Murphy PAC Connections Will Put Newspapers on the Backfoot in Senate Race.

The Norwich Bulletin’s Ray Hackett has the goods on the damage inflicted on Connecticut’s newspapers by the overlapping roles of Democratic activist and Connecticut Daily Newspaper Association executive director Chris VanDeHoef. It will make for many red faces as the state’s editorial writers prepare to highlight Republican United States Senate candidate Linda McMahon’s aversion to editorial boards in the run-up to primary endorsements for the August 14th primary. VanDeHoef, Hackett reports, started a super PAC to benefit his close friend Christopher Murphy’s fall campaign against McMahon while serving as the head of the newspaper organization.

On Tuesday, according to Hackett, VanDeHoef announced he was leaving the association for the duration of the Senate campaign. He expects to return to his position after the election. This is trouble and allows McMahon to make the case that she does not stand a chance with newspapers whose trade association has been run by a guy committed to raising $1 million to defeat her. The committee was formed on July 5th. VanDeHoef resigned this week.

Full marks to Hackett, no fan of McMahon, for pointing out the embarrassing conflict. Chances are we’ll hear more about it as the campaign proceeds.