MEMO/VIDEO: Bully Seeking Pulpit
Chris Christie enters the race as a brazen, outspoken bully hoping to use the 2016 pulpit to pull his GOP opponents like Jeb Bush further to the extreme right. With nine credit downgrades and a 30 percent approval rating under his belt, Christie has made the calculation that his charming personality alone won’t do the trick in the wake of Bridgegate. American Bridge is also releasing a new video that shows Christie is now aligning himself with the extreme wing of his party in an attempt to gain traction.
Bush didn’t pay federal taxes for at least three years, what else is he hiding?
We’ve seen this movie before: a Jeb Bush news dump headed into a holiday so he can claim transparency while keeping the big news safely buried. Here’s a start: Jeb! paid zero federal income tax in at least three years.
American Bridge is giving you a sneak peek at four of Bush’s returns already, and has made them available at the following links:
Scott Walker's Campaign Ailed By Budget Crisis
Scott Walker is suffering from 'Jeb Bush syndrome:' the closer he gets to his presidential announcement, the worse his headlines are. Walker plans to run on his record in Wisconsin but that list of achievements is quickly dwindling as the state faces a massive budget crisis. The governor has already lost the support of his state's Republican party, now he risks losing the national GOP's nomination before his campaign even officially begins. From the Chicago Tribune:
Once in lockstep with Walker, GOP lawmakers are flashing some independence as they struggle to make ends meet. They have refused to go along with the governor's proposed cuts in money for elementary and secondary schools and his plans to finance a big boost in road construction solely by borrowing. They have also forced him to moderate his proposed reductions in funds for higher education.
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From 2011 to 2014, the pace of private-sector employment growth in Wisconsin ranked 36th among the states and the District of Columbia, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Walker's state ranked behind all its Rust Belt neighbors, Illinois included. Wisconsin even trailed Kansas, which has been the focus of national attention after steep tax and spending cuts pushed by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback produced big government deficits but little economic pop.
Scott Walker deems his signature jobs program a massive failure.
When Scott Walker announced his signature job creation program, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, in 2011, he said he was "transforming" state government to align with "our most important mission: creating jobs."
Fast forward through years of scandal and shady backroom deals between Walker and his cronies, and you get this:
Coincidence?
PolitiFact crunched the numbers and Scott Walker was out of state at least 44 percent of the last five months -- ignoring his day job to test the warm, inviting presidential waters. Meanwhile, Wisconsin is dead last in job creation in the Midwest and on pace for record layoffs under Walker. His in-state job approval is also plummeting, down eight to 41 percent.
Any Port in a Storm? Portman Seeks Refuge from Record of Outsourcing American Jobs
If Rob Portman wants to remind us what a patent failure he was as United States Trade Representative under President George W. Bush, he's doing a "heckuva job." Portman is in the fight of political life this election cycle and he's making sure the hardworking men and women of Ohio know that he's on their side by cracking down on currency manipulation. “It is critical that any new trade agreement include effective tools to fight back against a practice that has resulted in the loss of millions of American jobs,” said Portman in a statement. It sure sounds like a reasonable message, if you completely ignore the messenger. Portman simply has no standing to talk about protecting American workers.
WisPolitics: $4.9 million in WEDC loans delinquent
Not only is Scott Walker's scandal-plagued, privatized job agency funding companies that are shipping Wisconsin jobs overseas, but it has a growing problem of loan delinquency. While Walker is out of state laying the groundwork for his presidential bid, his record as governor is crumbling beneath him at home. From WisPolitics.com:
The value of WEDC loans that are considered delinquent more than tripled in the last quarter. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. has been criticized for the number of delinquent loans in recent years. The numbers prepared for Thursday's board meeting show the value of those loans jumped from almost $1.3 million in the second quarter to $4.9 million.
National Journal: Walker’s lacking governing record is a disadvantage
While Scott Walker travels around the country trying out right wing sound bites for his presidential ambitions, he's letting his job responsibilities back home in Wisconsin fizzle out with layoffs on track to reach 10,000 this year -- the highest number since Walker took office. National Journal took a look at GOP governors running for president in 2016 and found that each -- especially Walker -- has had their popularity crater amid lackluster results. NJ asks, “Can you be disliked by a majority of your constituents back home and still make the case for being president?”
WEDC: Walker’s Expensive Corporate Welfare Failure
Eaton Corporation, a company awarded money by Scott Walker's Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), has announced the upcoming layoff of 93 workers at it's Watertown plant. The company previously faced criticism when it outsourced jobs to foreign countries shortly after receiving millions from WEDC. Eaton is just one example of the failures that have plagued Walker's WEDC -- including the governor's beloved Kohl's -- since its start.
MEMO: What To Expect In Nashua
TO: Interested Parties FROM: Brad Woodhouse, President, American Bridge 21st Century RE: What to Expect in Nashua DATE: April 17, 2015 Republican presidential candidates are descending like a swarm of locusts on Nashua, New Hampshire, this weekend for the NHGOP’s First in the Nation Leadership Summit. With more than 20 candidate events scheduled in addition to Friday and Saturday’s speaking slots, American Bridge will be working overtime to document every word from targeted candidates and continue our work holding Republicans accountable for their extreme positions and words. Here’s what we’re expecting to hear.