Hedge fund analyst and Republican troll, Shashank Tripathi, campaign manager for Christopher R. Wright's congressional run has been outed as the propagandist who spread lies to CNN and the Weather Channel yesterday via Twitter.
Contributor Jack Steuf identifies @comfortablysmug as 29-year-old Shashank Tripathi, "a hedge fund analyst and the campaign manager of Christopher R. Wight, this year's Republican candidate for the U.S. House from New York's 12th Congressional District." He says he made the I.D. based on "censored photos" Tripathi posted to his Twitter account but that Steuf found "unedited" elsewhere.
... Tripathi has been "a prolific commenter at NYmag.com and a popular conservative presence on Twitter."
Among the bogus information by @comfortablysmug were "breaking" tweets saying Consolidated Edison was cutting power to all of Manhattan, that all subways would be shut the rest of the week and that the New York Stock Exchange was under more than 3 feet of water. The latter was retweeted 636 times, including by CNN and the Weather Channel, the media site Poynter notes. One tweet also claimed that Cuomo was "trapped" in Manhattan and taken to a "secure shelter."
Republican campaigns will lie about anything they think will create chaos to help win them an election and put money in the pockets of hedge fund managers, even during ongoing national emergencies like Hurricane Sandy.
Tripathi refuses to comment on his propaganda and his work for human sewer slime, Christopher R. Wright.
You can watch Wright's Democratic opponent Carolyn Maloney talk to Martin Bashir about the need for FEMA tonight:
UPDATE: Mitt Romney campaign ties. He seems to have been organizing the Mitt Romney campaign phone banking in Manhattan:
FEC documents show Wight has paid Tripathi thousands of dollars this election cycle as a “consultant.” @comfortablysmug has been a vocal supporter of Mitt Romney and posted tweets suggesting he attended this year’s Republican convention. He’s listed here by a local Republican group coordinating volunteers for a Romney phone bank. He’s 29 years old.
Join Mitt supporters today at our local NYC Republican Victory Center!
Tomorrow, Monday October 8, 2012, from 9 AM to 9 PM, we are presenting you with a real opportunity to volunteer your time on behalf of Mitt Romney and the entire Republican ticket. You will be part of a nationwide "Super Saturday" Volunteer Event.
Come to the Met Club in Manhattan and choose between various tasks:
* Phone calls to identify supporters of Romney and other Republicans;
* Phone calls to Democrats and undecideds to identify those who oppose ObamaCare, and those who plan to vote against Barack Obama;
* Recruitment of other volunteers;
* Passing out literature;
* Becoming your "building captain" to reach out to Republican-friendly voters where you live (literature will be provided);
* Networking with other GOP supporters to find even MORE opportunities.
R.s.v.p. to Shashank Tripathi, [masked], tel. [masked].
Here are some of the candidates we will be helping in this unique effort:
* Mitt Romney for President
* Wendy Long for U.S. Senate
* Chris Wight for Congress, 12th Congressional District
* David Garland for N.Y. Senate, District 28
* David Casavis for N.Y. State Assembly, District 73
* Michael Zumbluskas for N.Y. State Assembly, District 76
Please plan to work part of the day today. Rearrange your schedule if necessary.
Forward this message immediately to all your local friends.
...
Regards,
Paul Klenk
www.MeetUp.com/MittRomneyNYC
[masked]
[masked]
7:32 PM PT: Evidently he's now resigned from the Wright campaign: http://www.dailykos.com/...