Mike Vanderboegh: Denial by Chris Cox at NRA Meeting (video)

You will note that the video was shot by your intrepid correspondent.  It was definitely an "ambush" interview, taken at a moment of opportunity.  I did not capture everything I wanted, but if I was going to take a cut, this is the cut that I would have taken.

From Sipsey Street Irregulars:

Chris Cox: "I categorically deny everything that you wrote with regards to that. It's complete bullshit." WE STAND BY OUR STORY.

After days of seeking comment from NRA representatives on David Codrea's breaking story and my follow-up, I had given up getting any official reaction. However, yesterday afternoon on the way out of the NRA national meeting display floor on my way to the car, Dean Weingarten (who blogs at Gun Watch) and I ran into Chris Cox and his entourage.

I approached him, shook his hand, introduced myself, and asked him for comment on my story. He ceased smiling when he realized who I was, dropped my hand like a hot rock, flushed red in the face, and said: "I categorically deny everything that you wrote with regards to that. It's complete bullshit." I replied, "We stand by our story, and if you feel we have libeled you, you are welcome to sue me." He then turned and stalked off. He was extremely angry.

The whole thing happened totally unexpectedly, like a meeting engagement in deep jungle, and unfortunately as I leaped in and gave him no warning to begin filming, Dean had some trouble getting the camera into play. Thus we missed getting a video record of the preamble and then the camera cuts off just as I said "We stand by our story." However, the operative words of Mr. Cox were captured on this snippet below.

(Video courtesy of Dean Weingarten.)

Thus, we now have an official response from NRA. However, I repeat here what I told him then: WE STAND BY OUR STORY.

Although there was no need, I ran his reaction past some of the sources we used for the story. All of them who I was able to contact were solid in their conviction of the truth of their part of the story. In turn, I have absolute confidence in their veracity. I wouldn't have written the story if I didn't. Yet Chris Cox's categorical denial of "everything" that I wrote must be noted. It IS the official reaction we were seeking.

Of course David and I have heard such categorical denials and ad hominem attacks before to stories of ours, most notably in the wake of our first work on Fast and Furious. One friend commented to me, "Well, that tells us one thing. Whatever the deal was, it's blown up now. Cox wouldn't deny it otherwise."

We have been plain that there is much that is not yet known about the deal. Perhaps it came as a surprise to Cox personally. Perhaps Cox wasn't in the loop. It seems unlikely to me, but is within the realm of possibility. Of course, for a leader and public persona in a very responsible position such as Cox that would hardly help. If he knew and agreed to the deal, he's incompetent and stupid for having done it. If he didn't know, he's incompetent and ignorant about affairs in his own legislative shop.

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