The talk of the blogosphere is the Ko$ola Kontroversy, in which Markos Moulitsas and his partner Jerome Armstrong are alleged to be running a pay-for-play scheme: hire Armstrong as a consultant and get the support of Kos.

Uh, well, it’s the talk of the right-leaning blogosphere, that is. Because Markos directed his fellow moonbat bloggers to keep quiet about it, on a private mailing list. TNR’s Jason Zengele has the email from Mr. “Screw Them:” The Blogosphere’s Smoke-Filled Back Room. (Hat tip: Allahpundit.)

The YearlyKos media people have already forced corrections at Slate and NY Times (Suellentrop’s blog). There has been some serious overreach by the few outlets that picked up this story (which as I mentioned before has been shopped around). It was interesting how this one piddly-ass story was used to try and smear Jerome, me, AND YearlyKos.

So the only paper to run this as a news story is the disgraceful NY Post. Others who picked up on it have had to backtrack from their original sensationalistic claims.

I am exploring legal options against some of the wingnut bloggers who are claiming I’m syphoning netroots money into consultants and my own pockets. Note how Glenn Reynolds is fueling it with his typical passive aggressive, “I don’t think it’s a big deal, but let me provide links to everyone who thinks this is THE BIGGEST STORY EVER!”

And Jerome’s case, if it could be aired out, is a non-story (he was a poor grad student at the time so he settled because he had no money). Jerome can’t talk about it now since the case is not fully closed. But once it is, he’ll go on the offensive. That should be a couple of months off.

This story will percolate in wingnut circles until then, but I haven’t gotten a single serious media call about it yet. Not one. So far, this story isn’t making the jump to the traditional media, and we shouldn’t do anything to help make that happen.

My request to you guys is that you ignore this for now. It would make my life easier if we can confine the story. Then, once Jerome can speak and defend himself, then I’ll go on the offensive (which is when I would file any lawsuits) and anyone can pile on. If any of us blog on this right now, we fuel the story. Let’s starve it of oxygen. And without the “he said, she said” element to the story, you know political journalists are paralyzed into inaction.

Thanks, markos

And now that their private mailing list isn’t so private any more, this bunch of schemers is starting another more exclusive list.