Eaton: "Hacked E-mail" claim warranted Clegg's removal. Clegg: "bluff" proved Eaton caved to staff's call for new Majority Leader
When Eaton and Clegg's three-year partnership ended Wednesday both men had their explanations. Today, both elaborated……An emotional Tom Eaton spoke first at a press conference he said he called to quell swirling rumors.
"He calls it policy and I call it personal, but senator Clegg and I have parted because we have a difference in leadership style."
Eaton went on to lay out a chain of events that started with Clegg's disclosure that he'd seen what Eaton called "hacked e-mails" from a state computer…….Eaton refused to discuss whose e-mails Clegg had purportedly read, or to characterize their content……But he did insist that Clegg's conduct was beyond the pale.
"In my mind, he reported to me behavior that was wrong and unbecoming of a senator….And a few days later we talked again about the e-mails and I asked him to produce them. He told be we wont give them up, and I felt I had and obligation to the institution to report these to the authorities, to the AG……A few days later his story changed and he said it was all a bluff…..In my mind, again, he was acting unethically or not telling the truth to be intimidating. Either way, this is not my leadership style. And I won't have that style of leadership happen on my watch so I did ask Bob to step aside."
Eaton then went on to criticize a report aired by WMUR-TV that said the emails in question involved Eaton's top staff urging Clegg's removal. He called that story completely false…….He then added this non-sequitor.
"No, I've never been given an ultimatum and nor would I accept one from staff or anyone else."
Reached in a Staten Island traffic jam……Senator Clegg's gave a version of the story that clarified Eaton's last remark --an apparent allusion to Senate staffers Jay Flanders and Amy Bourgault.
"What I did was call him one Tuesday night and I said I have information that Jay and Amy had given him an ultimatum -- them or me and he accepted that. He said how did you find that information out? How did you find this out?. I bluffed him and said I saw and E-mail. He spilled his guts, told me the whole thing, and then said let's see if we work this out."
Clegg added that was impossible given Eaton's fealty to his staffers.
"He deserves a Majority Leader who agrees with the way and the methods that he's going to use to run the Senate. And he feels that they're an integral part of him and his leadership abilities. So, it only makes sense for the person who doesn't appear to be an integral part to walk away."
Other senators reacted to the news with varying degrees of surprise……..All agree Clegg's ouster will likely dramatically after the chamber's dynamic……Some have suggested the rift puts Eaton's future as senate president a risk…….And at least one GOP Senator has floated the idea of trying to vote him out of the Senate top spot when the chamber reconvenes in the winter……..The senate is next slated to gather at the call of the Senate President.
