Pullen for the Party

“WILL THE REAL GABRIELLE GIFFORDS PLEASE STAND UP?”

PHOENIX, AZ – “Why won’t Gabrielle Giffords do the right thing? Why won’t she represent the needs of her constituents instead of the needs of liberal special interest groups? Why won’t Miss Giffords vote in private how she votes when the cameras are on?” questioned Arizona Republican Party Communications Director Brett Mecum.

“It looks like Giffords has the John Kerry playbook down pat. She voted to protect MoveOn.org before she voted against them,” continued Mecum.

Mecum referenced Gabrielle Giffords’ vote on the House Foreign Affairs Committee to try and stop the Pence amendment, which brought the motion condemning MoveOn.org to the floor of the House of Representatives. Just five minutes later, Giffords voted in the entire U.S. House of Representatives against MoveOn.org’s hate-filled personal attacks against the leader of our military in Iraq, General David Petraeus.

“Arizona voters want to know which Gabrielle Giffords they are going to get. They want to know if they have a representative who condones the hateful actions of MoveOn.org. They want to know if their representative in Congress tried to kill a measure condemning the organization behind closed doors and why she refuses to give back or donate the $5,000 in campaign contributions she received from this sick organization. They want to know if Miss Giffords is bought and paid for with MoveOn.org blood money.”

“Will the real Gabrielle Giffords please stand-up?” asked Mecum.

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AZGOP ON MITCHELL AND GIFFORDS: EARMARKS ANTICS AT THE EXPENSE OF KIDS

Phoenix, AZ – “When will Democrats like Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords start to tell the truth about their earmark antics in Congress?” questioned Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party. “Giffords and Mitchell had the opportunity to make government more transparent and they voted ‘no’. They had the ability to change the tone in Washington and they choose not to. And they had the ability to pass legislation for America’s neediest children and they choose to play politics and add secret pork. Do they really believe that no one is watching?”

Pullen’s comments are in response to the Democrats in Congress refusal to sign and approve a discharge petition allowing for immediate debate on legislation that would allow for transparency and accountability in the earmark process and prevent secret earmarks from being slipped into pending legislation.

“The Democrats have now misled the American people,” continued Pullen. They certified that the SCHIP bill, a bill that provides health insurance to America’s children most in need, was earmark free, now we find out about the secret earmarks. They pledged to bring transparency and accountability to the legislative process and earmark process, but we find that things have become far worse than when they initially took over. And they pledged to run the most ethical Congress in history, yet we see vote stealing, we see secret earmarks, and we see refusals to return money from groups that engage in hate-mongering. There is clearly outrage in America over the Democrats’ duplicity.”

For more information, please contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770 or at bmecum@azgop.org.

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AZGOP CRITICAL OF GRIJALVA VOTE

Pullen calls on Mitchell and Giffords to condemn

Phoenix, AZ – “Raul Grijalva’s vote today against a resolution condemning MoveOn.org’s libelous attacks on General Petraeus is an unconscionable action and simply in bad taste,” said Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party.

Pullen’s comments came after the United States House voted 341 to 79 to approve House Joint Resolution 52, a resolution that “condemns in the strongest possible terms the personal attacks made by the advocacy group MoveOn.org impugning the integrity and professionalism of General David H. Petraeus.” Grijalva was the lone member of the Arizona congressional delegation to vote against the measure.

“Grijalva’s Democrat colleagues such as Gabrielle Giffords and Harry Mitchell should publicly condemn Grijalva’s bad vote and stress to him, in the strongest possible terms, that voting in support of hateful groups like MoveOn.org, that regularly lie and have defamed a decorated war hero will no longer be tolerated by Arizonans or Americans,” said Pullen. “I am deeply disturbed by this whole incident and sincerely hope that Giffords and Mitchell will do the right thing and hope that Raul Grijalva will one day come to his senses. I’ll also remind Gabrielle Giffords that she ought to return the $5,000 in campaign funds that MoveOn.org had donated to her campaign last year. Keeping that kind of money seems immoral.”

For more information, please contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770 or at bmecum@azgop.org.

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AZGOP LAUDS HOUSE REPUBLICAN EARMARK REFORM

Takes Democrats to task for stifling reform

PHOENIX, AZ – “While campaigning last year, the Democrats made unfulfilled promises to the American people about how they were going to run the cleanest, most ethical Congress in history,” said state GOP Communications Director Brett Mecum. “It seems those statements were misleading and deceitful on the part of the Democrats.

“House Republican Leader John Boehner and his Republican conference should be commended and lauded for their relentless efforts this year to reform earmarks and bring a very secretive and obscure process out of the shadows.”

Mecum’s comments come as congressional Republicans called on House Democrats to implement reform measures aimed at making the earmark process more open and subject to greater accountability.

“It’s time the Democrats practiced what they preach,” continued Mecum. “With the antics the Democrats have engaged in since taking charge, from Gabrielle Giffords keeping her earmarks secret to Harry Mitchell stealing votes on the House floor, it’s no wonder that the Democrat controlled Congress scored an embarrassing 11-percent approval rating this week. They have lost the faith, confidence, and support of the American people. They have an opportunity to do the right thing, the ethical thing and support expanded earmark reform. But sadly, they would rather hurl partisan rhetoric and insults rather than trying to clean up their own house.”

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HOW LOW CAN THEY GO?

New poll shows Dem Congress at record low

Phoenix, AZ – “Just when you thought congressional approval ratings had hit rock bottom, the Democrats have proved otherwise and brought the U.S. Congress even lower to 11%,” said Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party. “I think the question on everybody’s minds now is: ‘How low can they go?’.”

Pullen’s comments came after he learned that the newest Zogby/ Reuters poll of likely voters showed the Democrat controlled Congress achieving a mere 11% approval rating.

“Maybe the Democrats wouldn’t have such a low approval rating if Gabrielle Giffords hadn’t supported the largest tax increase in U.S. history. Or maybe the Democrats wouldn’t be so low if Harry Mitchell hadn’t voted against full funding of the border fence as mandated by Congress,” said Pullen.

Pullen continued, “Maybe their approval ratings wouldn’t be so low if Giffords hadn’t voted for the Democrat bill that tied spending for our troops with billions of dollars in Democrat pork. Maybe they would have better numbers if Mitchell didn’t vote to cut seniors’ Medicare, increase taxes on private health insurance, and open the door to taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal aliens. Or maybe if Giffords hadn’t voted to strip American workers of their right to a secret ballot for union organizing elections and if Mitchell didn’t help “steal” a vote on the House floor, allowing benefits for illegal aliens, they might have better numbers.

“Americans want and deserve a Congress that will effectively represent the interests of American citizens. So far, the only interests that the Democrats have represented are there own,” concluded Pullen.

For more information, please contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770 or at bmecum@azgop.org

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Bruce Ash on Giffords' MoveOn Money

RNC National Committeeman, Bruce Ash, tackles the pressing issues of the day.

This week's commentary: Gabrielle Giffords and her MoveOn.org money

Click below to listen:
Download giffords_moveon_money.mp3

PULLEN CALLS FOR MOVEON.ORG APOLOGY

PHOENIX, AZ - “I understand that the people at Moveon.org had hoped the Democrat Congress would have surrendered in Iraq, surrendered to the terrorists and apologized to the rest of the world for Americans being American long before now – but they need to learn they can’t always get their way,” said Randy Pullen, Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party.

“Democrat US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is doing her best to repeal President Bush’s tax cuts and bring an end to the economic growth that has marked the last decade – Moveon.org might still get their way and the Welfare Society might still return,” Pullen said.

“Democrat US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has surrendered to anyone in the Middle East with at least a slingshot and a bad attitude causing doubt among troops and confidence among the enemy – so Moveon.org may yet get its way if Democrats can pull-out a pre-election defeat from the jaws of victory,” warned Pullen.

“Moveon.org’s stunt today was even more cowardly than Mrs. Pelosi or Reid,” Pullen said. “While giving Democrats cover during congressional testimony, the Democrats ultra-liberal front-group took grandstanding shots at a decorated soldier and unwavering patriot who has dedicated his life to serving his nation.

“Moveon.org ought to apologize to the American people and Democrats, like Arizona Democrat freshmen members of Congress, Gabrielle Giffords and Harry Mitchell, should return any and all campaign contributions received from this group,” Pullen said. “I think the Democrats might actually be better off taking money from fugitives from justice than pinning their election hopes on a group better described as a bunch of thugs, rather than a special interest group. Moveon.org and their Democrat cohorts will smear anyone, say anything or do whatever it takes to win elections no matter who they have to hurt in the process.

“Just when you think Democrat politics has reached rock-bottom, it turns out they can sink even further,” Pullen said.

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PULLEN CHIDES GIFFORDS’ “SPIN MACHINE”

State Dems on another “fishing expedition.”

PHOENIX, AZ – “Tim Bee has been an outstanding Senate President for Arizona and is far better in touch with the people of southern Arizona and the needs of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District than Gabrielle Giffords will ever be,” said Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party. Gabrielle Giffords did little while she was in the state legislature and now is doing more harm than good by voting with liberal Speaker Nancy Pelosi 94% of the time.“ This early preemptive strike on Senator Bee by the state Democrats is further proof that Gabrielle Giffords is frightened by the prospect of a Tim Bee candidacy.

“The record could not be more clear. Tim Bee in the Arizona Senate was instrumental in passing the largest tax-relief package in Arizona history, while Gabrielle Giffords, in her short tenure in Congress, voted for the largest tax increase in U.S. history. Giffords also supported stripping away workers right to privacy, voted to surrender in Iraq, received poor marks for her votes against ‘earmark’ reform, kept her ‘earmarks’ secret until public outrage forced her to disclose them, and helped Democrats spend ‘pork’ at record levels.

“Giffords and the Democrats cannot run from their poor record or intimidate a stand-up guy like Senator Bee with bogus inquiries and “fishing expeditions.”

“If Senate President Bee opts to run for Congress, it would be a great day for the citizens, families and job providers of the 8th District. But I hope that the 434 days until Election Day aren’t marred by the Democrats’ politics of hate like we’re seeing today. I’d hope that this new Hillaryesque tendency of all Democrats to make personal attacks so they don’t have to debate the issues won’t dominate Miss Giffords entire campaign. Arizona voters deserve so much better, even from a politician who has already broken so many of her campaign promises. Ms. Giffords only need look to herself for an explanation as to why the Democrat controlled Congress has attained the lowest approval rating in history.

“While Giffords and her Democrat playmates try and play the politics of ‘gotcha,’ Tim Bee is talking about the issues important to Arizona, such as tax relief, and less government spending; stronger families and secure borders, and better education and safer communities,” concluded Pullen.
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PULLEN CONGRATULATES FLAKE, FRANKS, AND SHADEGG;

CHIDES MITCHELL AND GIFFORDS ON ANNUAL CLUB FOR GROWTH “RePORK” CARD

PHOENIX, AZ – Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, congratulated Arizona Members of Congress Jeff Flake, Trent Franks, and John Shadegg for their efforts in combating wasteful “pork” spending in Congress. Flake, Franks, and Shadegg were part of a group of just 16 out of 435 Members of Congress who earned perfect 100% ratings on the annual Club for Growth “RePORK” scorecard.

“The outstanding scores, earned by three Republican members of our congressional delegation, show very clearly that when it comes to reducing wasteful government spending, it’s Arizona Republicans that are leading the nation,” said Pullen. “I congratulate Jeff Flake, Trent Franks, and John Shadegg for the amazing work they are doing on behalf of the people of Arizona. Please keep up the great work.”

In contrast, Arizona freshmen members of Congress Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords earned an abysmal 2% scores from the Club for Growth, having voted for only one out of the fifty anti-pork measures.

“It is disappointing that both Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords are two of the biggest offenders in the United States Congress when it comes to reckless earmark spending,” said Pullen. “During the campaign last year, Democrats like Mitchell and Giffords promised to change Washington. Then, as soon as they arrived, they turned their backs on the very people that elected them. Clearly, Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords have no respect for the office, their constituents, or the hard-earned dollars of the Arizona taxpayers whose trust they are betraying. With report cards like these, it’s no wonder that Mitchell and Giffords have helped to bring congressional approval ratings to their lowest point in history,” concluded Pullen.

For more information, please contact Brett Mecum at 602.957.7770 or at bmecum@azgop.org.

THIRD TIME IS NOT THE CHARM FOR GIFFORDS, DEMS

Press conference on fiscal responsibility postponed for third time

PHOENIX, AZ – “Gabrielle Giffords and her Democrat comrades talking about fiscal responsibility is like Hugo Chavez extolling the virtues of capitalism,” said Randy Pullen, chairman of the Arizona Republican Party.

Pullen’s comments were in response to news that Gabrielle Giffords and fellow members of the so-called “Blue Dog” Democrats had postponed a press conference on fiscal responsibility for the third consecutive time.

Pullen continued, “This would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. How can the American people trust Gabrielle Giffords and the Democrats to lead in Congress when they can’t even agree to hold a press conference?

“Beyond that, what kind of fiscally responsible record has Gabrielle Giffords or any Democrat had since taking control of Congress in January? They supported the largest tax increase in U.S. history. They proposed record amounts in pork barrel spending (which Giffords and other tried to keep secret.) It’s no wonder why the polls show that the Democrats have taken Congress to historic lows.

“When it comes to Giffords and the Democrats on fiscal responsibility, it’s three strikes and you’re out,” concluded Pullen.

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