Dirty tricks and lack of proof
I heard the ad in question a couple times on WICO today and figured that soon there would be a response from Andy Harris’s camp – sure enough my e-mail got the following late this afternoon:
State Senator Andy Harris today called Wayne Gilchrest’s new attack ad an “outright fabrication.” He called on Gilchrest to stop engaging in negative attacks and start telling the voters the truth about where each of them stand on the issue of illegal immigration.
“I don’t think the contrast on this issue could be more clear,” said Andy Harris. “I oppose amnesty, Wayne Gilchrest supports it. This ad is a complete fabrication of the facts. The voters deserve better.”
Senator Allen Kittleman Republican Minority Whip said, “I am disappointed Gilchrest would resort to the dirty trick of intentionally misleading voters about a sitting state senator’s record, especially one with such a clear record of leadership on taxes and illegal immigration.”
Trending: Thank You
(snip)
In the negative attack ad, Gilchrest claims Andy supports giving illegal immigrants drivers’ licenses. Senator Janet Greenip, sponsor of the REAL ID Act of 2007, a law to crackdown on illegal immigration, points out this could not be further from the truth, “Andy has been a leader with me as we have fought to prevent illegal immigrants from receiving drivers’ licenses.”
Harris has a clear and a consistent record of leadership opposing illegal immigration while in the State Senate. This year, Andy’s leadership to filibuster a bill allowing in-state tuition for illegal immigrants in the Maryland State Senate killed the bill. Andy co-sponsored Senator Greenip’s REAL ID Act of 2007 to prevent illegal immigrants from receiving drivers’ licenses.
(snip)
“As a member of Congress, I will continue to oppose ALL forms of amnesty and will vote to secure our border,” said Andy Harris.
In the release, Harris picked out the same bills that I discussed previously in this post. But what Gilchrest has not done (and perhaps there’s an update that can be sent to me) is cite the bill that Harris voted for which states as Gilchrest claims. At least the Harris people send me proof of their charges, which I can check out. Until then, all I have is the smear tactic that an incumbent who may be running scared is using.
Oh, I know that this release has been on a couple other sites but I like to delve deeper into these things, plus I had an event this evening that I’ll write about on monoblogue tomorrow. Hope this was worth the wait.
Crossposted on monoblogue.
