MISSISSIPPI: Tea Party Blogger Arrested For Taking Photo Of GOP Sen. Chad Cochran's Alzheimer's-Stricken Wife

A right wing blogger that supports the Tea Party opponent of US Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) has been arrested for sneaking into an adult care facility and taking a photo of Cochran's wife, who is being treated for Alzheimer's.

Clayton Thomas Kelly runs a political blog called Constitutional Clayton, where he posted a story April 26 attacking Cochran and supporting state Sen. Chris McDaniel, who's challenging Cochran in the state's GOP Senate primary this year. The piece included a picture taken bedside in Rose Cochran's room at the nursing home, where she has lived since 2000. In a press release, the Madison Police Department said that Kelly "had illegally and improperly obtained an image of a vulnerable adult resident without their consent for his own benefit." He was charged with exploitation of a vulnerable adult, and his bond was set at $100,000. In a statement, the Cochrans' attorney, Donald Clark, said his clients' "privacy and dignity have been violated," according to the Clarion-Ledger.

McDaniel has denounced Kelly and claims that he has no official role with the campaign.

"I've reached out to Senator Cochran directly to express my abhorrence for the reprehensible actions of this individual. This criminal act is deeply offensive and my team and I categorically reject such appalling behavior. My thoughts and prayers are with Senator Cochran and his family," McDaniel said in a statement. "Politics is about the exchange of ideas and this type of action has no place in politics whatsoever and will not be tolerated."

Sen. Cochran's team isn't buying it.

U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran's campaign is questioning how Chris McDaniel's campaign manager, state Sen. Melanie Sojourner, apparently knew about Clayton Kelly's arrest before news of him allegedly sneaking into Rose Cochran's nursing home room and taking photos broke. Cochran campaign spokesman Jordan Russell said Sojourner left a voice mail message for Cochran campaign manager Kirk Sims at about 7:45 a.m. Saturday, offering condolences over Kelly's alleged actions and assurance McDaniel's campaign doesn't condone it. Russell said Sojourner indicated she had been concerned over the incident since Friday night.

Kelly's blog is here. At the moment the top post is in support of Mississippi's version of a "Turn Away The Gays" bill.