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Comment by RajT88 | Hacker News Reader

Another option: Scorched Earth/Mutually Assured Destruction. Anonymously send the post to the guy's wife.

If he no longer has anything to lose, he may let up.

I guess a lot of it comes down to what scale of publicity wandaluzt wants to deal with, whether they want to put more fuel on the fire or let it burn out, but I'd say sending a tip to the press who deal with these topics would sting more. The Register for their hosts being leaned on and their responses, Private Eye for the politics.

The Register are actually doing a story on it tomorrow I hope.

I understand his family have already seen it and it has caused him to not stand in another election. It was not the intention of the site to harm him. In fact the allegations were possibly going to be used to harm him if we hadn't got hold of it.

>> I understand his family have already seen it and it has caused him to not stand in another election.

So you think it's OK to end a political career via website while remaining anonymous?

You're playing big boy games with kid tactics.

Not at all. It was appropriate that allegations were brought to the fore so that they could be investigated by those appropriate. He chose to end his career by not standing. Would you say that about a national newspaper finding a clear allegation about a politician or celebrity and publishing it in the public interest?

Wishing to remain anonymous is not "kid tactics"

Trying to mock someone for the absolutely valid tactic of wanting to be anonymous due to the very real threat of life-ruining retaliation is extremely childish and short-sighted.

Good to know, and I get your point.

The allegations otherwise would probably have been used as blackmail. You are mitigating blackmail, or exposing a fraudulent political operator.

Both useful regardless of if he did it or not. His response makes him look more like he did it.

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