
MItchell told Fox he is an Obama supporter but cannot participate in the Iowa caucus.
Mitchell is a minister in Hamilton and said he was reluctant to come forward because of the scrutiny he and his congregation might receive. But I thought this was important to get out and I want people to know what happened.
UPDATE: Hillary Clintons Iowa campaign confirmed to Fox that one of its staff discussed questions with Geoffrey Mitchell before the senators April 2 event near Fort Madison, but denied attempting to plant a pro-Clinton question.
Mo Elliethee, spokesman for Clinton, told Fox that Clinton staffer Chris Hayler talked with Mitchell before the event because the two knew each other from previous Democratic activities.
Mitchell told Fox he knew Hayler because Hayler had once been with Indian Sen. Evan Bayhs campaign. They had a previous relationship and were talking before the event and the topic of the senators position on Iraq came up, and Geoffrey said he had some questions, Elliethee said. Chris suggested Geoffrey ask a question.
Asked if the Clinton campaign denied Mitchells unequivocal assertion that Hayler tried to plant a quesiton about Clinton trying to stand up to Bush on IRaq war funding, Elliethee declined.
Im not going to comment on what he said, said Elleithee, referring to Mitchell. They had a previous relationship, the subject came up and theres nothing more to it than that. Its not newsworthy. Its innocent. Its not yesterday.
That was a reference to Clintons campaign admitting, first to Fox, that it planted a question on global warming at a Newton, IA event on Tuesday.
UPDATE #2: Geoffrey Mitchell just called Major to state he had absolutely no previous relationship with Clinton staffer Chris Hayler. Mo Elliethee, spokesman for Clintons campaign in Iowa, told Fox that Hayler and Mitchell had a previous relationship, and that a discussion about Clinton arose out of a normal conversation between two people who knew each other well.
I had no previous relationship with him, said Mitchell. I knew his name and by name only as someone who worked for Sen. Evan Bayh. But we didnt know each other and I had never met him before this event.
