1970 Poses as a volunteer for a Democratic Senate candidate in Illinois and circulates a letter to homeless people, advertising “free food, beer, girls and a good time for all” at the candidate’s campaign event.

1974–77 The Washington Post reports Rove taught Nixon- style “dirty tricks” to College Republicans. Rove is investigated and cleared by the Republican National Committee, then hired by RNC Chair George H. W. Bush to work for his Houston PAC.

1978 Directs Bill Clements’s successful gubernatorial campaign.

1986 As Clements runs again, Rove mails fake newspaper story detailing DWI arrest of Clements’s opponent. On the day of the gubernatorial debate, Rove reports that his office was bugged. A source in the Travis County DA’s office says Rove hired
 a Fort Worth firm to bug his own office. FBI agent Greg Rampton questions Rove about the bugging.

1988–90 Rampton opens investigations into three Democratic statewide officials. Rove denies that he knows Rampton.

1990 Rove informs a Dallas Morning News reporter that three aides to Democratic Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower will be indicted, before indictments are announced by the DOJ.

1990 Rove client Rick Perry defeats Hightower.

1991 Rove tells a Texas Senate committee he wouldn’t recognize Rampton, then adds, “we have talked on the phone a var— a number of times. He has visited my office once or twice….”

Source: Boy Genius

Also in this issue: Why Karl Rove Will Get One More Chance After Squandering $300 Million