Ian Murphy’s Running… for Congress

“˜I am not a witch”: Buffalo Beast editor running for Congress to replace Rep. humiliated on Craigslist
by Stephen C. Webster
The Raw Story
March 29th, 2011

Exclusive interview: Journalist behind prank on Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is on the ballot in New York’s 26th congressional district

Ian Murphy has been at the lonely work of gonzo journalism for a while now, but it’s only recently that he’s achieved a level of national notoriety from his perch atop New York publication The Buffalo Beast. Others might call it infamy.

You may remember his last hit: prank calling Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, pretending to be billionaire tea party supporter David Koch.

Well, Murphy has a new project: He’s running for Congress.

When Gawker published shirtless photos that New York Republican Congressman Chris Lee sent a woman he contacted on Craigslist, Murphy didn’t see red like so many other voters living in New York’s 26th congressional district. He saw green.

Today, less than two months out from a special election, Murphy has secured a place on the ballot as the Green Party’s nominee: a nod he won by a unanimous vote.

In his candidacy announcement, Murphy sits by a fireplace smoking a pipe, reading off his hand (à  la Sarah Palin) and intentionally flubbing his talking points for laughs.

This video is from YouTube user MurphyCanHasCongress.

Continue reading “Ian Murphy’s Running… for Congress”

Editor Ian Murphy Masquerading as David Koch Prank Calls Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker

Update from Huffington Post 2:28pm: Buffalo Beast Website Goes Down Following Walker, Koch Prank Call. But you can listen to the prank call here or watch the 2 part video below.


Blogger Pranks Wisconsin Gov
Daily Beast
February 23, 2011

Wisconsin”s public workers are still deadlocked in a fierce battle with Gov. Scott Walker, but one blogger has his number””literally and figuratively. Ian Murphy, a writer for the Buffalo Beast, says he posed as businessman David Koch, a major funder of conservative and libertarian causes, and managed to get through to Walker, engaging him in-and recording-a somewhat embarrassing conversation. The ersatz Koch offers favors, draws Walker into an objectifying remark about MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski, and gets him to tip his hand on a procedural trick to draw Democratic senators back to the state after fleeing to Illinois. Walker”s office confirmed the recordings are genuine on Wednesday. Read it at Buffalo Beast.

Here’s video in two parts of the phone call:

Koch Whore: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, part 1

Koch Whore: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, part 2

image: dailynews-update.net

Additional links:

  • Scott Walker Gets Punked By Journalist Pretending To Be David Koch, Huffington Post, February 23, 2011
  • Governor Walker’s office confirms prank Koch call, Washington Post, February 23, 2011