Democrats rip NRCC spokesman for tweeting addresses of staffers

Democrats want a regional press secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) to be fired for tweeting the addresses of six staffers working on Rep. Tom Perriello’s (D-Va.) reelection campaign. 

Andy Sere, NRCC Southeast regional press secretary, tweeted the addresses after Perriello’s campaign called Republican challenger Robert Hurt’s spokeswoman a carpetbagger. 

“You’re pathetic,” Sere said on Twitter following a tweet from Perriello’s campaign feed that said Hurt’s new spokeswoman, Amanda Henneberg, is “new to #VA05.” The tweet included the hashtag #carpetbagger to refer to Henneberg, who had been working with the Republican National Committee in Washington, D.C., before joining Hurt’s campaign.

Sere went on to tweet the street addresses of six members of Perriello’s campaign staff.

“Wow this guy’s def new to VA05,” he said of a Perriello staff member with a New York City address. “You should fire your out-of-district staff or else everyone will think you’re a hypocrite, Tom,” he added, directing a tweet to @VotePerriello. 

Perriello’s feed responded quickly, urging Hurt, a state senator, not to accept further NRCC funding until Sere is “fired for crossing the line.” 

It immediately linked to a petition to ban Sere from Twitter for posting addresses in violation of the network’s Terms of Services.

“The posting of personal addresses without consent is malicious and violates the privacy of users. It should not be tolerated. Twitter should ban @andysere for his abuse,” the petition read. 

Asked for comment on Sere’s release of staffers’ address on Tuesday,
the NRCC referred back to the Perriello feed’s accusation that Henneberg is a “carpetbagger.”

“We are
surprised that Tom Perriello has reduced himself to attacking staff,”
said NRCC spokesman Ken Spain in a statement. “He’s clearly lashing out
after the DCCC practically declared him a political corpse in Sunday’s New York Times
and followed it up by releasing a poll showing him down after having
been on the air with unanswered negative campaign ads for several
weeks.

“His frustration is understandable, but unbecoming of a member of
Congress,” Spain added. 

Perriello spokeswoman Jessica Barba followed up, calling Sere’s tweets “appalling and outrageous.”

“NRCC spokesperson Andy Sere clearly crossed the line tonight, but will Robert Hurt stand by idly while those who recruited him and represented his campaign carry out these dangerous and unethical practices?” she said in a statement. “Robert Hurt should refuse to accept any more support from the NRCC unless Andy Sere is fired, especially given the history here.”

The statement linked to an article in the Roanoke Times in which Sere had brushed off an alleged act of vandalism on Perriello’s brother’s house in March, saying that “Central and Southside Virginians” were the real victims because they’d “bear the burden of increased taxes” from the healthcare overhaul.

A poll released Tuesday by Democrats showed Perriello trailing Hurt by two points. Other surveys from July and August had shown Hurt leading by more than 20 points.