Less than an hour after S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley announced her bid for the GOP gubernatorial nod, the new statewide candidate found herself without a website.
Haley’s site – which was designed and hosted by the firm “Under The Power Lines” - was unceremoniously yanked from the company’s web server today at the request of a rival campaign.
In fact, if you go to www.NikkiHaley.com right now, this is what you’ll see …
So what happened?
FITS spoke with a representative at “Under The Power Lines” this afternoon. They told us that the firm pulled the plug on Haley’s site after receiving complaints from the campaign of Gresham Barrett, which also uses the company’s consulting services (and web server).
The source claims that Haley put the company “in a bad spot” by not informing the company of her intentions.
Haley’s campaign tells FITS that they specifically requested the Internet files for her website from “Under The Power Lines” days ago with the intention of transferring them and that the company deliberately dragged its feet.
Adding intrigue to this already thick plot is the rumor that the demand to pull Haley’s website originated not with Barrett’s campaign, but with the Congressman’s Washington D.C. office.
Specifically, sources tell FITS that it was former Haley advisor (and current Barrett communications director) B.J. Boling that made the request.
Boling referred questions to Barrett’s campaign, which did not immediately return our calls.
No matter who made the request, it’s clear that Barrett is not rolling out the welcome mat for Haley.
By SquarePeg May 14, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Disgusting. How do these people sleep at night?
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By Matthew May 14, 2009 at 4:43 pm
“No matter who made the request, it’s clear that Barrett is not rolling out the welcome mat for Haley.”
I don’t blame him. He is clearly sh*ting himself about seeing his 2010 guv hopes dashed with aley getting in this thing. And I bet Larry Grooms is pissed as anything that he will not get his dream of being Sanford’s heir apparent. If I was Andre Bauer right now, I’d be thinking of how I could get up to Greenville ASAP and run in the 2010 primary against Inglis for congress.
By CNSYD May 14, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I know nothing of Haley but unfortunately live in Barrett’s district. He is clueless. I would vote for Haley sight unseen over Barrett.
By J. Riley May 14, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Barret and the same team of genius advisors, who told him to go speak at a TEA party are proving once again that they are a bunch of children.
The facts are simple;
1)If Barretts campaign was not in free fall right now there would be no room for Nikki to enter the race.
2)There is no such thing as professionalism when dealing with Tompkins and crowd.(barretts real consultants)
3)If you are dumb enough to hire under the power lines to do your website, get ready to have it shut down, if you cross Tompkins political or lobbying agenda.
We will know who the real republicans are at the convention Haley will get cheered and Barrett may just get booed again
By Natasha May 14, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Thank gawd for the good ol’ boy system…NICE ONE
By Roscoe P. Coltrane May 14, 2009 at 5:42 pm
What is the big deal?? Sounds like the company did not want a conflict of interest on it’s hands. Besides Haley should have gotten her stuff together like six months ago when Gov. Sandford asked her to run anyway.
By Jeff May 14, 2009 at 7:16 pm
If you want to talk about conflicts of interest, how about the owner of the web firm we are talking about who apparently does work for Barrett and did work for Haley also being employed as the official staffer for all SC Senate Republicans. Last time I checked there is a State Senator (Larry Grooms) also running for governor.
By Scott May 14, 2009 at 7:41 pm
One would expect UTPL to extend “professional courtesy” to a long-time client to allow them to transfer their website….but this is Terry Sullivan we’re talking about.
No one has ever accused Terry of being courteous… It was a stupid move that reflects poorly on Terry and Congressman Barrett.
Barrett should tell Terry Sullivan to put the site back up….that would be the correct thing for a leader to do. The Gresham Barrett I know would do that.
By The Incestuously Danerous May 14, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Conflict of interest? TTS, Tuesday Morning, Under the Powerlines one in the same. Tompkins, Sullivan & Donahue one big conflict of interest. Wonder how much of that work is done out of the S.C. Senate Caucus Offices, our bet is we will find out soon enough… The toad and the scorpion, we know how that story ends.
By Edwin Gerace May 14, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Now that is tacky. That is all I got to say about that.
By Ron May 14, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Matthew,
Great idea! I think Andre would stand a much better chance against RINO Inglis! Andre could move in that direction now and hopefully save face. Otherwise, his career might just be devastated after a loss for Gov which is probably inevitable. I’ve voted in the past for Andre but am of the opinion that given his conservative creditials should have been a much stronger supporter of Gov Sanford’s efforts to reform state government. Rather he has apprarently been a hindrance as have most Columbia RINOs. And I’ve never thought of Andre as a RINO. However, if he’s not been for Sanford reforms, he’s effectively been against them. Therefore he’s not earned the right to be Governor in my view. THROW THE INCUMBENT BUMS OUT IN 2010!!
By Stonewall Jackson May 14, 2009 at 10:55 pm
None of these men invovled in this caper are man enough to be courteous.
By Ron May 14, 2009 at 10:55 pm
WILL FOLKS FOR GOV 2010!!!
By JoeSchmoe May 14, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Her site is back up at http://www.Nikki2010.com
By Toyota Kawaski May 15, 2009 at 8:30 am
She wont even make it out the primary as we say at the sweat lodge MARK IT DOWN
By Freddie Guy May 15, 2009 at 9:03 am
Nikki Haley for Governor??? I this some sort of perverted late April Fools gag???
Nikki Haley????
Come on guys. You can do so much better.
By Workin' Tommy C May 15, 2009 at 9:57 am
A bunch of good ol’ boys vs. a real FIGHTER like Nikki Haley?
Is it really that hard to make a decision?
By Earl Capps May 15, 2009 at 10:22 am
Ron, ask around and see who released the now-famous Highway Patrol tapes of Bauer being stopped. When you find out who, you might understand why he doesn’t get along well with the Governor’s office.
Those people make a sport of whatever-it-takes politics.
Try being on their receiving end and see what you’d do.
By No Better Than The Rest May 15, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Will, you are truly no better than the rest of the political consulting world. Gresham is a standup guy and would not do this nor condone this sort of behavior.
in fact, i’ve spoken with people close to gresham and they say your story is completely fabricated, which makes you no better than the rest.
You should be ashamed trying to say this is “reporting” when in fact you are simply trying to advance the agenda of nikki by doing whatever it takes to smear the competition.
oh and 2010 prediction for you, gresham, a man of character and integrity, who wants to help the people of south carolina by bringing jobs to the state, something your former boss Sanford has failed to do, wins in 2010.
By BIN News Editorial Staff May 16, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Another willie scam. Also known as a tempest in teapot.
sic(k) willie love manufacturing scandals.
You know. Like his stupid claim that a Midland’s elected official has a Strom problem. Ever hear more on that scam from sic(k) willie?
You won’t.
Remember his FOIA request for the gub’ner’s laptop?
Stupid. Like that had any chance. Just a willie scam.
And everyone recalls him digging gold over the grave of a “poor little black girl.” sic(k) willie would walk over anyone’s grave for publicity.
The only half clever thing he has done is learn to post soft core porn on his pathetic blog. It boosts his hit count with unsuspecting surfers.
But back to Ms. Haley. This means nothing. She has as much chance of being gub’ner as markie mark has of being President. No chance.
By Is Sic Sick? May 18, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I noticed that Sic hasn’t denied that his story here smearing Barrett is completely untrue.