Mike Connell, 45, a media consultant for the Bush family and Karl Rove’s IT guru, died on December 19 when his small plane crashed just short of the Akron-Canton Airport in Ohio. Connell was recently subpoenaed to testify in a lawsuit regarding vote rigging in the 2004 Ohio election. Connell was an experienced pilot who had already cancelled two flights recently because friends had warned him of possible sabotage. Connell made his mark by building websites for Republican campaigns, most notably for George H.W. Bush, and his sons George W. and Jeb. He also built the gwb43 domain, which was used as a conduit by White House officials to send emails outside the White House system about firing US attorneys for “policy reasons.” The emails relevant to the scandal have all disappeared. Connell was once quoted as saying in preparation for the 2000 election, “There are things we will be doing on Election Day that haven't even been dreamt of yet.”

 

The Intriguing Death of Top GOP Consultant Michael Connell (by Thomas B. Edsall, Huffington Post)

Republican IT Guru Dies in Plane Crash: Connel Connected to E-Voting, Missing White House E-Mail Inquiries (CBS/Associated Press)

White House Email Trail Grows Cold with Death of Bush IT Expert (by Rebecca Abrahams, Huffington Post)

GOP Consultant Killed in Plane Crash Was Warned of Sabotage (by John Byrne, David Edwards, and Stephen Webster, Raw Story)

White House Emails: The Missing Link? (by Rebecca Abrahams, Huffington Post)

Connell, Rove and the GOP Boys, Positioned for McCain (by luaptifer, ePluribus Media)