DNC - On The Ropes: Gomez Now Trying, Failing To Distance Himself From Infamous Role As Spokesman For OPSEC

On The Ropes: Gomez Now Trying, Failing To Distance Himself 
From Infamous Role As Spokesman For Right-Wing Attack Group That Led "Swift Boat" Effort Against
President Obama In 2012

Gomez Was Spokesman For OPSEC Group That Spent $500k In 2012
Accusing President Obama Of Politicizing bin Laden Death

 
One Year Later, Gomez Says "I Was Never Associated With OPSEC"

 

BOSTON – A year after gaining notoriety for his role as spokesman for Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund, Gabriel Gomez is now scrambling to wash his hands clean of the right-wing, secretly-funded attack group, which spent half a million dollars airing "swift-boat" attack ads against President Obama in 2012.
 
Yesterday – for the very first time in more than a year since being OPSEC's spokesman – Gomez shockingly claimed, "I was never associated with OPSEC… I wasn't part of OPSEC."
 
FACT CHECK: Pants on Fire, according to virtually every single media report since 2012.
 
"No matter how hard he tries, Gabriel Gomez can't change the fact that less than a year before launching his flailing campaign for Senate, he was a spokesman for a right-wing, secretly-funded attack group that tried to 'swift-boat' President Obama's handling of the death of Osama bin Laden," said Massachusetts Democratic Party spokeswoman Samantha Hooper. "Gabriel Gomez's well documented record of being a spokesman for the infamous group that spent half a million dollars on attack ads against President Obama is a clear example of how he is just another extremist Republican who can't be trusted to fight for Massachusetts."
 
BACKGROUND
 
GOMEZ WAS THE SPOKESMEN FOR A GROUP THAT SPENT ALMOST $500,000 FALSELY ATTACKING PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR POLITICIZING THE DEATH OF BIN LADEN.
 
Gomez Actively Spoke Up For “A Controversial Video Attacking President Obama.”  According to the Springfield Republican, ‘Before he was a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, Gabriel Gomez was active in an organization that released a controversial video attacking President Barack Obama for jeopardizing national security by releasing information related to the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden.’ [Springfield Republican, 02/15/2013]

Headline – ‘Massachusetts Senate Candidate Gabriel Gomez Was Spokesman For Controversial Anti-Obama Film’  [Springfield Republican, 02/15/2013]
 
OPSEC Spent Nearly $500,000 Attacking President Obama. During the 2012 election cycle, Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund spent $485,000 attacking President Obama. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/25/13]
 
PolitiFact Rated Claims By OPSEC “Half True,” “Mostly False,” And “False.” PolitiFact rated the accuracy of three claims made by OPSEC about President Obama.  PolitiFact criticized the group, which it noted “claims it isn't favoring a candidate,” but added “it's clear Obama is being targeted.” PolitiFact noted serious concerns with each of the claims it rated, calling the first “half true,” the second “mostly false,” and the last “false.” [PolitiFact, OPSEC]
 
FACT CHECK: GOMEZ CAN’T HIDE FROM HIS RECORD.
 
CLAIM: GOMEZ NOW SAYS “I WAS NEVER ASSOCIATED WITH OPSEC. I NEVER DONATED TO OPSEC. I WASN’T PART OF OPSEC.” 

Springfield Republican: Gomez Now Claims ““I Was Never Associated With OPSEC. I Never Donated To OPSEC. I Wasn’t Part Of OPSEC.” The Springfield Republican reported on May 7th that Gomez “for the first time distanced himself from OPSEC, though he stood by its message. ‘I did two interviews for OPSEC,’ Gomez said. ‘I was never associated with OPSEC. I never donated to OPSEC. I wasn’t part of OPSEC.’” [Springfield Republican, 5/7/13] 
 
FACT: GOMEZ WAS BILLED AS A “MEMBER” OF THE GROUP WHEN HE APPEARED ON MSNBC, AND REFERRED TO THE ATTACKS “WE WERE TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT IN THE VIDEO.” 

Gomez Appeared On MSNBC As “Member” Of OPSEC; Referred To OPSEC In The 1st Person. Smerconish introduced Gomez on MSNBC saying he was “a former Navy Seal who's a member of the OPSEC group.”  Throughout his conversation with Smerconish, Gomez referred to himself and the group in the first person, for example: “I think one of the points that we try to highlight through the video, if you look at some of the prior war time Presidents, you look at Lincoln, you look at Eisenhower, they only gave credit to the troops. That's what we were trying to highlight in the video.” [MSNBC, August 2012] 
 
FACT: GOMEZ WAS A “SPOKESMAN” FOR OPSEC, ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE PUBLISHED ACCOUNTS.
 
Bloomberg: Gomez “was a spokesman for a group called Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund.” “Democrats want to focus on another aspect of Gomez’s past. In 2012, he was a spokesman for a group called Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund, which released a 22-minute video criticizing Obama for, it asserted, politicizing the killing of Osama bin Laden in a U.S. raid.” [Bloomberg, 5/3/13] 
 
Boston.com: Gomez “Was A Spokesman For the Conservative Group During The 2012 Presidential Election.” “Gomez, a former Navy SEAL, was a spokesman for the conservative group during the 2012 presidential election, when it accused Obama of exploiting the killing of Osama bin Laden and endangering troops for political purpose.” [Boston.com, 4/26/13] 
 
Springfield Republican [headline]: “Massachusetts Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez was spokesman for controversial anti-Obama film” “Before he was a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, Gabriel Gomez was active in an organization that released a controversial video attacking President Barack Obama for jeopardizing national security by releasing information related to the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden.” [Springfield Republican, 2/15/13]

NHDP - Debbie Wasserman Schultz to Keynote McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner Saturday

Concord - Democratic National Committee Chair and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz will deliver the keynote address at the New Hampshire Democratic Party's annual McIntyre Shaheen 100 Club Dinner along with Governor Maggie Hassan, Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, and Congresswoman Annie Kuster, this Saturday April 6th, 2013.

In 2012, New Hampshire Democrats led the way, electing the only female Democratic governor in the country, first and only all-female Congressional delegation, and making historic gains on the Executive Council and in the House and Senate.   This will be the first New Hampshire Democratic Party event featuring Governor Hassan, Senator Shaheen, and Congresswomen Shea-Porter and Kuster all together.

Fifty four years ago, New Hampshire Democrats started the 100 Club Dinner to promote the candidacy of John F. Kennedy for President and tradition lives on, attracting the most prominent speakers year after year.

A very special video invitation from DNC Chair and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz can be found here. 

What: McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner

When: April 6th, 2013; Media sign-in at 6:15 PM

Where: Executive Court, 1199 Mammoth Rd, Manchester, NH

DNC Video: #GOPSequester: 98 Percent of What They Wanted

Republicans in Congress got what they wanted – the GOP sequester cuts. John Boehner may have gotten 98 percent of what he wanted with these cuts, but communities across the country are bracing for their harmful impact. As President Obama made clear, these cuts are not smart, they are not fair, and they don't need to happen if congressional Republicans step up and do what's right — accept a balanced approach to growing our economy and reducing our deficit. 

Check out the New DNC Video, #GOPSequester: 98 Percent of What They Wanted - http://youtu.be/lw0lh7p4jk8

DNC - I'm Coming to New Hampshire!

Friend --

I wanted you to be the first to know that I am coming to this year's McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner on April 6 and could not be more excited! 

Click here to join me at the 100 Club.

New Hampshire led the way last fall in re-electing President Obama and I am looking forward to spending the evening with so many great New Hampshire Democrats!  You made history up and down the ballot I am thrilled to join the celebration at the McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner.   

Because of your hard work, Maggie Hassan is the only female Democratic governor in the country.  Jeanne Shaheen is the only woman to be elected Governor and US Senator.  And my colleagues Carol Shea-Porter and Annie Kuster are part of the first and only all-female Congressional delegation in the country.  And President Barack Obama has four more years to keep moving our country forward! 

I cannot wait to share the stage with these amazing leaders and look forward to seeing you on April 6!

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Chairwoman

Democratic National Committee

 

Paid for by the New Hampshire Democratic Party and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. Contributions are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes. Federal law requires us to use our best efforts to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and employer of individuals whose contributions exceed $200 in a calendar year. Your contribution will be used in connection with federal elections and is subject to the limitations and prohibitions of the Federal Election Campaign Act. We are asking for donations of $10,000 from individuals per calendar year to the New Hampshire Democratic Party. We are not asking for, and will not accept for this event, contributions in excess of the federal limits, or funds from corporations, labor organizations, registered federal lobbyists, registered foreign agents, federal political action committees, minors under the age of 16, and/or other federally prohibited sources.

DNC - Boston Herald: Romney camp downplaying NH

Key Point: Romney campaign strategist Tom Rath said the former Massachusetts governor aims to win New Hampshire’s 4 electoral votes, but could still earn the Oval Office without it.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view.bg?articleid=1061171478&srvc=rss

Romney focuses on Midwest over N.H.

Mitt slow with Granite counter

By Hillary Chabot

Mitt Romney has been snubbing his own backyard of New Hampshire in favor of do-or-die states such as Ohio, putting a win in the battleground Granite State on the back burner even as his campaign sought to expand into Democratic turf yesterday by purchasing campaign ads in Pennsylvania.

“Obama’s been here four or five times since Labor Day, and Romney has only been here once,” said Andy Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire’s Survey Center. “I don’t think they’ve given up on New Hampshire, I just think there are other states they are much more focused on.”

Obama outpaced Romney in ad buys in the Granite State by 5-to-1, said Smith, until this week, when Romney began airing several ads in the Boston media market. The emphasis on other swing states indicates a laser-like focus on clinching 270 electoral votes, Smith said.

“I think that’s why he’s not investing as much time and resources in New Hampshire than in other states. If he wins Ohio, he has a much better chance,” Smith said.

Romney remains nearly neck-and-neck with Obama in New Hampshire, with Obama holding only a 2 percentage point edge, according to a realclearpolitics.com average of recent polls.

Romney was scheduled to campaign in New Hampshire last night, but had to cancel because of Hurricane Sandy. He does have a stop planned for Monday in Manchester with Kid Rock.

Romney campaign strategist Tom Rath said the former Massachusetts governor aims to win New Hampshire’s 4 electoral votes, but could still earn the Oval Office without it.

“If you’re asking if he can win the election without New Hampshire, then yes he can, but I want him to win it with New Hampshire,” Rath said, pointing out that the campaign has sent out seven mailings, knocked on countless doors and done telephone banks. “We’re very competitive and we intend to win this state.”

Meanwhile, Romney all but declared war on the Democratic stronghold of Pennsylvania yesterday, launching an ad buy and releasing a campaign memo from political director Rich Beeson that listed both Pennsylvania and New Hampshire as competitive states that team Obama was once sure it would win.

“While the Obama campaign would like to wish it is 2008, the reality is that they are now forced to ‘play defense’ in at least six states (Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Colorado, New Hampshire, Iowa and Wisconsin) that they once believed were ‘safe’ Obama wins,” Beeson wrote.

Obama’s campaign dismissed the Pennsylvania ad buys, as well as Romney’s spending in Michigan and Minnesota, as fruitless.

“Now, like Republicans did in 2008, they are throwing money at states where they never built an organization and have been losing for two years. Let’s be very clear, the Romney campaign and its allies’ decision to go up with advertising in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Minnesota is a decision made out of weakness, not strength,” Obama campaign manager Jim Messina said in a statement.

-— hillary.chabot@bostonherald.com