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MN GOP PRESS RELEASE “BIG HYPOCRISY; POPULIST FRANKEN BASHES ‘BIG TOBACCO,’ WHILE JET SETTER FRANKEN SNEAKS OFF TO DC FOR SWANK FUNDRAISER AT MANSION OF REYNOLDS TOBACCO HEIR SMITH BAGLEY”
By Michael Brodkorb | September 18, 2007
St. Paul- Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey today called on Al Franken to explain to Minnesotans why he is in Washington, DC today raising money at a lavish fundraiser with big tobacco heir Smith Bagley after repeatedly railing against "big tobacco" during his campaign for U.S. Senate.
"Al Franken has repeatedly railed against the evils of 'big tobacco' and promised to stand up to the big special interests. But today Al Franken is in Washington, D.C. for a lavish fundraiser at the mansion of big tobacco heir Smith Bagley," Republican Party of Minnesota Chairman Ron Carey said at a Capitol news conference.
"Al Franken promised to be different but it’s clear he’s quickly become just another politician who says one thing and does another. Franken’s big hypocrisy is breathtaking and he must explain to Minnesotans why he has dropped his opposition to raising campaign cash from big tobacco," Carey stated.
"With apologies to one of the millionaire donors in the entertainment industry who will be performing today at the swank fundraiser in Washington: it’s clear Al Franken’s credibility is slip, sliding away," Carey concluded.
Doggone It, This Mega Rich Big Tobacco Heir Likes Franken
"Bagley is a grandson of tobacco magnate R.J. Reynolds and a major Democratic donor." (Frank Davies, "Poll Finds Americans Support Business with, Travel to Cuba," The Miami Herald, April 18, 2001)
Big Hypocrisy: Franken Rails Against Big Tobacco
"Franken told the assembled group that while Coleman takes money from 'Big Tobacco' and 'Big Oil,' he'll be raising money from ‘Big Comedy’ and that he wouldn't be writing any congressional earmarks for Hanks." (Frederick J. Frommer, “’Big Comedy' Helps Franken Get Off To Impressive Fundraising Start,” Associated Press, April 19, 2007)
"Let me select a totally random example: Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman (R-PHARMA). In the first fundraising quarter this year, he raised around $1.5 million. About a third of that came from PACs — tobacco, coal, insurance, etc." (Al Franken, "If You Ever Wonder Whether We Really Need Public Financing Of Elections In This Country" Huffingtonpost.Com, June 4, 2007)
Franken's Credibility Is Slip, Sliding Away
Team Franken's Andy Barr Rails Against Big Money In Politics. "We made a conscious decision early on to rely on grassroots support to fund our campaign. Today, we've shown that when people come together, they can be even more powerful than the special interests and corporate PACs backing Norm Coleman.” (Franken For Senate Press Release, July 8, 2007)
Today's Lavish Fundraiser Does Not Appear On Franken's List Of Campaign Events. (Al Franken For Senate Website, Accessed September 17, 2007)
### This post also appears on Blogs for Norm!, an online community and blog covering the 2008 U.S. Senate campaign in Minnesota. The primary goal of Blogs for Norm! is to organize bloggers who support U.S. Senator Norm Coleman.
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One Response to “MN GOP PRESS RELEASE “BIG HYPOCRISY; POPULIST FRANKEN BASHES ‘BIG TOBACCO,’ WHILE JET SETTER FRANKEN SNEAKS OFF TO DC FOR SWANK FUNDRAISER AT MANSION OF REYNOLDS TOBACCO HEIR SMITH BAGLEY””
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September 19th, 2007 at 9:29 AM
[...] This spin from Franken's campaign about accepting money from "big tobacco" sounds desperate and defensive: "Franken spokeswoman Jess McIntosh said there was no special-interest conflict. [...]