Michelle Malkin can quit worrying about why wingnuts that dream up non-factual stories are ignored (well, we wish they were). As for "the boys at Powerline" (hey, that's what the winger gals call them), they really blew their brand new toaster on this one. You'll recall, Bowers wrote "Wrath of the Memo" last month. It's about a dreamed-up article by Hindrocker of Powerline that the "infamous" memo about Schiavo was actually a Democratic plant, and Fox News/Limbaugh and Howard Kurtz all jumped on the bandwagon, dreaming of a Rather-like scalp. Hindrocker at least got the ending right: "This is a case where the truth, as the old saying goes, is still lacing up its shoes."

Now comes the fact that the memo did in fact originate in Florida's Republican Senator Martinez's office. The WaPost says that Martinez is trying to find the staffer that wrote the memo.

The talking points first appeared in conjunction with a March 8th PR by Martinez. Second, Martinez has used the talking points himself, as has co-sponsor in the House, Dave Weldon, as has DeLay. It makes sense for Martinez to have talking points on hand that he could pass around to convince other Senators to sign on to the bill or for them to use to justify their support. When you sponsor a bill, you produce collateral materials, charts, graphs, presentations, talking points. It happens every day on the Hill.

Martinez handed out the talking points himself. Martinez handed a copy of the talking points to Senator Tom Harkin. Now, Martinez can go and find the dumb staffer that printed them up, but the buck stops here with Martinez.

Update: Brian Darling (The legal counsel to Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), a former lobbyist for the Alexander Strategy Group (this is the DeLay link) on gun rights and other issues, offered his resignation and it was immediately accepted, Martinez said. And Powerline? Hindrocker (shovel in hand and digging) is trying to pan it off on this staffer (who is hardly the small fry Hindrocker portrays him as). What, does he not realize that Martinez himself handed the memo out of his own pocket?

Martinez flat out lied to reporters (A survey by The Washington Times found that every Republican said the memo was not crafted or distributed by him or her.) last month. The staff of Martinez was lying about it yesterday, saying "we know we didn't produce it."

Update: (Chris) They wanted to make a big deal of this, so let's play along. Go to Yahoo and rate this story up. Surely the delicious irony alone is worth it.

Update: Now that Brian Darling of the Alexander Strategy Group has been penned as the author, it connects the dots to why Tom DeLay also used the talking points. The Alexander Strategy Group is a firm created by former DeLay chief of staff Ed Buckham (and yet another place from where DeLay's wife has cashed checks). Tom DeLay used the talking points at least on three occasions:

TP #3: This is an important moral issue...

DeLay on 3/18: House Republicans knew we had a moral obligation to act, and we did just that.
DeLay on 3/20: The legal issues, I grant everyone, are complicated, but the moral ones are not.

TP #8: This legislation ensures that individuals like Terri Schiavo are guaranteed the same legal protections as convicted murderers like Ted Bundy.

DeLay on 3/18: Well, what we're doing in the bill that passed the Hours and a bill that passed the Senate is exactly what we're we would do for death row inmates.

A copy of the Republican memo is in the extended entry.