When checking how much better Talking Points Memo is than others news organizations, I found that, this time, they got semi scooped.

The scandal is voter intimidation in New Mexico. TPM regular Pat Rogers (who was a star of the US attorney scandal) appears to have hired a private investigator who has told legitimately registered voters that they are not eligible to vote. This is potentially a serious crime -- voter intimidation. The voters' names are on the highly embarrassing list of 28 people who, according to the GOP, voted illegally in the Democratic primary. In fact, they have the right to vote. The GOP backed off the claim during the period from when they set up a conference call to trumpet it and the actual conference call (maybe the GOP should notice that Mr P.R. means pr trouble).

The TPM review of the latest twist links to Gwynith Doland of the New Mexico Independent who got the story one day before Zachary Roth of TPM !

I would like to applaud Doland in particular for one bit of the article which I think should serve as a model for all journalists. She wrote

When asked the question again, Rogers said, ”I am not responding to any questions. I am not being quoted. This is off the record.”

Right when somone tries to unilaterally take an interview off the record, the attempt is on the record too.

Also LP scooped TPM.

Doland won links from TPM and The Daily Kos.