Arianna Huffington Says Rollins Is Wrong

Arianna Huffington said Monday she is being maligned in a new book by Ed Rollins, a former campaign aide to her husband, Michael--and will prove it in court.

In a statement and subsequent interview, Arianna Huffington, a commentator and columnist, said Rollins was wrong when he reported in his book that she ordered investigators to dig up dirt on her husband’s opponent in the 1994 Senate campaign.

She also said Rollins was wrong in concluding that she ordered an investigation of a journalist who was working on a profile of her before the election. At the time, Rollins was campaign manager for Republican Michael Huffington, who went on to lose the Senate election to Democrat Dianne Feinstein.

“This isn’t a matter of opinion, this is objective truth. I’m saying I didn’t and I can prove it; he’s saying I did and he can’t prove it,” Arianna Huffington said. She called the book “pay for spew,” and said her lawyers are preparing a suit against Rollins.

Rollins, contacted in Washington, replied, “If she wants to sue, we’re going to have a field day in court.”

The verbal fireworks occurred even before the book “Bare Knuckles and Back Rooms” becomes available in bookstores. Rollins’ publisher said it will not be released until Wednesday, although highly charged excerpts were printed Monday in The Times and Time magazine.

The book is Rollins’ farewell to campaign management, and he often damns the candidates for whom he worked, including Huffington and his wife. In the 1994 Senate campaign, Arianna Huffington was a high-profile figure, both in public and behind the scenes.

Among other accusations, Rollins writes that Arianna Huffington oversaw a “rogue” operation of about a dozen investigators to find an illegal immigrant who worked for Feinstein. This came after Huffington, himself, was found to have employed an illegal domestic worker.

But on Monday, Arianna Huffington produced three statements from campaign workers who said the investigation involved just a few people--not a dozen--and that they did not report to her. Campaign chairman and former state Assemblyman Bruce Nestande said he reported directly to Michael Huffington.

Arianna Huffington said she was not responsible for the investigation. “This was a campaign decision,” she said. “We were following up a published report.”

Rollins replied, “She is hiding behind her husband. Anyone who knew anything about that campaign knew she was running the show.”

Arianna Huffington also denied ordering a background investigation of journalist Maureen Orth while Orth was reporting a story for Vanity Fair magazine. “He says I did. Where is his proof? Where is his evidence?” Arianna Huffington said.

In his book, Rollins says he walked into a room and overheard Arianna Huffington talking about the investigation on the phone. He writes that he threatened to quit the campaign if she did not drop the investigation.

Rollins’ book also contains other unflattering characterizations of Arianna Huffington, but she said she would not reply to his statements of opinion.