Posts by AB

MEMO: Josh Mandel: Raising Money & Raising Eyebrows

Ohio Senate candidate Josh Mandel has yet to do much in his campaign against Sen. Sherrod Brown. Well, he’s yet to do much besides raise money. And it seems he can’t even do that without raising eyebrows.

Last month it was revealed that 16 employees of Suarez Corporation, most of very modest means, all donated to the $5,000 to Mandel and/or Rep. Jim Renacci. As the Toledo Blade noted, “many of whom have never before given to federal campaigns.” The paper contacted one of the employees and wrote “When asked whether the company provided money or encouraged her to give, she said she couldn't talk about the matter at work.”

Mandel’s campaign has repeatedly skirted the issue and even recently proclaimed they were “proud” of the donations, despite their suspicious nature. Considering that Mandel is the Ohio State Treasurer, he should have a better idea where his money is coming from.

MEMO: Scott Brown’s Desperate Attempt To Rewrite History On Wall Street Reform

During a recent interview with New England Cable News, Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) attempted to rewrite the history of how 2010’s historic Wall Street Reform bill became law. Despite making nationwide news for delaying, obstructing and nearly torpedoing the entire process, Brown laughingly claimed, “I worked on it, I voted on it, I pushed it through.”

“Pushed it through”? Not so fast, Senator.

For weeks, Brown made headlines for threatening to derail Democrats’ efforts to rein in Wall Street in order to protect the big wigs that bankrolled his campaign.

Dallas Morning News: Pawlenty endorses Romney, raising some eyebrows

"Tim Pawlenty , the first casualty of Rick Perry's entry in the GOP presidential race, today threw his support to Perry's main rival, Mitt Romney, despite longstanding qualms about Romney's record on health care. [...] Democrats are having all sorts of fun with the conversion. The Democratic National Committee and American Bridge, a liberal political action committee, dusted off a series of damning comments Pawlenty aimed at Romney --- golden oldies date waaaaay back to... a month ago. "Obamacare was patterned after Mitt's plan in Massachusetts. And for Mitt or anyone else to say there aren't substantial similarities or they are not essentially the same plan -- it just isn't credible. So that's why I called it Obamneycare, and I think that's a fair label," Pawlenty said in Ames, Iowa, at an Aug. 11 debate. Two months before that, on Sean Hannity's show, Pawlenty asserted that Romney was directly responsible for the "development and construction of Obamacare." Romney, he said, "was involved in developing it, he really laid the groundwork...I don't think you can prosecute the political case against President Obama if you are a co-conspirator in one of the main charges against the president, on the political level."

TPM: Jon Bruning Explains Why He Compared Poor To Racoons

"When last we heard from Nebraska Attorney General Job Bruning (R), who is running for Senate, he was walking back comparisons he made between poor people on welfare and raccoons scavenging for insects. But he went on to blame “the liberal intelligentsia” for the controversy and defend the basic point. In a radio interview last month with local station KLIN, audio of which was posted Thursday by Democratic Super PAC American Bridge, Bruning said that he understands the struggles of the poor, but that his raccoon metaphor still holds up.

TPM: Rick Perry: 45 Year-Olds Should Really Be Talking About Retiring At Age 70 (VIDEO)

"Rick Perry, under fire for his Social Security views from all sides lately, threw another log on the blaze this weekend during a South Carolina town hall. Perry floated the idea that workers 45 years-old and younger might have to wait years longer than their elders to retire with government benefits, wading into an area of Social Security reform that is extremely controversial and politically dangerous..."

MEMO: Questions For The Republican Debate

Last month, the Republican Presidential candidates met on a debate stage about a week after the resolution of the debt ceiling debacle. In their attempts to top one another in their pandering to the Tea Party, their political brinksmanship outlined a vision for America that would have assured default and advocated dangerous economic policies that would push our economy over the edge. Tonight, the candidates meet while jobs are at the forefront of national attention. The American people want to see if these Republicans can offer something other than the failed policy prescriptions that got us into this mess. While Republicans want to talk about cutting taxes for corporations with record profits at the expense of the middle class, the American people expect answers to these questions...

RELEASE: American Bridge Slams Perry: “America’s Most Dangerous Cowboy Takes On Social Security”

Washington, DC – In a brand new video, American Bridge 21st Century blasts Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry over his dangerous views on Social Security and retirement security for America’s seniors. In thinking Social Security is an “abuse of the constitution,” a “lie” and a “ponzi scheme” that should be dismantled and forced on the states, Perry’s views are more extreme than we’ve seen in half a century. He doesn’t just think the program should be tweaked, but that it never should have existed in the first place. Miles outside the mainstream, Perry’s extreme views will continue to dog him throughout his campaign -- no matter whether it’s in the primary or the general. Just this morning, Karl Rove warned that Perry’s views on Social Security were “toxic in a general election environment and they are also toxic in a Republican primary.”

American Bridge Slams Perry: “America’s Most Dangerous Cowboy Takes On Social Security”

In a brand new video, American Bridge 21st Century blasts Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry over his dangerous views on Social Security and retirement security for America’s seniors. In thinking Social Security is an “abuse of the constitution,” a “lie” and a “ponzi scheme” that should be dismantled and forced on the states, Perry’s views are more extreme than we’ve seen in half a century. He doesn’t just think the program should be tweaked, but that it never should have existed in the first place. Miles outside the mainstream, Perry’s extreme views will continue to dog him throughout his campaign -- no matter whether it’s in the primary or the general. Just this morning, Karl Rove warned that Perry’s views on Social Security were “toxic in a general election environment and they are also toxic in a Republican primary.”

Journal Sentinal: Tammy Baldwin enters race for open Senate seat

The Journal Sentinal covers Tammy Baldwin's entry into the senate race in Wisconsin:

U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin of Madison announced Tuesday that she is entering the 2012 race to succeed retiring Democratic U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl.

Columbia Daily Tribune: Rep. Todd Akin Questions Constitutionality of Medicare

On September 4, 2011, the Columbia Daily Tribune reported:

In a meeting yesterday with Central Missouri tea party activists, U.S. Rep. Todd Akin said he has doubts about the constitutionality of Medicare and thinks global warming “is highly suspect.” Akin, a six-term congressman seeking the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, spent much of the 75 minutes attacking the expansive nature of the federal government, calling his opposition to federal health care changes a struggle against tyranny. The meeting was attended by about two dozen tea party activists. [...] Akin’s remarks questioning the constitutionality of Medicare came as he was explaining his vote against prescription coverage under the medical plan for seniors and people with disabilities. He said it was too expensive, and “it was expanding an entitlement I wasn’t too comfortable with to begin with.” Asked about the remarks after the meeting, Akin said, “I don’t find in the Constitution that it is the job of the government to provide health care.”