One of the independent experts the Conservatives put forward in their dog and pony show today, according to the documents posted by Conservative Blogger-in-Chief Stephen Taylor, is Thomas Owen of Owl Communications.
According to the Owl Investigations Web site:
Owl Investigations, Inc. offers one of the most sophisticated digital audio and video processing laboratories presently available. Thomas J. Owen, a nationally known expert, served for many years on the Board of The International Association for Voice Identification. He currently serves as Chairman of the Audio Engineering Society's Standards Group WG-12 on Forensic Audio, and is the Chairman of the American Board of Recorded Evidence. Tom Owen is also the Head Instructor for the New York Institute of Forensic Audio from 1992 to the present.
He certainly sounds qualified, I don’t doubt his qualifications and I don't want to suggest or imply that I in any way doubt his qualifications. There’s just a few things missing from his bio though. For example, he used to be head of the Woodbridge Township Republican Organization, an important regional organization role with the party (from 2004):
Four months after the Republicans failed in their bid to oust incumbent Mayor Frank Pelzman or four Democrats from any of the at-large council seats, Thomas Owen, a forensic scientist who was at the helm of the Woodbridge GOP since 2002, resigned citing business obligations. Owen runs Owl Investigations Inc. out of his Colonia home. He specializes in voice identification and audio and videotape analysis. His clients include major federal and state agencies.
"I got involved in several major cases," he said. "Being a chairman takes time. The business had to be put on the back burner."
Owen said he supports Paone’s chairmanship.
"There’s no bad will or anything," Owen said. "Nobody wanted me to resign. In fact, I put [Paone] in there. I mean, I suggested he be the one. He’s always been a hard worker and I think he wanted it. That’s half the battle — someone who wants it and wants to be active."
And according to Campaign Money, he donated $1000 to Republican candidates in 2000.
I like, though, that Owl Communications has a MySpace page. Yes, a MySpace page. That plays the CSI theme song when you open it.
Just seven friends though? If you actually still have a MySpace account, do him a favour and add the Conservatives’ independent audio expert to your friends list.
Oh, and wondering how much the Conservatives might have paid to hire their audio investigator? Here’s his rates. Not cheap. Wonder if the Cons used PayPal? Recommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers
