McMahon to release list of delegates on payroll

Linda McMahon celebrates her victory at the 2010 state GOP convention in Hartford. AP Photo/Jessica Hill

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

A week after former Congressman Christopher Shays pledged to release the names of GOP convention delegates on his payroll, fellow Republican Linda McMahon is committing to do the same.

In an e-mail this morning  from her campaign manager Corry Bliss to supporters, the subject line of which was “transparency,”  McMahon announced that she will submit the roster to the state party before the conclave in May.

“As we have previously stated, our  campaign wants the most open, transparent nominating process  possible,” Bliss wrote. “Forty-eight hours before the convention, our campaign will post a full list of delegates who serve as staff or vendors and their relationship to the campaign. We will also make this  list available at the convention in Hartford.”

There is no requirement whatsoever that delegates have to disclose any pecuniary relationships with the candidates, as has been reported by Hearst Connecticut Newspapers.

State GOP leaders mothballed a proposed rules amendment to do just that earlier this month.

UPDATE: The McMahon campaign insisted that it is not taking a cue from Shays on the issue, saying it has consistently backed  the concept of requiring delegates to reveal their allegiances going into the convention.  

“We have supported this from the beginning,” McMahon’s campaign manager Corry Bliss told Hearst Connecticut Newspapers.

Neil Vigdor