‘Scud Stud’ says critical article was like a ‘bomb going off’ in his campaign

CALGARY – A former television journalist known as the “Scud Stud” says his run for public office was torpedoed by an article critical of his campaign.

Arthur Kent, who got his nickname from his days reporting on the Gulf War for NBC, said fundraising dried up and volunteers quit after the column labelling him a “dud” hit newsstands and the Internet.

“It was like a bomb going off because it was so distracting,” Kent told court Wednesday. “These guys had just fired a photon torpedo into us.”

Kent, 61, took the witness stand at a defamation trial that pits him against media giant Postmedia and former columnist Don Martin, author of the 2008 article. Kent was running to win a Calgary seat in the Alberta legislature for the Progressive Conservatives at the time.

Headlined “‘Scud Stud’ a ‘Dud’ on the Campaign Trail,” the piece portrayed Kent as an out-of-control star candidate facing a revolt from his election team. It didn’t include comment from Kent and he went on to lose the vote.

Kent, who testified that “Scud Stud” has become his brand and part of his identity, described his reaction the morning he saw the Martin article.

“It was surreal. It was nothing I could remember in Canadian politics,” he said. “It was so poisonous, false and motivated with an intention to harm, from a guy I had never met. It was another worldly experience.”

He said he immediately contacted the editorial page editor at the Calgary Herald, which is part of the Postmedia chain.

“‘How could you publish this trash?'” he recalled asking.

Kent said he told the Herald he would let the matter go if it published his rebuttal.

Court has already heard the Herald refused because the rebuttal was critical of Martin and editors had concerns about what Kent was saying about Tory party staff.

The Martin article used unnamed sources. Two of those sources have since been identified as senior Tory staffers Alan Hallman and Rod Love. A third source, Kent’s campaign lawyer Kristine Robidoux, has already testified that she shared private emails with Martin that included complaints about Kent between the Tory campaign chairman and party brass.

Kent said he heard Hallman’s name when Kent decided to run for the nomination and was told he should consider hiring him as his campaign manager.

But after looking into Hallman’s past, Kent said he informed him he would not be a good fit.

“He responded not long after … saying: ‘No one has more admiration for candidates than I. Your email was rude. All the best, Art,'” said Kent, who added he heard from Hallman again on election night, when the Tories won.

“Subject line: ‘Massive majority and you lost. Well done. Call any time,'” Kent recalled. “He was sneering.”

Kent said he later received a call from former Conservative MP Lee Richardson, who had initially recommended Kent hire Hallman, with a warning.

“He found out from Alan Hallman that I wasn’t exactly embracing him,” Kent testified.

“Richardson called back and said, ‘You know, Arthur, you make an enemy in politics. It’s for life.'”

— Follow @BillGraveland on Twitter