Somebody's Lying

From the N.Y. Times:

WASHINGTON — One of the giant mortgage companies at the heart of the credit crisis paid $15,000 a month from the end of 2005 through last month to a firm owned by Senator John McCain’s campaign manager, according to two people with direct knowledge of the arrangement...the two officials with direct knowledge of Freddie Mac’s post-2005 contract with Mr. Davis spoke on condition of anonymity. Four other outside consultants, three Democrats and a Republican also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the arrangement was widely known among people involved in Freddie Mac’s lobbying efforts.

McCain's Website responds:

...the New York Times charges that McCain-Palin 2008 campaign manager Rick Davis was paid by Freddie Mac until last month, contrary to previous reporting, as well as statements by this campaign and by Mr. Davis himself.

In fact, the allegation is demonstrably false. As has been previously reported, Mr. Davis separated from his consulting firm, Davis Manafort, in 2006. As has been previously reported, Mr. Davis has seen no income from Davis Manafort since 2006. Zero. Mr. Davis has received no salary or compensation since 2006. Mr. Davis has received no profit or partner distributions from that firm on any basis -- weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual -- since 2006. Again, zero. Neither has Mr. Davis received any equity in the firm based on profits derived since his financial separation from Davis Manafort in 2006.

Further, and missing from the Times' reporting, Mr. Davis has never -- never -- been a lobbyist for either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Mr. Davis has not served as a registered lobbyist since 2005.

So the Times alleges - based on the anonymous word of "two officials with direct knowledge" plus four "outside consultants" who say the arrangement was "widely known" - that McCain's campaign manager's firm has been receiving a substantial monthly sum from Freddie Mac since 2005, right up until this month when FM was taken over by the government.

First off, I have to say I hate "anonymous" sourced reporting, especially during election campaigns. Yes, I know there are exceptions, but as a rule they reek of hit piece - of smear. Second, if this arrangement was that widely known, why isn't there some way to confirm it or at least some one willing to go on the record with corroboration?

Still, the McCain denial doesn't address the question of payments made to Davis' firm - only that Davis had severed ties with the firm and received no income from it since 2006.

I'm left wondering just who is lying, and in the coming weeks with no doubt more and more charges and denials flying between the two candidates, will we ever find out?