(CNN) – The blogger claiming to have had an affair with South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley has posted a series of text messages between himself and Haley's campaign manager that appear to show the two men colluding about how to handle the forthcoming scandal.
The messages, covering a nine-day period earlier this month before conservative blogger Will Folks went public with his accusation against the Republican hopeful, were posted Wednesday morning on his website, FITSNews.com.
"I'm telling you man, we keep this under wraps and nh is going to win," reads one text message from Haley campaign manager Tim Pearson to Folks on May 15.
Pearson and Folks swap worried messages about different reporters chasing the story, and one exchange suggests there may be a newsworthy photograph of Haley and Folks.
Pearson confirmed to CNN the authenticity of the text messages.
While Pearson and Folks make allusions to the "rumor," there is nothing in the correspondence proving Folks' claim that he had an "inappropriate physical relationship" with Haley in 2007.
But Folks has suggested that he has more text messages and e-mails from Haley proving the supposed affair. He has yet to make that evidence public.
FITSNews.com says the correspondence released Wednesday bolsters Folks' credibility in the ongoing war of words currently consuming South Carolina politics.
In the face of blistering criticism from Haley supporters, Folks has argued that he had been supporting Haley in the governor's race and keeping her campaign "in the loop" about reporters and political rivals looking into the alleged affair.
Folks said on Monday he decided to go public with the claim to "get ahead" of the story to protect his family.
Haley, one of four GOP candidates competing in the June 8 primary, has emphatically denied Folks' allegation and blamed political opponents for the "disgraceful" charge. Haley and her supporters - including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin - have worked overtime to undermine Folks' credibility.
Pearson said the text messages are authentic but said he was only working with Folks to prevent "false rumors" from coming to light.
"This blogger's overactive imagination has gone into overdrive," Pearson said in an e-mail to CNN. "South Carolina politics is full of rumors and innuendo, and of course our campaign did everything in our power to prevent false rumors about Nikki from airing out in the media as they now have.
"Every campaign would have done exactly the same thing," he added. "As always, Nikki is determined to keep this campaign focused on the people and issues that matter."
From CNN Politics
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Go Palin, you're only a nail or two away from closing the coffin on your career. The more you talk the deeper we can see the abyss of your stupidity.
If air head Palin hadn't opened her trap reporters wouldn't have kept the story alive. It appears this affair was going to be exposed anyway and Folks was attempting to limit the details by just calling it "an inappropriate physical relationship".
Not exactly a smoking gun but you can hear the clock ticking, the train whistling, and that guy walking down the middle of the street looks a lot like Frank Miller....
Welcome to your 15 minutes of fame Mr. Folks. We can only hope that time flies in your case.
"the candidate is determined to stay focused on the "issues that truly matter" in the gubernatorial race"
Republicanese for "yep, it is true, we did the big nasty" but I am going to ignore it and hope there are no tapes!
If there is proof, then I will fall back on the tearful family apology and how this 'human failure has drawn me closer in my walk with Jesus", that is a sure winner with the redneck "christians".
P.S. If your republican "disco stick" is lying why have you not slapped a lawsuit for slander on him, Nikki? Surely, you want your day in court to clear your name, right?
Folks is trash and CNN ought to be ashamed of itself for giving him a platform.
If that's the case, then why "keep it under wraps"?
Funny isn't it, how the GOP gets all up in arms about Clinton, Edwards, Kennedy and others on the Left for their affairs. And when its their people, they are so quiet.
Sorry, but if Folks had this evidence where is it? He says he has a lot of it, ok, show it. It's in email form so he should just have to retrieve it. How hard is that, unless.....
"I'm telling you man, we keep this under wraps and nh is going to win,"
Keep what under wraps???
If this guy is threatening to come out with a "rumor" why would you want to keep anything under wraps with him?
Why are you have dialogue with this guy if he is just imagining things?
Like I have said in previous blogs, I can't wait 'til the finale.
I wonder if her husband would stand by her side while she apologizes to the people of SC?
South Carolina, the land of opportunities, infidelities I mean ...
OK This is Repub act 1..........Deny Deny Deny
Act 2 .....I' so sorry...........I have sinned
What a bunch they are
Well as the Left have told us for years since Clinton....who cares if she did or didn't...privatebusiness and has got nothing to do with it....it's a double edged sword and cuts both ways Lefties...cannot have it both ways...you just can't!
Again, the answer is Palin. Put her onto it and she will convince all her loyal and gullable followers that if Haley did have an affair it really didn't happen. They will believe her, too. It's just amazing to see. Everything Palin says is the absolute and total truth. I mean she is the supreme being. If she says jump, all her little Republican dodo's will jump on board. They are like trekies. Palin will someday be the leader of a cult. Actually, maybe she already is.
Please let the picture come out, I love when those christian values conservatives get caught out there, I love it.
Again, the answer is Palin. Put her onto it and she will convince all her loyal and gullable followers that if Haley did have an affair it really didn't happen. They will believe her, too. It's just amazing to see. Everything Palin says is the absolute and total truth. I mean she is the supreme being. If she says jump, all her little Republican dodo's will jump on board. They are like trekies. Palin will someday be the leader of a cult. Actually, maybe she already is.
Why wouldn't Folks release it all at once?
Well if Sarah says she's golden then she's golden.
We all know that Sarah always does her research & due diligence before speaking out on an issue.......right?
One more bimbo trying to make hay out of thier sleezey affair. The affair isnt right, but the Chromincals of American Bimbo Fame Seekers is getting clearly full. SIde Bar: Interesting to see a male American Bimbo Fame Seeker.
It is sure interesting to live in SC. We have the worst politicians in the country. Our GOP legislators have made us one of the worst unemployment states in the country. Another reason not to vote GOP
In South Carolina, it doesn't matter. The Republican nominee will win, and if it's Haley, whether or not she had an affair simply won't matter. The people will vote for her anyway.
She might as well come clean before it blows up.
Nikki and Sara may have met their waterloo !!!! Right there in the purification state dictated to by Demented.
Christian family values – quit preaching, hypocrits.
This is getting interesting. Pass the popcorn please.
If this does play out to be true, it clearly shows what a moron Sarah Palin is to back someone like Haley. She does not research, and thinks doing her homework is beneath her....can you imagine if she was VP, and she "didn't know" something about some world leader. Sarah Palin is an attention craving celebrity wannabe who will do anything to get into the limelight. Why can't those who support her see this? I never thought Tiger Woods was worthy of the adulation he got, there was always something "not right" about that cheshire cat grin that didn't sit well with me, and the same is true of Sarah Palin. If you listen to her, it all about Sarah...so sad...