Mr. Kephardt-

Howdy. My name is Barrett Brown, and I'm working with Ellen Johnson of GAMPAC on some ways in which we can advance the organization's influence a bit. It's my understanding that they're helping you out a bit with some funds, but that you understandably wish to keep your distance from the organization, being a candidate in Orange County and all. I'm originally from Dallas myself, and worked on my first non-partisan race there when I was a teenager, so I can sympathize with the difficulties you're going to face. Ellen also forwarded me your e-mail so I'm caught up on some of the pecularities of this campaign.

I'd like to help you out a bit more, but in a way that won't get you burned at the stake, so to speak. Although I'm helping out Ellen Johnson, I'm not officially connected to GAMPAC in any way. I'm a freelance writer based in Brooklyn, and my work has appeared in dozens of publications including National Lampoon, McSweeney's, The Onion A.V. Club, and plenty of lesser-known public policy journals, trade pubs, and regional magazines. My first book, Flock of Dodos: Behind Modern Creationism, Intelligent Design, and the Easter Bunny, was released last year to praise from Alan Dershowitz, Rolling Stone, Air America Radio, Skeptic, and other sources. I also do some freelance marketing work here and there and work as a community organizer here in Brooklyn.

Everything I'm going to offer you will be on a pro bono basis, and, of course, you're free to reject it. Most of it will be information - opposition research, advice on campaign talking points - but I can also do a simple-yet-effective viral video for YouTube which will, I think, manage to turn a few heads in your direction and take care of the problem with name recognition and incumbent advantage. Additionally, we can easily turn you into a "netroots" candidate with a couple of posts on Daily Kos and MyDD, where I am fairly well-known among the administrators - which is to say we can get you some additional campaign cash by way of donations from activists across the country. What I'd like most to stress to you for the moment is that the five board members will not be prepared for what I'd like to inject into the race.

If you'd be interested in discussing this further, e-mail me back or give me a ring at 512-560-2302 at your convenience.

Regards,

Barrett Brown
Brooklyn, NY
512-560-2302