Tales of the tapes

National: Likely leaker of Gingrich tape apparently has leaked before | Roy Maynard

A Seattle broadcaster contends that his local congressman, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.)--the congressman at the center of a controversy over the illegal taping and distribution of a December phone call involving Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and several colleagues--might have done this before.

"Jim McDermott is a recidivist," Seattle talk show host John Carlson told WORLD. Mr. Carlson made the allegation not just locally; fellow Seattle broadcaster Michael Medved was filling in last week for the nationally syndicated Rush Limbaugh and invited Mr. Carlson onto the show March 25 to disclose the details.

In 1972, Mr. Carlson explains, an illegally recorded conversation was leaked to the media during the campaign for governor. Rep. McDermott, then a state legislator, was running against state Sen. Martin Durkan in the Democratic primary.