The Hill News

A regional press secretary for the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) tweeted the home addresses of six Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.) reelection staffers on Tuesday night in an apparent reaction to a tweet from the campaign blasting Republican challenger Robert Hurt's spokeswoman as a carpetbagger.

"You're pathetic," NRCC Southeast Regional Press Secretary Andy Sere said following a tweet from Perriello's campaign feed noting that Hurt's new spokeswoman, Amanda Henneberg, is "new to #VA05."

The tweet included the hashtag #carpetbagger to refer to Henneberg, who had been working with the Republican National Committee (RNC) in Washington, D.C. before joining Hurt's campaign.

Sere went on to tweet street addresses for six members of Perriello's campaign staff.

"Wow this guy's def new to VA05," he said of one with a New York address.

Sere followed by directing a tweet to Perriello's campaign feed, saying "you should fire your out-of-district staff or else everyone will think you're a hypocrite, Tom."

Perriello's feed respond! ed quickly, urging Hurt, a state senator, not to accept further NRCC funding until Sere is "fired for crossing the line." 

It linked in one tweet to a petition to ban Sere from Twitter for posting addresses in violation of the network's Terms of Services.

"The posting of personal addresses without consent is malicious and violates the privacy of users. It should not be tolerated. Twitter should ban @andysere for his abuse," the petition read.

Perriello spokeswoman Jessica Barba followed up, called Sere's tweets "appalling and outrageous."

"NRCC spokesperson Andy Sere clearly crossed the line tonight, but will Robert Hurt stand by idly while those who recruited him and represented his campaign carry out these dangerous and unethical practices?" she said in a statement. "Robert Hurt should refuse to accept any m! ore support from the NRCC unless Andy Sere is fired, especially given the history here."

The statement linked to an article in the Roanoke Times in which Sere brushed off an alleged act of vandalism on Perriello's brother's house, saying that "Central and Southside Virginians" were the real victims of the situation because they'd "bear the burden of increased taxes" from March's healthcare overhaul.

Asked for comment on Sere's release of staffers' address on Tuesday, the NRCC referred back to the Perriello feed's accusation that Hurt spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg a "carpetbagger."

"We are surprised that Tom Perriello has reduced himself to attacking staff," said NRCC spokesman Ken Spain in a statement. "He's clearly lashing out after the DCCC practically declared him a po! litical corpse in Sunday's New York Times and followed ! it up by releasing a poll showing him down after having been on the air with unanswered negative campaign ads for several weeks. His frustration is understandable, but unbecoming of a member of Congress." 

A poll released Tuesday by Democrats showed Perriello trailing Hurt by two points. Other surveys from July and August had shown Hurt leading by more than 20 points.