TheRiveraFiles.com Launches Today

WASHINGTON – Calling attention to the myriad ethical lapses and law enforcement investigations into Florida Rep. David Rivera, American Bridge 21st Century today released TheRiveraFiles.com. This website details the numerous investigations into Rivera’s alleged ethical violations, money laundering, tax evasion, and funding a fake primary challenge to his Democratic opponent.

Drop Huck

Log Cabin Republicans have fought to promote LGBT equality for many years. But right now, they’re on the eve of an important choice: Should they endorse Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan for President and Vice President of the United States? We’re calling on Log Cabin Republicans to stand in solidarity with our community: LGBT Americans and straight allies. Add your name to our letter asking Log Cabin Republicans to withhold their endorsement of the Romney / Ryan ticket.

BRIDGE BRIEFING: Romney's Record On Energy

Romney Supported The Ryan Budget Cutting Funding For Alternative Energy And Maintaining Tax Breaks And Subsidies For The Oil Industry

Romney Endorsed The FY2013 Ryan Plan Which Would Slash Funding For Energy Research And Eliminate Federal Subsidies For Alternative Energy Firms. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Last week, Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) unveiled a new Republican budget proposal that Romney and other GOP candidates quickly endorsed. Ryan’s budget would eliminate federal subsidies and tax breaks for alternative energy firms and would slash funding for energy research.” [Los Angeles Times, 3/25/12]

VIDEO: Todd Akin's Shocking "Legitimate Rape" Remark

Yesterday American Bridge researchers caught Todd Akin -- the Republican Senate candidate in Missouri -- when said on-camera that victims…

Mitt Gets Worse Releases Statement On Overwhelming Support Of Log Cabin Republicans Petition

WASHINGTON - Mitt Gets Worse founders David Brock of American Bridge and Rick Jacobs of Courage Campaign Super PAC released the following statement after the campaign's petition urging the Log Cabin Republicans to refrain from endorsing the Romney-Ryan ticket: "In just 24 hours, more than 15,000 people have joined our effort urging the Log Cabin Republicans to refrain from endorsing Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. We have enormous respect for the Log Cabin Republicans and all they've done to make life better for LGBT Americans. After examining their records, we're certain that under a Romney-Ryan administration, things would get worse. Much worse. We're hopeful that Log Cabin Republicans will live up to their reputation for independence and stand up for what they know is right. After all, If they didn’t endorse George W. Bush, why would they endorse Romney-Ryan, whose policies are as bad or worse than Bush's for LGBT people?”

MEMO: The Record Tommy Thompson Wants You To Forget

To: Interested Parties From: Matt Thornton, Senior Communications Adviser, American Bridge 21st Century Date: 8/14/2012 RE: The record Tommy Thompson wants you to forget Perhaps in a bout of nostalgia, Wisconsin Republicans have nominated former governor Tommy Thompson as their party’s Senate nominee. But much like seeing Brett Favre in Vikings purple, Wisconsin voters are in for the rude surprise that Thompson is no longer on their side. Thompson left the Badger State behind when he was tapped to serve in George W. Bush’s cabinet. Less clear is when he abandoned Wisconsin values to become the worst embodiment of Washington’s revolving-door. After leaving the Bush administration, Thompson cashed in on his public service experience, amassing over $13 million with help from his ties to the numerous companies for which he served on their boards or did “consulting.” His client list included more than a dozen pharmaceutical or health care companies which he had previously been entrusted to regulate. Moderate voters will also be disappointed to learn of Thompson’s far-right shift on health care during the primary to appeal to the Tea Party. Once a supporter of health care reform to ease the burden on struggling families, Thompson embraced radical Tea Party rhetoric to criticize the reform he earlier backed. Calling for health care reform to “be sent to the ash heap of history” is a far cry from the praise he showered on the bill he once called an “important step” – and one that made him a rich man. Tommy Thompson may be a familiar name for Wisconsin voters, but they’ll soon realize he’s not the same candidate they thought they knew.

VIDEO: Romney's Cayman Daydream

Wonder what was going through Mitt Romney's head when Paul Ryan went off script and bashed tax shelters for the wealthy during their 60 Minutes interview? American Bridge president Rodell Mollineau said, "Paul Ryan is off to a rough start, and not just because he's less popular than Sarah Palin or Dick Cheney. In one simple thought, Ryan both embarrassed Mitt Romney and spouted falsehoods about the Republicans' agenda. In truth, the Romney-Ryan plan not only fails to eliminate loopholes and giveaways, it places a heavy burden on the middle class by lowering tax rates for multimillionaires like Mitt Romney to less than 1%."

MEMO: The Record Todd Akin Wants You To Forget

To: Interested Parties From: Matt Thornton, Senior Communications Adviser, American Bridge 21st Century Date: 8/7/2012 RE: The record Todd Akin wants you to forget With Todd Akin’s stumble across the finish line in Missouri’s GOP primary tonight, The Republican party has nominated a candidate whose views are way outside the mainstream, and lacks the commonsense to make our government work for the people. From favoring a government default to his opposition to Medicare, Akin has proven his view fall far afield of most Missourians. These major flaws will prove problematic when he attempts to appeal to the broader general electorate. Once voters hear about his visceral plan to dismantle Social Security and Medicare, while supporting the Paul Ryan budget which gives major tax breaks to the wealthy, they will see him for what he is: a hyper-partisan more interested in rigid ideology than helping the citizens of Missouri. Secondly, he is an unabashed big spender when using the Taxpayer's credit card. He even went so far as to run a campaign ad touting pork he had secured. When compared with McCaskill’s leadership on earmark reform, Akin’s defense of government largesse will prove a difficult pill for voters to swallow.

MEMO: Abel Maldonado’s False Equivalency On Tax Delinquency

To: Interested Parties From: Ty Matsdorf, American Bridge 21st Century RE: Abel Maldonado’s False Equivalency On Taxes Date: 8-7-2012 Over the last couple of days, Abel Maldonado’s rampant abuse of the tax system and his IRS delinquencies have resurfaced in the media. While his abuses have been so longstanding that they may seem to be “old news,” it is worth remembering just how egregious they are. But first, as the issue of taxes has become a flash point in his Congressional race, it is important to dispel an emerging narrative: that both candidates in the race “have tax troubles.” Saying this is like saying Gabby Douglas and I are both gymnasts because I did a half-somersault while falling out of bed this morning. According to media reports, Congresswoman Capps had a clerical error that was immediately corrected upon discovery. Lt. Gov. Maldonado on the other hand abused the tax code over the course of several years, and still to this day hasn’t paid the more than $4 million he and his company owe in taxes. A quick refresher on the Maldonado record is after the jump.

Rob Portman's Foreign Agent Registration Form

Rob Portman’s Foreign Agent Registration Form, with which he registered as an agent of the dictatorship of Haiti and Sultanate of Oman: Portman Foreign Agent Registration Form