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Floundering campaign turns to Washington lobbyists after railing against special interest money
After two dismal fundraising quarters, Frank Guinta is hoping that Washington special interest money will resuscitate his floundering campaign for Congress. But the move looks desperate, coming on the heels of a statement issued by the Guinta campaign criticizing his opponent for taking special interest money.
In a flailing attempt to defend his weak fundraising performance, the Guinta campaign released a statement complaining about "PAC or lobby money" and that his opponent was "being financially supported by out of state interests."
"How can anyone take Frank Guinta seriously?" asked Derek Richer, Press Secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party. "The hypocrisy is astounding. He complains about special interests one week and then attends a fundraiser hosted by Washington lobbyists the next."
This isn't the first time that Frank Guinta has come under fire for his questionable judgment. FEC reports recently revealed that Guinta received a donation from a major insurance company PAC the day before publishing an Op-Ed supporting their position on health care reform.
"The last time Guinta accepted PAC money he published an Op-Ed the next day parroting the insurance industry's talking points," continued Richer. "Now that Guinta is going to a fundraiser hosted by the National Restaurant Association, I wonder if we'll see an Op-Ed from him detailing the health benefits of chicken McNuggets?"
(Posted by Derek Richer, Press Secretary of the New Hampshire Democratic Party)
Guinta stands for insurance company profits and against NH's families and businesses; outlandish claims fly in the face of reality
Congressional hopeful Frank Guinta released a statement today continuing his assault on meaningful health insurance reform. In his statement, the candidate makes outlandish claims about the legislation unveiled by House Democrats today, reaffirming his support of the insurance industry. Furthermore, the statement was full of lies about the Congresswoman, falsely accusing her of refusing to meet with constituents to discuss her position on reform.
Guinta has a history of standing for insurance company profits and against New Hampshire's families and businesses. Recent FEC reports have revealed that the Congressional hopeful received a donation from a major insurance company PAC the day before publishing an Op-Ed supporting their position on health care reform.
"How can Frank Guinta make these outlandish claims? Is he serious?" said Derek Richer, Press Secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party. "His latest statement attacking the Congresswoman reads like it was signed, sealed, and delivered by the insurance industry."
Doctors, nurses and hospitals, consumer groups and seniors groups, even drug companies, have expressed support for reform. And a growing chorus of prominent Republicans have come out in support of meaningful reform as well, including Senator Olympia Snowe and Tommy Thompson, a former Secretary of Health and Human services in the Bush Administration.
"The people of New Hampshire support meaningful reform and Frank Guinta's latest statement shows that he would rather represent the insurance industry than the people of the Granite State."
(Posted by Derek Richer, Press Secretary of the New Hampshire Democratic Party)
Just got an email from Paul Hodes office announcing an online chat he will participate in over at Crooks & Liars. Chat starts this evening at 7 PM.
Do you have a moment to talk with me about health care, Afghanistan, gay marriage and standing up to Wall Street? I'm inviting you to join me to discuss these important issues on Thursday, October 22.
In just one week, state Democrats have sold nearly 800 tickets for their Jefferson Jackson dinner featuring former president Bill Clinton.
ALSO: Merrimack County Democrats are holding a meet-and-greet with Kuster, Dejoie and Swett on Oct. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at state party headquarters. Sponsorships cost $100. Afterward, the Democrats will vote on a new chair and co-chair. Interim Chairman Eric Tolbert is running for chair, and Kris Schultz for vice-chair.
This morning both Tom Fahey and Kevin Landrigan open their columns with the ongoing and increasingly bitter contract negotiations between the State Employees Association (SEA) and the state. They both claim that the union is looking to the GOP for solace in their difficult times. They're talking with former Republican state senator and congressional candidate Bob Clegg about lobbying for them in Concord.
I've always said the Republican Party is the real party of the working people," he [Clegg] said. "That's why we hate taxes and fees and all that other stuff."
The irony of this is that the salaries and benefits for SEA members come from said taxes and fees.
At the Concord Monitor, Shira Schoenberg mentions the old new old Republican strategy for 2010. You guessed it; repeal taxes and fees:
State House Republicans are making their agenda clear: Repeal taxes. Among the legislation Republicans hope to pass this year: Restoring revenue sharing to cities and towns, repealing the $30 surcharge on motor vehicle registrations, repealing the "campground" tax and repealing the LLC tax.
Again, without revenue, spending will have to be cut, and there don't seem to be specific plans in the offing. At least not publicly.
Or as Landrigan quotes NHDP Executive Director Mike Brunelle
Brunelle said if Republicans had won the across-the-board cuts in the budget that they proposed, the result would have been cuts to local government and higher property taxes.
I ran into Raymond the other day and he shot me a quizzical look, and I knew. How can I trust you, the look said, when during the Primary you were flaming away on populist and lefty leaning issues, relentlessly and sometimes cryptically bashing various candidates positions, being a general bliggity blog blogger nuisance...while now you seem to be carrying a cudgel for the party. Fair enough. I ask myself the same thing.
First let's say we can all agree, it's not hard to understand that Party builders like Raymond and Kathy need 'reliable' Democrats. People who will accept a role, that not every decision or action of their political leaders will be one they agree with necessarily, but be that as it may, they still toe the line. They come in, they make the calls, walk the wards, hold the signs, whatever is needed.
As evidenced by a number of recent posts, we here are a most diverse and unrepentant lot. Those among us of the most passionate persuasions tend to be very liberal, and after being in the doghouse for so long electorally, tend to believe we have won the right to seize the day, and push all our issues.
That's what this missive that showed up in my in-box this morning is. The best I can say is that perhaps the Senator didn't actually write this herself.
Ray Buckley sends out a release on the state senate special election that manages to be funny and cryptic at the same time:
"We welcome both Jeb Bradley and Joe Kenney into the race for State Senate. In November, the voters of District 3 overwhelmingly elected their Democratic opponents, and I am convinced they will do the same this time as well.
"We are also very excited that Bud Martin, our nominee for state senate in 2008, has decided to run again for the seat. Unlike his opponents, Bud has a record of fighting for the families of the Lakes Region.
"Bud outperformed Bradley and Kenney in the last election in District 3, and I am confident that he will come out on top when all the votes are counted later this Spring."
Funny, because Bud Martin really did outperform the much higher profile Jeb and Joe, and that's just a really good point that makes me smile.
And cryptic, because, while I've seen these names tossed around, I haven't seen anything definitive about a run from either.
I think it goes without saying that an entry by Bush League Bradley would be pretty amazing. A Hamster offline reminded me that US Senator Gordon Humphrey, having promised to stay for only two terms, decided not to run for a third and instead made a successful bid for state senate.
But Jeb, who lost not once but twice for the US House, to then take a step down and give this a shot seems very different and, well, kinda sad.
However, it would immediately make this race higher-profile than it is right now, which I would actually welcome, as it would a) give us a chance to promote a great candidate, Bud Martin, to a wider audience, and b) give us yet another opportunity to defeat a man who considered this ad to be acceptable campaigning.
The releases pasted below the fold came almost back-to-back in my in-box. A better temperature reading of this moment couldn't be taken, I don't think.
The first one is from NHDP Chair Ray Buckley, and the second from Zandra Rice Hawkins at Granite State Progress.
JEB BRADLEY: STANDING WITH GEORGE BUSH
ON SOCIAL SECURITY
(MANCHESTER) Today, Social Security expert Steve Gorin and New Hampshire State Senator Lou D'Allesandro highlighted Jeb Bradley's record of standing with George Bush on Social Security privatization, and discussed the dire consequences of investing social security funds in a volatile stock market.
When he first ran for Congress, Jeb Bradley said that he opposed privatizing social security. But he abandoned that opposition to privatizing Social Security when George Bush told him to. [AP, 2/18/05]
In the wake of recent financial turmoil, even the Wall Street Journal is asking what happens if the market is down when it comes time to retire, and workers have invested their social security taxes in the stock market. [WSJ, 9/22/08]
"Jeb Bradley has had every opportunity to speak out against personal accounts and investing into a risky market, and he has failed to do so every time," said State Senator Lou D'Allesandro (D-Manchester). "The question is this: Where is Bradley today? And where was he when the privatization discussions were taking place? In politics we know that the record is what speaks loudest."
Steve Gorin of Canterbury was a delegate to both the 1995 and 2005 White House Conferences and Aging, and was also a delegate to the only White House Conference on Social Security.
"Social Security is the only leg that a lot of seniors have to stand on when it comes to retirement," said Gorin, Ph.D, MSW. "Officials in the highest level of government are saying that we face the equivalent of a financial meltdown. Do we really want to trust the well-being of our children and grandchildren to the market?"
"Every political figure has to be prepared, in a forthright and very specific way, to state where they stand on social security and the creation of private accounts," continued Gorin. "We can't allow people to dodge that question. Carol Shea-Porter is very clearly against privatization. Where does Jeb Bradley stand?"
There are currently 225,250 Social Security beneficiaries in New Hampshire, and 11.5% of the New Hampshire First Congressional District is over 65 years old -- over 76,000 seniors.
"This will be a tough campaign and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to win..." Jeb Bradley, Sept 16th 2008, Fundraising Letter
BRADLEY ADMITS HE'S OPEN TO ALL TACTICS, LEGAL OR NOT
(MANCHESTER) There is mounting evidence showing that Jeb Bradley will stop at nothing to win, even if it means resorting to dirty or illegal tactics. In a recent fundraising mailer sent by his campaign and signed by himself, Bradley admitted that he will "do whatever it takes to win..."
Just 24 hours after Bradley launched an attack on Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter distorting her record and failing to comply with federal election law, there are reports of a misleading and negative poll being conducted.
Numerous voters in the first congressional district have contacted the New Hampshire Democratic Party to complain. "I call on whatever candidate, campaign or organization that is behind these misleading calls to cease immediately," said Raymond Buckley, chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. "If this is a push-poll, it is an illegal tactic that has no place in New Hampshire politics."
"In a September 16th fundraising letter, candidate Jeb Bradley wrote that, 'This will be a tough campaign and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to win,'" continued Buckley. "I certainly hope that 'whatever it takes' does not include illegal push-polling. Jeb Bradley is running a campaign that is far outside the New Hampshire tradition that values honesty and integrity."
(Part put below the fold by me. - promoted by Dean Barker)
Negative Bradley Ad Skips Legally-Required Disclaimer At End of Ad
NH Dems file complaint with FEC asking for investigation, penalties
(MANCHESTER) Today, New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Raymond Buckley filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission asking the body to investigate and penalize Republican Jeb Bradley for a new negative campaign ad that violates election laws by failing to display information at the end of the ad about who paid for it.
"Jeb Bradley is acting like the status quo politician that he is - launching misleading negative attacks and then ducking the law that requires him to disclose at the end of the ad who paid for it," said Buckley. "Maybe he is hoping that over the course of 30 seconds voters will forget who authored and paid for these negative attacks, just like he is hoping that they forget his record of standing with George Bush in Congress on vote after vote that wrecked our economy."
The ad can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
The New Hampshire Democratic Party is today filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission regarding the ad, which is currently airing on WMUR.
Election law guarantees that political candidates receive a special "Lowest Unit Rate" from television stations when placing their ads and requires that these ads include a written disclaimer at the end of the ad identifying who authorized it.
Specifically, "When a candidate authorizes a television communication, he must include a written statement indicating that he approved the communication at the end of the television communication." 11 C.F.R. ยง110.11(c)(3)(iii) .
The rest of the New England states, except Rhode Island, have gotten on the bus (public transportation). In fact, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Vermont already have 100% participation in a program designed to make the Democratic National Convention the most environmentally sustainable one in recent history.
It needs to go beyond carbon offsets and window-dressing, though. That is why we need a committee that is committed to making sure State Committee members carpool to meetings, whether they are from Pittsburg, Winchester, or Plaistow. We need to improve recycling at these events and minimize waste, procure greener bags (http://www.enviro-tote.com/ is right here in New Hampshire), double-side copies, reduce yard sign waste, etc. This stuff matters, but it cannot wait until November 5. We need some leadership now.
It is time for my Party--the party of Al Gore--to create a Green Committee. After a State Convention that was a near environmental travesty, leaders in the environmental movement here grumbled to me (as we gathered for lunch before a monthly meeting of different environmental organizations) that it was an embarrassment. I was a county chair and I assured them that I would do something.
Something needed to be done.
I decided I would ask Ray Buckley to appoint a Green Committee, so that we could address procurement, transportation, and other issues. I wrote to the whole State Executive Committee (roughly 43 people), but nothing has happened. Now overtures to meet and talk about why this and a passel of other issues are important have fallen flat.
AJS recently began airing nearly $90,000 in radio ads attacking Gov. Shaheen's record. The same group spent over $1 million attacking Shaheen in the 2002 Senate race. AJS has a long history of illegal campaign tactics. Public Citizen filed a complaint with the IRS in 2007 requesting that they revoke AJS's tax status because they were breaking election laws. And AJS had to pay a fine in 2006 for breaking Oklahoma's Telephone Consumer Protection Act in connection with a congressional race.
AJS has not filed with the FEC as a political campaign committee, which means they cannot run advertisements to influence the outcome of a federal campaign. Instead, AJS has hidden behind another section of the tax code in order to hide the identities of their campaign contributors. This means AJS can hide their contributors from public scrutiny, and may be illegally funneling corporate money into the election.
