Like Richard Nixon, Ed Bethune, and of course his old mentor, Karl Rove, Tim Griffin is a devotee of dirty tricks. Straightforward, ethical behavior seems beyond him. Some genetic defect, perhaps.

The U.S. representative from the Second Congressional District held a town hall meeting in Little Rock last week at which staffers handed out materials that included a list of Florida activists who’ve been critical of Republican politicians. Photographs of these activists were included, and hostile questions for them, about their personal and professional backgrounds, were suggested.

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One of the Florida activists, Tamecka Pierce, said the distribution of the materials was intended to encourage harassment of activists who’ve already spoken up, and to intimidate other citizens from doing so. Jonathan Samford, the communications director for Griffin, told the Huffington Post (Griffin’s office has little to say to the Times) that the distribution of the divisive material was intended to make Griffin’s town hall meetings more civil. In his job, Mr. Samford will have a lot of far-fetched responses to make.

It was in Florida in the 2004 presidential election that Griffin was caught in a scheme to keep blacks and other potential Democratic voters away from the polls. His tactics haven’t changed.

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