Mike Donovan, Astroturfer Extraordinaire ?

It looks as though we can put the mystery of “who is JDawg?” to rest now. He's a one-time associate of Cristi Adkins. It appears that his name is Michael Donovan.

First, a refresher: on 19 July, I posted a list of websites registered by one "Jonathan Davis" (email: "jdawg") who used the same registrant information for the following sites (listed by their date of registration, domain name, and current status):

5/26 Votergate08.com (last updated 5/24)

5/26 Countallvotes.org (last updated 5/27)

6/05 Drafthillary2008.com (welcome message)

6/09 Americahopefoundation.com (welcome message)

6/09 Americashopefoundation.com (live)

6/09 Operationnobama.com (welcome message)

6/09 Usahopefoundation.com (welcome message)

6/18 Ohiofightsback.com (welcome message)

7/03 Obamahatespeech.com (live)

None of the registration information was legitimate. Luckily, a perusal of a meetup site for Hillary Clinton supporters appears to reveal the man behind the frat-boy alias and the Astroturfing campaign. Admittedly, someone seems to have hoovered the Clinton support site for clearly incriminating comments (testified by the disappearance of messages that posters reference in their own posts). However, that "someone" missed some spots. For example, in the following post, Cristi Adkins confirms that:
a) Mike Donovan is responsible for the sites “Count All the Votes” and “Votergate 08.”
b) she is involved in, if not setting up, then in publicizing the sites “Count All the Votes” and “Votergate 08.”

The emails are ordered with the most recent first:

From:	cristi adkins
Sent on:	Monday, May 26, 2008 12:21 PM

Thank you to an All Voices Heard, All votes Matter organizer, Mike Donavan for putting this together. The site looks great and the idea for the petition is excellent. He also intends to hand deliver this on Wednesday and is looking to hold a press conference. Please forward to Hillary supporters, honorable democrats who believe all votes matter and anyone who you think wants to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

Thank you,
Cristi Adkins

www.countallvotes.org

it is updated. please sign the petition, and help me get folks to the site to sign the petition. This petition is aimed directly to Sen. Obama.

Mike

==========

2008/5/25 Cristi Adkins, RN Cht <[address removed]>:

We're on the same wave length. I was going to send out a Volunteer Sign Up today for different Metro Stops throughout DC for this week.

I like your idea better…

New Press Release (will be googleable tomorrow)

http://www.free-press-release.com/news/200805/1211735770.html#bookmark

Code for website below:

[snip code] Press Release: DNC 'Super Rally' Scheduled Around the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee. 'Votergate 08' Unleashed!

Have a blessed and healthy day,
Cristi Adkins, RN Cht
Reston Wellness Center
You Can Expect Great Health!

==========

From: Mike Donovan [mailto:[address removed]]
Sent: Sunday, May 25, 2008 1:12 PM
To: Cristi Adkins, RN Cht
Subject: Re: 1st page google!!!

Cristi,

Just a daily reminder that YOU ROCK!!

Hey, I think we should put together shifts, TUE through FRI, for protest demonstrations/pickets outside of the DNC. We could do shifts like 8am - 11am, and 3pm - 6pm. This way we get all the DNC brass coming in and leaving. The more the better, but even a small presence with signs, a bullhorn, chants and alot of energy will go FAR in driving our point home and getting media attention for Saturdays march. IN addition, we could craft a few pro Hillary press releases that we could hand to the media should come to one of these morning or afternoon little protests.

Thoughts?

Mike

2008/5/25 Cristi Adkins, RN Cht <[address removed]>:

I'm creating press releases every day to gain first page google status; but it is a lot of work as the Obama supporters have over 40 full time bloggers in good SEO sites.

Google this: DNC Meeting May 31, DNC Rally, DNC March, Super Rally, Voter Gate O8

Have a blessed and healthy day,
Cristi Adkins, RN Cht
Reston Wellness Center
You Can Expect Great Health!

====

Adkins’s post explains several things. Firstly, why so many of the 128 (not a typo: one hundred and twenty eight) signatories to the “Count All the Votes” petition are also members of the Hillary Clinton Meetup site. It also explains why people who share the surname "Donovan" were among the first to sign the petition.

(Added:) Did I forget to mention the "All Voices Heard, All Voices Matter" Super Rally press release? It quotes an explanation for the rally by "'uncommitted Democrat,' M. Donovan, a 'Count All Votes' protestor." The release gives a few contacts for people interested in additional information about the rally. These contacts include Adkins's business website, but most interesting is the item at the release's very end:

For more information:
Front Royal, VA

Front Royal, Virginia, is the city listed on the registration for all of "jdawg's" websites.


This material prompts several questions, including if, having had a hand in publicizing "Votergate08" and "CountAllVotes," Ms. Adkins participated in the onset of America's Hope Foundation, an organization that came and went after claiming that they would release a series of anti-Obama ads in key swing states. One of the ads was to focus on Larry Sinclair. Per the America's Hope Foundation press release:

• Obama – Sinclair ad – This ad focuses on the allegations from Larry Sinclair, former Obama associate, who alleges that he and the Senator engaged in drug use and sexual activity together in 1999. The mainstream media has largely ignored Sinclair, but his statements must be brought to light so that they may be properly investigated. This ad is airing in Virginia, Florida, Colorado, and Nevada.
The ads will air over the next two weeks before a new round of TV and Radio ads are announced.

America's Hope Foundation decided against running the Sinclair ads for a few reasons, one being that they couldn't find a market that would run them; another was because they couldn't verify his claims. When they informed Sinclair that they were pulling the ads, he became rather indignant. Sinclair accused them of being a hoax orchestrated by Axelrod and the DNC (give Sinclair credit: he was half right), and they ended communication. America's Hope Foundation then joined forces with Just Say No Deal, because they were floundering at raising funds.


Aside: For a taste of webmaster Donovan's ugliness, take a peek at the caricature of Obama at this site, (or these images from) another of "Jonathan Davis's" domains.

Update: Although America's Hope Foundation's website was up and running at the time of this post, it vanished as of Monday evening, 18 August. Obama Hate Speech, however, remains up and running as of this moment. In fact, it appears that all of the "JD" websites, with the exception of “Obama Hate Speech,” has gone dark. Just the other night, several were live, albeit inactive. Somebody's been a little busy. I think OHS might be trying to make a point by staying up. (Added 8/29) ObamaHateSpeech has, for the most part, gone down.


ASIDE: If Ms. Adkins or Mr. Donovan should wish to discuss this post or to alert posters of any corrections, they are welcome--and encouraged--to do so by contacting mp&gs via email.