Ratfucking

{{sources needed}}{{uspolitics}}''This page is about electoral fraud. For [[fuck]]ing [[rat]]s (if it actually fits), see [[bestiality]].''
"'''Ratfucking'''" was a term used by [[Richard Nixon]]'s campaign insiders to describe the [[electoral fraud]] and dirty tricks they had often used against their opponents. Political operative Don Segretti, known for his expertise in ratfucking from his college days, was hired by the '''C'''ommittee to '''Re'''-'''E'''lect the '''P'''resident (CREEP<ref group=note>That should already tell you just about everything you need to know about it.</ref>) to work his ratfucking [[magic]] for then-president [[Richard Nixon|Richard "Tricky Dick" Nixon]] in the 1972 elections, funded by laundered money coming in through CREEP slush funds. Segretti, along with a number of other ratfuckers, worked from within CREEP to destroy the campaigns of Nixon's [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] opponents. Their methods included distributing [[Deceit|deceitful]] letter and press releases, [[astroturf|astroturfing]] "activists" and "protestors," disrupting political conferences using the old "order a hundred pizzas in someone else's name" trick, vote-contracting (literally paying people for votes), [[Intelligence (government)|espionage]] tactics, [[false flag operation]]s, and various other assorted general dickery.<ref group=note>No pun intended.</ref> Among these ratfuckers happened to be [[Karl Rove]], head of the College [[Republican]]s at the time. The term first came to general public attention with the publication of the book ''All the President's Men'' in 1974.<ref name=all>''All the President's Men'' by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward (1974 [2014]) Simon & Schuster. Reissue edition. ISBN 1476770514.</ref>

The most infamous incident related to the ratfucking techniques, besides the [[Watergate]] break-in itself, was the release of the "Muskie letters."<ref name=all/>{{rp|127-128}} CREEP members had gotten hold of Senator Edmund Muskie's letterhead and started "leaking" letters ostensibly addressed to other Democrats insulting various other [[Congress]]men. One of the Muskie letters, called the "Canuck letter," [[Just asking questions|implied]] that Muskie was [[bigot]]ed toward [[American]]s of [[French]]-[[Canadian]] descent (Muskie was from [[Maine]]).<ref name=all/>{{rp|127-128}} This [[FUD]] campaign reached its heights right in the middle of the 1972 [[Primary election|primaries]] and Muskie's campaign imploded after his speech denying his authorship of the letters. The Muskie letters were ultimately the starting point that led ''[[Washington Post]]'' reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward to begin to unravel the Nixon campaign's ratfucking methods and uncover the Watergate break-in.<ref name=all/>

==Origin of the term==
The term was first coined by political operative Don Segretti, who claimed that it had originated from his college days, when he stuffed ballot boxes for student [[government]] candidates. [[Roger Stone]] claimed that it originated from a University of Southern California [[fraternity]].<ref name=zimmer>[https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/01/25/roger-stone-and-rating-a-short-history-224218 Roger Stone and ‘Ratf—ing’: A Short History: The flamboyant political aide is often tagged with the term. But its origins — and Stone's relationship with the word — are complicated.] by Ben Zimmer (January 25, 2019) ''Politico''.</ref> The term 'rat-fuck' dates all the way back to 1922,<ref name=zimmer/> though it was not used for political operations until the 1960s.<ref name=oed>"rat fuck" and "rat-fucker" in ''Oxford English Dictionary''.</ref>

==Unrelated United States military term==
In the [[United States Armed Forces]], particularly the Marine Corps, the verb "to ratfuck" means to steal or disorganize items that do not belong to you.  Originally it meant someone who stole all the candy from  the '''rat'''ions.  Considering that the military ration, the MRE ("Meal, Ready to Eat"), is called by a number of nicknames ranging from "Meals Rejected by [[Ethiopia]]ns" to "Massive Rectal Expulsion", taking the one thing to look forward to in them is a [[sin|cardinal sin]].

==Known and accused rat fuckers==
===Major fuckers===
{{collist|2|
*[[Lee Atwater]]<ref name=pierce>[https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a25090/donald-segretti-ratfking-100413/ The Triumph Of The Ratfuckers] by Charles P. Pierce (Oct 4, 2013) ''Esquire''.</ref>
*{{wpl|Dwight Chapin}} — Deputy Assistant to Nixon<ref name=zimmer/><ref name=pierce/>
*[[China]], according to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd<ref>[https://www.smh.com.au/national/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin--rudd-that-is-20100607-xnv5.html We need to talk about Kevin … Rudd, that is] (7 June 2010 — 9:48am) ''Sydney Morning Herald''.</ref>
*[[Chuck Colson]] — a Watergate burglar<ref>[https://gawker.com/5904628/chuck-colson-watergate-conspirator-and-gods-own-ratfucker Chuck Colson: Watergate Conspirator and God's Own Ratfucker] by "Mobutu Sese Seko" (04/24/12 12:04PM) ''Gawker''.</ref>
*{{wpl|John Ehrlichman}} — As White House Domestic Affairs Advisor, he organized and later attempted to [[coverup]] the Watergate burglary
*[[Rudy Giuliani]] — foreign agent and comedy lawyer, responsible for all kinds of suspicious intrigue and political [[bullshit]]ery on behalf of [[Donald Trump]]'s administration<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20201219051923/https://twitter.com/bad_takes/status/1317361306215895043?lang=en rudy giuliani ratfucking the bidens by posting the exact same texts that my parents sent me when i went to outpatient. A+ work, nobody likes parents who love their son regardless of substance abuse] by Brendan Karet (12:06 AM - 17 Oct 2020) ''Twitter'' (archived from December 19, 2020).</ref>
*{{wpl|H. R. Haldeman}} — White House Chief of Staff under Nixon, Watergate conspirator, former-[[advertising]] executive
*{{wpl|E. Howard Hunt}} — a Watergate burglar, [[CIA]] spook
*[[G. Gordon Liddy]] — lead Watergate burglar<ref>[https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/59jjk5/g-gordon-liddy-conquered-pain #TBT: How This Nixon Ratfucker Conquered Pain: The man who masterminded the Watergate burglary spent his childhood overcoming fear. And he ate a rat one time.] by Eve Peyser] (Apr 12 2018) ''Vice''.</ref>
*{{wpl|John N. Mitchell}} — As US Attorney General, he conspired to coverup the Watergate burglary
*[[Richard Nixon]]<ref name=zimmer/>
*{{wpl|Scott Pruitt}} — [[Global warming|climate change]] [[denialist]] and kleptocrat [[EPA]] administrator for a year under Trump<ref>[https://www.thedailybeast.com/scott-pruitt-personally-involved-in-ratfcking-ex-aides-who-he-feels-betrayed-him Scott Pruitt Personally Involved in ‘Ratf*cking’ Ex-Aides Who He Feels Betrayed Him: The EPA chief demands loyalty. He doesn’t always reciprocate, though.] by Lachlan Markay & Asawin Suebsaeng (06.28.18 4:51 AM ET) ''Daily Beast''.</ref>
*[[Karl Rove]]<ref name=pierce/>
*{{wpl|Don Segretti}}<ref name=zimmer/><ref name=pierce/>
*[[Roger Stone]]<ref name=toobin>[https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/06/02/the-dirty-trickster The Dirty Trickster: Campaign tips from the man who has done it all.] by Jeffrey Toobin (June 2, 2008) ''The New Yorker''.</ref>
*[[Donald Trump]], implied by [[Ted Cruz]]<ref>[http://time.com/4272519/ted-cruz-national-enquirer-affairs-donald-trump/ Ted Cruz Blames Donald Trump for 'Garbage' National Enquirer Story] by Maya Rhodan and Philip Elliott (Updated: March 25, 2016 4:17 PM ET) ''Time''.</ref>
*{{wpl|Dick Tuck}}<ref name=zimmer/>
*[[Jacob Wohl]]<ref>[https://bbs.boingboing.net/t/jacob-wohl-ratfucker-has-a-no-good-rotten-day/132398 Jacob Wohl, ratfucker, has a no-good rotten day] (November 2018) ''BoingBoing''.</ref>
*{{wpl|Ron Ziegler}} — White House Press Secretary under Nixon<ref name=zimmer/>
}}

===Minor fuckers===
The known ones were all 'plumbers' (those immediately arrested) at the Watergate Hotel burglary:
{{collist|2|
*{{wpl|Bernard Barker}} — [[FBI]] and [[CIA]] spook, was an operative in the [[Cold War#Bay of Pigs invasion|Bay of Pigs operation]]
*{{wpl|Virgilio Gonzalez}} — anti-[[Castro]] [[Cuban]] immigrant, recruited for his skill as a locksmith
*{{wpl|Eugenio Martínez}} — anti-Castro Cuban, paid CIA asset
*{{wpl|James W. McCord Jr.}} — CIA spook, a likely [[KGB]] mole
*{{wpl|Frank Sturgis}} — CIA spook (though the flawed {{wpl|Rockefeller Commission}} disputed this), worked both sides of the Cuban Revolution, a figure in some [[JFK assassination conspiracies]], later involved with insurgencies in several countries
}}

==See also==
*[[RationalWiki|'''Rat'''ionalWiki]]—just kidding.

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Conservative deceit]]
[[Category:Crime]]
[[Category:Political strategery]]
[[Category:Neologisms]]
[[Category:Propaganda]]
[[Category:Political terms]]
[[Category:United States history]]
[[Category:United States politics]]

Categories: Conservative deceit, Crime, Political strategery, Neologisms, Propaganda, Political terms, United States history, United States politics