UPDATE: Rep. Tim Moffitt emailed Xpress the following statement at about 9:15 p.m. on the evening of Sept. 21:
"At least two of my computer accounts have been hijacked repeatedly. I have filed the appropriate reports with the appropriate agencies and leave the matter in their capable hands. My focus is squarely on the issues facing the people of my district and I don't believe the status of my Twitter account is of much importance to people facing real problems."
Here's the original post, published at about 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 21:
On the evening of Sept. 19, Rep. Tim Moffitt's Twitter account sent out a strange and offensive message; Moffitt says his account was hacked. Usually used to tout events, endorsements and other campaign news, the @TimMoffitt Twitter handle declared: "They should lock up all the gays on their own island. Except for the lesbians. Y'all can have them!"
The tweet was deleted few minutes later, but not before it caught the attention of many of the Buncombe County Republican's 379 Twitter followers.
"Please accept my apologies," Moffitt tweeted in response to questions concerning the message. "My account has been hacked once again." In a follow-up tweet, he wrote, "Appropriate security measures will be taken."
The freshman legislator’s Twitter account has seen other snafus recently. Several weeks ago, his account sent out an out-of-character message advertising jewelry, which he blamed on hacking. And last month, he inadvertently sent out what was meant to be a private message to his son, creating some confusion. At a forum the next day, Moffitt explained what had happened and subsequently posted the video to his Facebook site. At the time, Moffitt said he and his sons administered his Twitter account.
In the wake of the Sept. 19 incident, Moffitt implied that the tweet was the result of efforts by his political enemies to discredit him. "In regards to my Twitter account being hacked and used without my authorization once again, it's just the nature of politics in Buncombe County," the candidate, who’s seeking re-election in Statehouse District 116 in November, told Xpress. "Being a conservative in Buncombe County is not the easiest task that anyone running for office could have. But in regards to the hacking itself, I don't sell purses, I don't sell jewelry, nor do I make derogatory social comments with my Twitter handle."
Since then, however, speculation has run rampant on Twitter over who might have been responsible for the offensive message and what specific steps might be taken to beef up cyber security and avoid a repeat. But Moffitt declined to answer any further questions concerning the matter.
Moffitt's Democratic opponent, Jane Whilden, said she had no idea who might've been behind the incident. "I had nothing to do with it. I don't know how to tweet, and I don't want to," she said, noting that her campaign manager administers her Twitter account. "I'm a face-to-face person."
As for the message itself, she continued, "It was inappropriate, it was horrible, it was wrong."
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Interesting response.
One thing just doesn't make sense to me:
Has Mr. Moffitt reported the 'hack' to Twitter and the authorities? They might very possibly trace the IP address of the computer that logged in when the message occurred.The only reason that I can think of that he wouldn't report the incident is because he doesn't WANT to find whomever tweeted the remark.
By tatuaje
09/21/2012
"nor do I make derogatory social comments with my Twitter handle."
But you totally make them to my friends and political donors.
Words are important, Moffitt. You should take better care of your own and those that you pay for.
By mat catastrophe
09/21/2012
Derp - weird edit error:
"But you totally make them to *your* friends and political donors."
By mat catastrophe
09/21/2012
My Good God, my MX account was hacked!
By mat catastrophe
09/21/2012
This story's been up for several hours, and no word from Tim Peck and Michael Muller. What's up with that?
By sharpleycladd
09/21/2012
This needs to be reported to authorities. Since aspersions have been cast by Mr. Moffitt that maybe the opposition did this. This raises the bar from pre-pubescent mischief/pranksterism to defamation. It's up to team Moffitt to clear this up. If it's not reported, that just speaks volumes.
By D. Dial
09/22/2012
The BCGOP is always a barrel full of entertainment.
By ChristopherCNC
09/22/2012
D. Dial,
The progressives in Asheville have a history of this kind of behavior. Although it is clear from this comment and your past comments that you prefer to act as it isn't happening and that somehow the person who is the subject of the attack is at fault. Doing so only encourages more of this behavior in our community!
In last year’s city council race my campaign was subject to many different kind of attacks. From registering my email at spam sites, reporting my website as unsafe and coming onto my personal property and destroying yard signs while I was at home with my son... not to mention all the theft of my yard signs.
I hope at some point you will realize that faulting the person who is attacked is not good for our community and that rejecting these types of attacks is the best way to move forward.
By mcates
09/23/2012
Did you report any of these attacks, Mr. Cates? Til l then this looks like a strawman to me.
The only attack that made the news in the 2010 race was the one where an Eichembaum insider was impersonating his opponent Jeff Miller. I tend to put store in things that come out in the open, that is why I suggested that an investigation is in order.
Jeff Miller twitter impersonator apologizes
By D. Dial
09/23/2012
"Jeff Miller twitter impersonator apologizes"
How likely is it that we'll be reading about apologies for the stalking, thefts, vandalism, threats, impersonations, hackings and harassment targeting Tim Moffit, his property and his family?
.....................
By timothypeck
09/23/2012
Well if it's reported and the perpetrator caught then we'd maybe get an apology. Harrassment and hacking are prosecutable...just sayin.
By D. Dial
09/23/2012
47% of the country who Republicans claim are victims includes Mark Cates and Tim Moffitt?
By Keith Thomson
09/24/2012
http://twitter.com/jeffmiller2012
http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2011/06/14/flag-day-open-thread/
By D. Dial
09/24/2012
"The line “I got hacked” has become the latest political fig leaf for social media mistakes."
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0602/Anthony-Weiner-Twitter-hack-What-he-should-have-done
I hope the MX follows up with the FBI and updates us on their progress.
By tatuaje
09/24/2012
Also....
When Moffitt's account sent out a spam message selling jewelry, his account wasn't 'hacked'.
Basically how it works is that sketchy third-party apps sell your login info to spammers.
Say for instance that you sign up for a service that tells you how many people have unfollowed you or use a service that gives your Twitter page a fancy background. To utilize these services you must login using your twitter username and password. Now these sketchy third-parties have all the info they need to send out spam.
This is what happened to Moffitt.
The tweet to 'Lulu' wasn't a hack, merely a mistake thinking a text message was being sent.
So in reality, Moffitt has only been (allegedly) 'hacked' once.
And this 'hack' seems fairly silly. Why tweet THAT message? What does that gain for his opponents? And why instantly delete it?
The SOP for hackers, once they've gained access to someone's private account by brute forcing a password, is to CHANGE that password so that they have complete control of the account. Why didn't the 'hacker' do that in this instance?
This just all seems very fishy to me.
By tatuaje
09/24/2012
GOP claims to victimhood are rich. This would add Moffitt to the 47% that Mitt Romney claims will never take responsibility for themselves, wouldn't it?
By Keith Thomson
09/24/2012
Good grief. If Moffitt hasn't contacted Mark Harmon and the entire cast of NCIS about this, well...he must be hiding something! We demand evidence that authorities are on the case right this very minute!!!!!!
I think Tim Moffitt is a poor excuse for a representative and loathe his actions as self-appointed "king" of Buncombe County. I hope that he is soundly defeated in November, even if it is by clueless Jane Whilden. At least she'll be harmless.
BUT... I don't think Moffitt is so stupid as to tweet such a sophomoric message. His account was hacked, or else one of Asheville's most notoriously immature political campaign managers made a drunken mistake. (My money is on door #2.)
By zulu
09/24/2012
I've never met a Republican who wasn't a victim.
By sharpleycladd
09/24/2012
Thanks for commenting, everyone, and for raising interesting points and questions. But please back things down a few notches and resist the urge to get personal and/or off-topic.
By Margaret Williams
09/25/2012
D. Dial,
“Did you report any of these attacks, Mr. Cates? Till then this looks like a strawman to me.”
No, I didn't report these attacks. However, your accusation of a “strawman” is an insult to my 8 year old son who witnessed the event and was disturbed by strangers coming into our yard and trashing my yard signs. One would think this behavior would be out of bounds even for Asheville progressives.
While these incidents are both annoying and certainly illegal, I think the police have more pressing issues than figuring out who registered my email so that it would get spam, reported my website as dangerous, or stole over $1,500 worth of my yard signs.
I do my best to focus on taking care of my family and being productive as opposed to prosecuting small-minded people who commit petty crime.
I have 3 witnesses to the event. Let me know when you want to talk with them for verification.
By mcates
09/25/2012