Jacob Conway, who says two Progress Kentucky members told him they recorded a strategy meeting between U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and his campaign advisors,stands byhis original storydespite a Courier-Journal report to the contrary.The newspaper reported Friday that Conway was "certain he talked with Curtis Morrison about the recording — but he may not have spoken with Shawn Reilly as he told members of the media on Thursday." Morrison is a former volunteer and spokesman for the super PAC and Reilly is its executive director.But, in a follow-up interview with WFPL after The C-J story was published online, Conway said he stood completely behind his original story—that he had spoken to Reilly about the incident."I stand by the comments I made to you and every other media outlet on Thursday, including the Courier-Journal," Conway said. "...The meat and potatoes of what I said is the truth."Conway, an executive committee member of the Jefferson County Democratic Party, said he had some doubts Friday morning after he was exposed to a whirlwind of media coverage once WFPL broke the story. But he says after replaying the events in his mind, he is re-confirming his story. Ted Shouse, the attorney for Reilly, told The Courier-Journal that Conway would publicly backtrack from his comments about Reilly. But Conway tells WFPL that he only talked to Shouse after he was made aware that past legal issues of his would be made public.Conway said he talked to Shouse in hopes that such incidents would not be revealed by the newspaper.But they were reported."It was a very intimidating conversation," Conway said. "This has been a very emotional situation. I am used to being behind the scenes and I felt the conversation was very intimidating."Shouse and Reilly's other attorney, Annie O'Connell, did not return multiple messages left for them on Friday. Conway said the attacks on his past legal issues—and on him personally—came because Reilly was trying to take attention from his own actions. (Related: Mitch McConnell Tape Fallout: FBI Digs In, How Progress Kentucky Helps the GOP, Was it Illegal?)"Mr. Reilly has to deflect attention from himself by attacking me when all I was doing was telling the truth," Conway said. " The real issue here is that they made a recording and the FBI is investigating. I'm a honest person no matter what Mr. Reilly or his attorney says."
