J.D. HAYWORTH’S DANGED LIE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Brian Rogers

Thursday, May 13, 2010

(602) 604-2010

J.D. HAYWORTH’S DANGED LIE



Hayworth Campaign Doctors Video To Lie About Sen. McCain’s Stance On Border Fence


PHOENIX, AZ -- Today in an act of utter desperation and deception, Congressman J.D. Hayworth’s campaign unveiled a new website allegedly to tell the truth about Senator McCain’s position on the border fence, but blatantly lies by doctoring a video and editing a quote to mislead Arizona voters.

The Hayworth website doctors a video of Sen. McCain from a February 2010 Senate hearing to make it appear that Sen. McCain is
calling a physical fence “a waste of billions of dollars,” but the quote in its entirety clearly shows that Sen. McCain is actually talking about the failed SBInet virtual fence program -- which even groups supporting Congressman Hayworth such as the National Border Patrol Council have agreed with Sen. McCain is a “big waste of money.”

McCain 2010 Communications Director Brian Rogers issued the following statement on Congressman Hayworth’s danged lie:



“It’s troubling that Congressman Hayworth would go so far as to doctor a video and a quote to lie about Senator McCain’s record on a website he created allegedly dedicated to telling the truth. The fact that Congressman Hayworth is knowingly and willfully trying to deceive the voters of Arizona only adds to the mounting evidence that his word just can’t be trusted. This isn’t the first time Congressman Hayworth has been caught lying about Sen. McCain’s record on border security issues. It comes on the heels of Congressman Hayworth’s repeated assertions that the McCain-Kyl 10-point border security plan hadn’t been introduced as legislation after it already had been, and his false comments saying Sen. McCain switched his position on immigration reform in recent weeks -- a statement so false it earned Hayworth a ‘Pants on Fire’ rating from nonpartisan fact checkers at Politfact.com.

“Senator McCain believes that to earn Arizonans’ votes, you first have to respect them and tell the truth. Congressman Hayworth obviously disagrees.

“Sen. McCain has consistently called for and introduced legislation mandating fencing as key elements in the comprehensive approach to secure our southern border as far back as 2007 and as recently in the 10-point border security plan Senators McCain and Kyl introduced last month.”

– McCain 2010 Communications Director Brian Rogers



FACT CHECK: HAYWORTH CAMPAIGN LIES IN WEBSITE ALLEGEDLY TELLING THE TRUTH



New Hayworth Website And Press Release Touting “Truth” About McCain And Border Fence Deliberately Misrepresents Sen. McCain’s Statement To Falsely Assert That Sen. McCain Is Talking About Physical Fence When Fact Is He Was Talking About Failed Virtual Fence:


New Hayworth Website Launched Today (www.thecompletedangedtruth.com):



“Here’s the truth: While Sen. McCain’s paid advertisement calls for building the ‘danged fence’ now, he had a different message on February 24, 2010 before The Homeland Security Department’s Budget Submission for Fiscal Year 2011.



Sen. McCain said ‘…the border fence issue has been a waste of billions of dollars. One huge effort failed several years ago and now apparently this one as well. I’ve asked the chairpersons of this committee to if we . . . could have a hearing on [the fence which has been a] waste of billions of dollars in what seems to be an abject failure.’” (Hayworth Campaign Website, www.thecompletedangedtruth.com, Launched 5/13/10)




Hayworth Press Release:



“While his paid advertisement calls for building the ‘danged fence’ now, he had a different message on February 24, 2010 before The Homeland Security Department's Budget Submission for Fiscal Year 2011. Sen. McCain said: ‘...this border fence issue has been a waste of billions of dollars. One huge effort failed several years ago and now apparently this one as well. I've asked the chairpersons of this committee to if we ... could have a hearing on [the fence which has been a] waste of billions of dollars in what seems to be an abject failure.’ Homeland Security Budget Hearing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeWYbFvMII0” (Hayworth Press Release, “What's Next From McCain, Ocean-Front Property In Yuma?” 5/12/10)


Transcript Of McCain Statement Cited By Hayworth Campaign Shows That Sen. McCain Was Clearly Referring To The Virtual Fence -- Not The Physical Fence -- As “A Waste Of Billions Of Dollars.”



SEN. MCCAIN: “Well, I thank you. And now I'd like to just -- I know we've already been asked about this border fence issue. And I'm not blaming you, Madam Secretary, because I know this problem has been with us for some years. But this border fence issue has been a waste of billions of dollars. One huge effort failed several years ago and now apparently this one as well. I've asked the chairpersons, this committee, if we could have a hearing on this issue -- waste of billions of dollars and what seems to be an abject failure. I quote from a news article, Associated Press, an ambitious $6.7 billion government project to secure nearly the entire Mexican border with a, quote ‘virtual fence of cameras, ground sensors and radar is in jeopardy after a string of technical glitches and delays.’ I know you've been asked about that, but maybe you could talk to us a little more about it.”



SEC. NAPOLITANO: “Right. I think we're talking specifically about SBInet. And what I have shared with the committee is that the concept -- we can debate the concept as originally designed, but the plain fact of the matter is that the major milestones embodied in that concept have not been met, dates have not been satisfied. We will finish the first part of it because it's too far along to stop and we should finish it. But what I have done, Senator, is say, look, before we say we're going to do this along that whole -- the entire border plus northern border, we need to reevaluate and see if there's other better, smaller, more mobile, easier to maintain, easier to operate technologies that will pair with our actual boots on the ground in a more effective way to secure that border between the ports of entry.”



SEN. MCCAIN: “Isn't the second failure, the second failure of a virtual fence over the past 10 years I think.”



SEC. NAPOLITANO: “Yeah, I don't know what you're thinking of. It was the first virtual fence.”



SEN. MCCAIN: “A few years ago we had a contract with -- and they just weren't able to succeed. We'll go into that more I think in the hearings.” (Public Hearing, Senate Committee On Homeland Security And Governmental Affairs, 2/24/10)


View video of full statement and exchange with Sec. Napolitano: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWjNZ_MrNkM


News Reports The Day After The Hearing Confirmed That Sen. McCain Was Referencing The Virtual Fence -- Not Physical Fence.



“At a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday, John McCain, R-Ariz., called efforts to build a ‘virtual fence’ at the border ‘a waste of billions of dollars on what seems to be an abject failure.’” (Rob Margetta, “DHS Management Budget Again Takes Heat from Approps Subcommittee,” Congressional Quarterly, 2/25/10)


Border Patrol Officers That Have Endorsed Hayworth Also Oppose The Virtual Fence, Calling It A “Total Waste Of Money”:

Local 2544 Of The Border Patrol Agents Union – Which Hayworth Has Cited In Attacking McCain’s Record On Border Security – Called The Virtual Fence “A Complete And Total Waste Of Money.”

“The Department of Homeland Security is pulling in the reins on a high-priced border ‘virtual fence’ system plagued by cost overruns and missed deadlines since its launch four years ago. … The decision to freeze funding should have come years ago, said leaders with the Border Patrol agents union, the National Border Patrol Council. ‘It was a complete and total waste of money,’ said Brandon Judd, executive vice president of Local 2544, the Arizona chapter of the union. ‘This project should have been scrapped within a year of starting.’” (Brady McCombs, “'Virtual Fence' Runs Into A Virtual Stone Wall; Funds Frozen,” Arizona Daily Star, 3/17/10)


The National Border Patrol Council — Which Has Endorsed Haywoth — Called The Virtual Fence “A Big Waste Of Money.”



“It's been a rough week for the virtual fence being built on the U.S./Mexico border. The fence was supposed to cover most of the 2,000 miles from Texas to California with radar, cameras and sensors to detect illegal border crossers. But, after more than 4 years, only 28 miles have been built, all in Southern Arizona. … Keith Bocharski, of the National Border Patrol Council, says, ‘It's been a big waste of money. Within the first year of the program it seemed it wasn't working and it should have been scrapped right there.’” (“GAO Blasts Virtual Fence,” KVOA-TV, 3/18/10)



There Is Widespread Opposition To The Virtual Fence Among Conservatives — Some Of Whom Have Endorsed Hayworth:


Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC): “Virtual Fencing Won’t Solve The Problem.” “DeMint blamed Democrats for ‘gutting the best tool’ for securing the U.S. border. ‘Virtual fencing won't solve the problem and we need a real fence to deter the real problems of illegal immigration, terrorism, drug trafficking and human trafficking,’ he said.” (Walter Alarkon, “Appropriators Deal Blow To Border Fence,” The Hill, 10/7/09)


Former Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA): “Virtual Fencing Is Virtually Useless.” “The first 28 miles of ‘virtual fencing’ being deployed along our Southern border has failed to meet expectations according to last week’s congressional testimony by Richard Stana, Director of Homeland Security for the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Stana’s indictment of the hugely expensive, over-complicated and so far unworkable alternative to real border security reminds us of what we have known all along: that virtual fencing is virtually useless.” (Rep. Duncan Hunter, “Virtually De-Fenceless,” Human Events, 3/3/08)


Hayworth Endorser Michelle Malkin Called The Virtual Fence “The Fence In Name Only” And “Border Security You Can’t Believe In.”

“Border security you can’t believe in, via the AZ Star: ‘The flurry of fencing erected along the U.S.-Mexico border in the past three years by the Department of Homeland Security has cost more than expected, a government report shows. The 140 miles of pedestrian fencing put up under the Secure Border Initiative prior to Oct. 31 of last year cost an average of $3.9 million per mile with costs ranging from $400,000 to $15.1 million a mile, a Government Accountability Office report released Thursday found.’” (Michelle Malkin, “$3.9 million per mile for the Fence in Name Only,” Michelle Malkin (Blog), 1/30/09)


Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) Called The Virtual Fence “Ridiculous,” Noting Sarcastically, “If You Want To Defend A Virtual Country From Virtual Terrorists, Then Build A Virtual Fence.”

Tom Tancredo: “The president looks at borders differently than you and I do. He looks at them as speed bumps, I think, on a highway to some sort of economic association with Mexico and Canada. And especially he is sensitive to Mexico`s concerns about a fence; hence we are now moving into this -- we`re going to just simply have a virtual fence on the border.” Glenn Beck: “That’s ridiculous.” Tancredo: “You know, it is ridiculous. You know, if you want to defend a virtual country from virtual terrorists, then build a virtual fence.” (CNN’s “Glenn Beck,” 12/5/06)


Glenn Beck Is Opposed To The Virtual Fence.

“Politicians talk tough, but when it really comes down to it, the 2,000-mile fence turned into 700 miles. And as I told you when we were talking about it in the first place, it`s going to turn out to be a virtual fence, which if you’re not, you know, a politician, let me translate bull crap to English. That means zero miles of actual fence. … You know, I have to tell you, I said to -- I think it was Karl Rove -- I said, ‘You know what? I tell you what. You want the virtual fence on the border? That`s fabulous. I tell you what. Why don’t we start protecting the president and the White House with a virtual fence? Take down the big fence around the White House. You’d never do it because you could never secure the White House.’” (CNN’s “Glenn Beck,” 12/5/06)


Non-Partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) Outlined Virtual Fence Failures:


2010 GAO Report Outlined Failures Of Virtual Fence. "CBP’s SBI program is responsible for developing a comprehensive border protection system using technology, known as SBInet, and tactical infrastructure—fencing, roads, and lighting—along the southwest border to deter smugglers and aliens attempting illegal entry. Since fiscal year 2005, SBI has received funding amounting to about $4.5 billion. Approximately $1.6 billion has been allocated to SBInet and $2.6 billion to tactical infrastructure. ... In a September 2008 testimony, GAO reported that CBP plans to initially deploy SBInet technology along the southwest border had slipped from the end of 2008 to 2011 and that SBInet would have fewer capabilities than originally planned. As of April 2010, SBInet’s promised capabilities were still not operational. ... In January 2010, GAO reported that the number of new system defects identified over an 17 month period while testing was underway was generally increasing faster than the number of defects being fixed, not indicative of a maturing system. ... CBP reported that tactical infrastructure, coupled with additional trained agents, had increased the miles of the southwest border under control, but despite a $2.6 billion investment, it cannot account separately for the impact of tactical infrastructure."



(GAO Report, “Secure Border Initiative: DHS Has Faced Challenges Deploying Technology and Fencing Along the Southwest Border,” http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10651t.pdf 5/4/10)