McCAIN CAMPAIGN RELEASES NEW TV AND RADIO ADS: “AVID EARMARKER”

CLICK HERE TO SEE "AVID EARMMARKER"!




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Brian Rogers
Thursday, May 27, 2010 (602) 604-2010

McCAIN CAMPAIGN RELEASES NEW TV AND RADIO ADS: “AVID EARMARKER”

PHOENIX, AZ -- U.S. Senator John McCain’s re-election campaign today released new television and radio ads, both called “Avid Earmarker,” contrasting the records of Senator John McCain and Congressman J.D. Hayworth on the issue of pork barrel earmark spending. The ads will run statewide beginning today.
During Congressman Hayworth’s 12 years in Washington, he was an “avid earmarker” -- exploiting the corrupt and wasteful practice of earmarking and voting for billions of dollars in wasteful pork barrel spending. In stark contrast, Senator McCain has never requested a pork barrel earmark, and has spent his entire career fighting against wasteful earmark spending which has bloated our budget and landed Members of Congress in jail.

**Watch the new McCain campaign television ad here**

**Listen to the new McCain campaign radio ad here**

Upon release of the new ads, McCain 2010 Communications Director Brian Rogers released the following statement:

“Congressman Hayworth is going to have a hard time
explaining to the people of Arizona his record as an ‘avid earmarker’ who voted for billions in wasteful government spending that Senator McCain voted against -- ranging from hundreds of thousands for Maui seaweed control to $223 million for the infamous ‘Bridge to Nowhere.’ Arizonans want a Senator who will stand up to the big spenders in Washington, not join them.”

– McCain 2010 Communications Director Brian Rogers

FACT CHECK: McCAIN TV AND RADIO ADS, “AVID EARMARKER”


Conservative Arizona Republic Columnist Robert Robb: “Hayworth Was An Avid Earmarker.”

“And then there is the matter of earmarks. Flake has correctly called them the gateway drug for runaway spending. They drive true fiscal conservatives nuts, since they mostly fund local projects that are none of the rightful business of the federal government. As a congressman, Hayworth was an avid earmarker.” (Robert Robb, Op-Ed, “Hayworth Wasn't A Fiscal Conservative Champ,” The Arizona Republic, 2/21/10)
Robb: “On Spending, [Hayworth] Was A Party Guy -- Getting Ahead By Going Along And Playing The Game.” (Robert Robb, Op-Ed, “Hayworth Wasn't A Fiscal Conservative Champ,” The Arizona Republic, 2/21/10)

Robb: Hayworth Was “Willing To Play The Pork Game If The Price [Was] Right” Even Though Earmarks “Are Part Of What Spins Federal Spending Out Of Control.”

“The three [Flake, Shadegg and Franks] were among only 56 to oppose the legislative branch appropriation and among only eight to vote against the water projects appropriation. … J.D. Hayworth and Rick Renzi are proving willing to play the pork game if the price is right. They issued a joint press release saying they supported the legislative appropriation because it contained more money to fight wildfires, never mind that such non-germane riders are part of what spins federal spending out of control.” (Robert Robb, Op-Ed, “An Ear To The Political Ground…,” The Arizona Republic, 10/22/03)

Former Bush Speechwriter Michael Gerson Described Hayworth As An “Enthusiastic” Earmarker.

“This skepticism is compounded by Hayworth's congressional record, which puts him in a select group among would-be Tea Party heroes. He is, I would bet, the only Tea Party candidate with a history of hosting fundraisers in lobbyist Jack Abramoff's sports skyboxes. How many other Tea Party revolutionaries have also been enthusiastic legislative earmarkers, or voted for the Medicare prescription drug benefit, or supported the 2005 highway bill, which included the ‘bridge to nowhere’?” (Michael Gerson, Op-Ed, “Tea Party Could Hit Its Boiling Point In Arizona Primary,” The Washington Post, 4/20/10)

According To The Wall Street Journal, In 2006 Hayworth Campaigned On The Pork Barrel Projects He Brought Back To His District, “Offend[ing] Many Fiscal Conservatives.”

“A member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, Mr. Hayworth has been on the defensive about both campaign contributions and his initially unreported use of sports skyboxes from disgraced Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his Indian tribal clients. To blunt such bad news, Mr. Hayworth boasts of the government funds that he has brought home, from a pedestrian bridge in Tempe to defense contracts for Arizona firms. Such claims win over some locals, but offend many fiscal conservatives.” (Jackie Calmes, “Republican Rebels Of '94 Now Face Their Own Revolt,” The Wall Street Journal, 11/3/06)

Hayworth’s Colleagues In The House Have Spoken Out Against His History Of Supporting Earmarks And Wasteful Spending:

Arizona Rep. John Shadegg Recalls That During His Time In Congress, Hayworth Was “On The Other Side Of Those Fights” From Conservatives Who Stood Up Against Earmarks And Excessive Spending. “Asked by Scarborough if he remembered Hayworth, who served in the House from 1995 to 2007, as a conservative member, Shadegg said ‘He had a fairly conservative voting record when he was in the House, but he was an earmarker.’ … Hayworth, Scarborough recalled, was ‘saying how dare you do this to poor Newt, blah, blah, blah, blah. And all we were trying to do was balance the budget.’ ‘Yeah, that’s right,’ Shadegg responded. ‘J.D. was on the other side of those fights from us “jihadists.”’” (By Andy Barr, “John Shadegg, Joe Scarborough Laugh At J.D. Hayworth,” Politico, 2/25/10)

Former Rep. Joe Scarborough Recalls Hayworth “Beating The Hell” Out Of Fiscal Conservatives In Republican Caucus Meetings, Screaming At Them For Fighting To Rein In Wasteful Spending.

“Scarborough then recalled one episode during his time in Congress when he and Shadegg were dressed down by Hayworth and Gingrich. ‘John Shadegg and I along with about seven, eight, nine Republicans used to give Newt Gingrich hell after Newt decided he liked earmarks and liked big spending. And [Gingrich] liked teaming up with Dave Obey and attacking us, and I’m quoting Newt, as “jihadists,”’ Scarborough said. ‘So Newt called us “jihadists” and I remember our friend JD Hayworth standing up in those caucus meetings and just beating the hell out of us.’” (By Andy Barr, “John Shadegg, Joe Scarborough Laugh At J.D. Hayworth,” Politico, 2/25/10)

Arizona Rep. Jeff Flake Described J.D. Hayworth’s Position On Earmarks As “Part Of The Problem” In Washington.

“‘While Senator McCain has offered countless bills and amendments in the U.S. Senate to address this problem, Congressman Hayworth’s position on earmarks was part of the problem. Republicans have spent the past several years trying to repair our fiscal reputation and regain voters’ trust. I hope that Congressman Hayworth will reconsider his position on earmarks and will support Senator McCain’s earmark reform efforts.’ – Congressman Jeff Flake (District 1)” (John McCain for Senate, “Congressman Jeff Flake Commends Senator John McCain For Principled Leadership On Earmark Reform And Challenges J.D. Hayworth To Reconsider Earmark Position,” Press Release, 3/15/10)

Congressman Hayworth Voted For Thousands Of Earmarks Worth Billions Of Dollars That John McCain Voted Against:

Hayworth Voted For The Pork-Laden 2005 Transportation Funding Bill, Which John McCain Voted Against. “Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl along with Reps. Jeff Flake and John Shadegg, all Republicans, were four of just 12 members of Congress to vote against the transportation bill on July 29. … Arizona's six other members of Congress -- Republicans J.D. Hayworth, Rick Renzi, Trent Franks and Jim Kolbe, and Democrats Ed Pastor and Raul Grijalva -- did vote for the bill.” (Billy House, “Ariz. Ranks Last In Road 'Pork',” The Arizona Republic, 8/11/05)

The 2005 Transportation Bill Alone Contained $24 Billion For A Then Record-Setting 6,371 Earmarks.

“In 1987, former President Ronald Reagan vetoed a transportation bill because it included 152 earmarks worth $1.4 billion. Yet last year, Congress passed a transportation bill stuffed with 6,371 earmarks worth $24 billion. President George W. Bush signed it. Projects in last year's bill included the two notorious "bridges to nowhere," in remote parts of Alaska, worth more than $450 million between them. Only public exposure, and the outrage that followed, persuaded Congress to rescind funding for the bridges.” (Editorial, “Lobbyists' Bidding,” Orlando Sentinel, 2/3/06)

Hayworth Has Voted For Thousands Of Earmarks John McCain Voted Against, Including:

• $220,000 To Renovate Blueberry Hill Farm In Maine. (H.R. 2673: House Vote #676, 12/8/03; Senate Vote #3, 1/22/04)

• $250,000 To Control Seaweed Accumulation In Maui. (H.R. 2620: House Vote #434, 11/8/01; Senate Vote #334, 11/8/01)

• $5.8 Million For A Snowmobile Trail In Vermont. (H.R. 3: House Vote #453, 7/29/05; Senate Vote #220, 7/29/05)- $300,000 For Manure Management Systems In South Carolina. (H.R. 4461: House Vote #525, 10/11/00; Senate Vote #277, 10/18/00)

• $3 Million For A Planetarium In Chicago. (H.R. 2684: House Vote #500, 10/14/99; Senate Vote #328, 10/15/99)- $300,000 To Map The Genes Of Chickens In Michigan. (H.R. 4461: House Vote #525, 10/11/00; Senate Vote #277, 10/18/00)

• $223 Million For The “Bridge To Nowhere.” (H.R. 3: House Vote #453, 7/29/05; Senate Vote #220, 7/29/05)

To This Day, Congressman J.D. Hayworth Continues To Defend The Practice Of Earmarking:

To This Day, Congressman Hayworth Continues To Defend The Practice Of Pork Barrel Earmarking. Hayworth: “And let’s make sure we understand what earmarks are, because things get demonized to the point where sometimes you lose their meaning. Look, the Constitution provides for the appropriations process for spending. But the problem is that a lot of people have been spending things without any merit. Now on the flip side, do you want to put the unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats in charge of the purse? No, I don’t think so. I think what you want is legislatively directed spending that is open and is transparent and is not overboard.” (The Steve Gill Show, 4/8/10)

Hayworth Has Defended Voting For Pork Barrel Earmarks, Even Though He Concedes Some The Spending He Voted For Is “Wasteful.”

“J.D. Hayworth's campaign manager, David Payne, today issued the following sharp rebuke of a new television ad by incumbent Senator John McCain attacking Hayworth for supporting the 2005 Highway bill, which included wasteful earmarks like Alaska's ‘Bridge to Nowhere,’ but which also included $833 million for border security programs. ‘After 28 years in Washington, John McCain has learned Washington's tricks, raking in millions of dollars to buy typically misleading negative ads that distort the records of his opponents. Sorry, Senator: Arizonans won't be fooled.’” (J.D. Hayworth 2010, “McCain's Millions Buy Misleading Washington Ad,” Press Release, 3/17/10)