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August 3, 2004

Here it's just the opposite

Florida's Katherine Harris (remember her?), touting Bush's anti-terror cred, told a Florida audience that, on a visit she paid to the Midwest, the mayor of Carmel, IN, told her 'how a man of Middle Eastern heritage had been arrested. She said hundreds of pounds of explosives were found in his home. "He had plans to blow up the area's entire power grid," she said.'

Thing is, I'm sitting in Carmel, IN, right now--I work here--and I don't remember a thing about this.

Neither does Police Chief Michael Fogerty. Mayor Jim Brainard does say that "a man was arrested two years ago and was sent to the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. [Brainard] said he knew of no explosives or threats to blow up the power grid, however."

Pressed after the speech for details about the arrest, Harris said it had not been made public and she asked a reporter not to name the city she mentioned to the audience. "I probably said too much," Harris said.

Probably so.

Harris also told the audience that the war in Iraq has been a success. Since the United States toppled Saddam Hussein, 1,700 schools have opened where "students learn the truth, not lies," she said.

How wonderful that must be. (Via Atrios.)

UPDATE: 'As the sheriff of this county, I would certainly be aware of such a threat," Hamilton County Sheriff Doug Carter said. "I have no information to corroborate any of that." [...] Carmel Mayor James Brainard and a spokesman for Indiana Gov. Joe Kernan said they had no knowledge of such a plot. Brainard said he had never spoken to Harris.' (Italics mine. pk) --Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 8/4/04. (Via Talking Points Memo.)

The Indianapolis Star declines to cover the affair, but does report "Bad smell plagues New Castle"