McDaniel spokesman gets angry over FEC questions

Updated to add comments from McDaniel campaign spokesman Noel Fritsch.

Despite claiming to have no ties with a firm that was using the campaign's name in phone calls seeking support for a legal challenge, the Chris McDaniel campaign has now reported they spent more than $11,000 with Liberty Action Center during the runoff election.

On their latest report to the Federal Election Commission, the McDaniel campaign reported three disbursements to LAC totaling $11,651. All three disbursements, which were made between June 12-24, were listed as being for facility rental and catering services. Nowhere on their website or accompanying social media accounts does LAC offer such services.

In late June and early July, Liberty Action Center made phone calls to voters in Mississippi asking if they would support a legal challenge to the Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate.

Thomas Alvord, president of Liberty Action Center, told me on July 3 that the calls being made were not on behalf of the McDaniel campaign despite his callers identifying themselves as campaign workers. Alvord also said his organization was not under contract with and had not been asked by the McDaniel campaign to make the calls. He later told me that the campaign contracted with him in the beginning stages of the campaign well before the primary to do lead generation calls to help identify likely McDaniel supporters.

Noel Fritsch, communications director for the McDaniel campaign, told me at that time that the campaign had never contracted with LAC for any work. When asked about the FEC report today, he initially said the filings must have been a clerical error, referring to the disbursements being used for "facility rental/catering services."

When pressed about what services Liberty Action Center provided, a combative Fritsch said, "We worked with them on email. There's you a quote."

Despite having previously denying the campaign had paid Liberty Action Center to make the calls after the runoff, Fritsch refused to answer questions today about it.

"I don't accept the premise of your question," he said when asked again today.

Fritsch then said he didn't believe any calls had been made in late June and early July. When I told him that Alvord had admitted to making the calls and that on July 3 I posted a recording of a caller claiming to be with the McDaniel campaign and explaining why they were calling, Fritsch said angrily, "That would require me trusting anything you write."

Fritsch then said, "Off the record, when did you stop beating your wife?"

When I asked him what the hell he was talking about, he repeated the refrain, "I don't accept the premise of your questions about those calls." (For the record, I've never beaten my wife. She could probably take me, anyway.)

During the interview, Fritsch asked if I had written about certain campaign staffers for U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran — specifically Amanda Shook — and then asked if I went to the court hearing for True the Vote. When I responded that we sent political reporter Jimmie E. Gates to the court hearing, Fritsch responded, "Call me when you get serious."

Later during the interview, in response to follow-up questions on a separate topic, Fritsch yelled something angrily that I couldn't understand and then hung up.

I've placed a call to Michael Watson, who has often spoke on behalf of the campaign, to discuss the LAC matter and Fritsch's comments.