DFL DIRTY TRICKS IN SD 43? #2
I just received this press release.
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Senate Republican Leader Dick Day Denounces Dirty Campaign Tactics in Senate District 43 Special Election
Democrats Dirty Tricks Undermine Integrity and Public Trust in the Political Process, Says Day
(St. Paul) Today Senate Republican Leader Dick Day (R-Owatonna) denounced dirty campaign tactics being used by Democrats in Senate District 43, where a special election is scheduled for November 22 to fill a vacancy created by the appointment of Senator David Gaither to serve as Governor Pawlenty's Chief of Staff.
Reports of "push-polling", an opinion poll conducted with loaded questions or offering negative information to sway the opinions of those polled, have surfaced throughout Senate District 43 in recent days. Those receiving calls have reported false attacks against Plymouth Mayor Judy Johnson, the endorsed Republican in the race.
Questions targeting Johnson have included false or misleading information regarding issues such as Local Government Aid levels, police and fire personnel levels, and City of Plymouth tax rates during Johnson's term as Mayor. Other question implied that blame for the timing and cost of a special election falls squarely on Johnson's shoulders.
When reached for comment, Johnson - who has pledged to run a positive campaign - was surprised and disappointed to hear that negative tactics such as push-polling were taking place.
"These push-poll calls seek to not only undermine my service to the citizens of Plymouth, but my character and integrity as well," said Johnson. "I was very hopeful that this would be a clean, positive campaign on the issues most important to the residents of Senate District 43. These types of negative campaign tactics simply undermine the process as a whole, and lead to voter apathy. I have worked hard to cultivate broad support from Republicans, Independents and Democrats alike, which is why I am so surprised by these attacks."
"One question claims that under my watch, Plymouth's tax rate has risen. This is patently false," Johnson continued. "In fact, during my time as Mayor, Plymouth's tax rate has decreased every year. Plymouth has the lowest tax rate of all cities in Minnesota with populations over 25,000, and the fourth lowest tax rate for cities over 10,000."
Another question claims that under Johnson's watch, the number of police officers in Plymouth has been cut. In fact, Plymouth’s total police budget has risen from $6.5 million in 2002 to over $8 million in 2005, increasing the number of sworn officers by six.
"Through Mayor Johnson's leadership, she and the City Council have been staunch supporters of our City's public safety efforts. Their support affords us the opportunity to offer professional, comprehensive and prudent police services to this community, making Plymouth a safe place to live, work, and recreate," said Plymouth Police Chief Mike Goldstein.
"Once again, we're seeing that some Democrats only think they can win elections by resorting to underhanded smear tactics," said Day. "When those Democrats don't have any ideas of their own, they resort to lying to the voters, plain and simple. Fortunately, from my years in politics I've learned you can't scare your way into office."
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Senate Republican Leader Dick Day Denounces Dirty Campaign Tactics in Senate District 43 Special Election
Democrats Dirty Tricks Undermine Integrity and Public Trust in the Political Process, Says Day
(St. Paul) Today Senate Republican Leader Dick Day (R-Owatonna) denounced dirty campaign tactics being used by Democrats in Senate District 43, where a special election is scheduled for November 22 to fill a vacancy created by the appointment of Senator David Gaither to serve as Governor Pawlenty's Chief of Staff.
Reports of "push-polling", an opinion poll conducted with loaded questions or offering negative information to sway the opinions of those polled, have surfaced throughout Senate District 43 in recent days. Those receiving calls have reported false attacks against Plymouth Mayor Judy Johnson, the endorsed Republican in the race.
Questions targeting Johnson have included false or misleading information regarding issues such as Local Government Aid levels, police and fire personnel levels, and City of Plymouth tax rates during Johnson's term as Mayor. Other question implied that blame for the timing and cost of a special election falls squarely on Johnson's shoulders.
When reached for comment, Johnson - who has pledged to run a positive campaign - was surprised and disappointed to hear that negative tactics such as push-polling were taking place.
"These push-poll calls seek to not only undermine my service to the citizens of Plymouth, but my character and integrity as well," said Johnson. "I was very hopeful that this would be a clean, positive campaign on the issues most important to the residents of Senate District 43. These types of negative campaign tactics simply undermine the process as a whole, and lead to voter apathy. I have worked hard to cultivate broad support from Republicans, Independents and Democrats alike, which is why I am so surprised by these attacks."
"One question claims that under my watch, Plymouth's tax rate has risen. This is patently false," Johnson continued. "In fact, during my time as Mayor, Plymouth's tax rate has decreased every year. Plymouth has the lowest tax rate of all cities in Minnesota with populations over 25,000, and the fourth lowest tax rate for cities over 10,000."
Another question claims that under Johnson's watch, the number of police officers in Plymouth has been cut. In fact, Plymouth’s total police budget has risen from $6.5 million in 2002 to over $8 million in 2005, increasing the number of sworn officers by six.
"Through Mayor Johnson's leadership, she and the City Council have been staunch supporters of our City's public safety efforts. Their support affords us the opportunity to offer professional, comprehensive and prudent police services to this community, making Plymouth a safe place to live, work, and recreate," said Plymouth Police Chief Mike Goldstein.
"Once again, we're seeing that some Democrats only think they can win elections by resorting to underhanded smear tactics," said Day. "When those Democrats don't have any ideas of their own, they resort to lying to the voters, plain and simple. Fortunately, from my years in politics I've learned you can't scare your way into office."
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10 Comments:
Republicans ALWAYS use this little gem to either try to paint the DFLers as bad guys during an election or whiningly rationalize their losses afterwards. Republicans constantly engage in the same thing, only to a much higher degree. It's the purest form of hypocrisy: to a Republican, turnabout is not fair play.
I would like an example.
I've seen such things personally. In one of my campaigns, a blue van was out stealing my signs. In fact, one morning they were particularly stupid. My neighbor called me at 6:30 am saying "there's a van out front stealing your sign!". Sure enough, he had a van full of my signs. I ran out and he took off. Turned out he'd been busy for hours stealing maybe 25-35 of them around my neighborhood.
Why do some DFL'ers think it's necessary to cheat? Because they view politics as sport. Stealing signs or doing push polls aren't "cheating" to them, it's "just politics". There is no moral center in many of these people to stop them from discerning the difference between right and wrong. There isn't "right and wrong", only wins and losses.
Power is corrupting and some of these people will do anything they have to to get it and keep it.
Republicans constantly engage in the same thing, only to a much higher degree.
This is not accurate. It's a deflection of reality to try and say "they're just like us" when it's just not true. In my first House campaign I told my volunteers - "you will not cheat and if I find you did you will no longer be associated with this campaign". I had several democrats who helped me and they witnessed me stating this emphatically. Cheating in campaigns is repugnant and is always wrong no matter who does it.
Push polling is when you lie or use a "If you knew candidate X did _____, would that make you more or less liklely to vote for them; and your ____ phrase is not something they did but is trying to attach it to the candidate anyway. The Rybak campaign is complaining about an alleged push poll in Minneapolis too, but has no proof it happend.
My guess, the poll was worded just so, so that it is both technically acurate but could also be misleading. Competative campaigns use many checks to ensure they are not lieing, because the bad press you get from that is much worse than the small positive you get from the lie.
Also, everyone steals signs. Campaigners on both sides hate it because it just makes more busy work for them to get them back up.
Also, everyone steals signs.
Why do you assume all campaigns are cheaters? That's a smear that just not true.
My campaigns never stole signs. Campaigns I've worked on never stole signs (local or state). And I've even worked with a local candidate that was a democrat.
I hate it not because it's busy work. I hate it because it's against the law and it's wrong to do. Period. If you work on a campaign that does that, you should inform the candidate, release the volunteer from service and consider turning them into the police. It should not be taken so lightly. It is against the very principles of American democracy. I'm shocked anyone could even think of defending it.
Republicans here use it all the time. I can give examples from each year. This year? The Saint Paul chamber paid the Republicans to do it for Randy Kelly. I got a call and asked who's calling and was told it was from "RPM". I asked the caller if the republicans are calling for Randy Kelly now and she said "I guess so". Anyway, they asked who I was voting for mayor. When I said Coleman, they asked would I still vote for Coleman if I knew he was planning on raising taxes after Kelly has held the line for..."
In 2004, there were too many to count. In 2003, there was a special election in Maple Grove and RPM was caught push polling people about the DFL candidate and mismanagement of the police pension. They left the part out where he (DFLer) was the whistle-blower and exposed the mismanagement! Nice.
In 2002 RPM was out and about doing it for Pawlenty with the tax scare (lot of good that got us), and Coleman, reminding people of Wellstone's promise (until the crash, then they pulled the call).
It will take me a few minutes to remember more but those are the ones that stand out.
In this case, the DFL candidate is pissed about this and personally ready to walk away from this. The poll was done by the Senate Caucus independent of the candidate's input. Just the RPM polls.
I wonder if Mr Jordan has denounced any of the GOP push-polling?
I haven't watched his campaigns but I'm sure that he's aware at how angry some of his colleagues get when push-polling is done on their behalf.
Am I right? Did you talk to the MNGOP about unnecessary tactics, or is this outrage reserved for DFLers only?
Am I right? Did you talk to the MNGOP about unnecessary tactics, or is this outrage reserved for DFLers only?
It wasn't done for me so I can't speak to what the Party does for others.
I was speaking to illegal activities and I have stated here quite clearly that no matter who does it them, they're wrong.
Generally speaking, though, I have seen cheating by DFL'ers for years and rarely see it by Republicans. Not because I look the other way, I'd denounce it no matter. I just haven't seen it.
Who's the last legislator to be caught and convicted of cheating? Oh, that's right, the hybrid-driving lib Phyllis Con ... er ...Kahn.
Jordan wrote:
---Generally speaking, though, I have seen cheating by DFL'ers for years and rarely see it by Republicans. Not because I look the other way, I'd denounce it no matter. I just haven't seen it...Who's the last legislator to be caught and convicted of cheating? Oh, that's right, the hybrid-driving lib Phyllis Con ... er ...Kahn.----
Well, umm let's see?
There's the GOP vs GOP lawsuit over in Carver County over the lying to the public(Was the guy name Knight or McKnight?)
The fmr. State Party Chair, Ron Ebinsteiner, was INDICTED for cheating last year.
Tim Pawlenty was slapped with the biggest fine in Mn history for cheating.
I forget the deputy Commerce Commissioner's name, but he was also the Treasurer for Pawlentys' campaign, indicted and resigned.
More? I got 'em. Just ask.
Generally speaking, you seem to have selective memory. Very selective.
Nice that you disown your party actions when they do the same things you complain about the DFL doing. For some reason, your observations seem to just go after DFLers across the board, your party does the same of worse- you're ready to express some individuality.
Can't have it both ways.
By the way, that's my second post with real examples. You've given one or two. Can you match mine number to number?
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Thanks to MDE for letting me write without censorship. All partisanship aside- its cool of you.
OK- its settled. With the examples I provided AND the example the national Republicans are setting, its safe and accurate to say that the Republicans are the party of dirty tricks and cheaters.
Oh yeah- there was one example of
Phyllis Kahn taking campaign lit. Well, we can't be perfect across the board.
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