Every once in a while, a random deranged idiot gets on the Internet and impersonates me, registering accounts in my name, and posting ugly and/or crazy comments at other blogs and websites. Several people have emailed to let me know that someone’s been doing this yesterday and today; one place where the creep has appeared is in this thread at Think Progress: Santorum: Reconciliation ‘Has Never Been Done Before’ — Except For When I Used It.

So I’ll just announce very simply: I don’t post comments at other websites, except in very rare cases where I know the site owner and my identity can be verified. So if you see a commenter somewhere that claims to be me ... it isn’t.

On a related subject, a few days ago I received the following email with a return address that appeared to be from Allahpundit at Hot Air, titled: “What the f-ck is wrong with you?”

Have you f-cking lost your god damned mind, Charles? I have noted a strong
decline in your abilities of late and certainly question this new direction
you are moving.

Either way, have fun. I won\\\’t be there to witness it.

Of course, the email was not from Allahpundit, as I quickly confirmed. The sender had used a website that allows people to send “prank” emails appearing to be from anyone. So again: don’t believe it if you get an email that seems to be from me, containing weird comments or insults.

(If the administrator from ThinkProgress reads this, please send me the IP address of the person who’s posting under my name at your website, and block its account.)

UPDATE at 4/28/09 8:59:19 am:

The name-jacker also appears at the Washington Independent, along with a few other vitriol-spewing morons, and an apologist for Eurofascists.