NH GOP - A Bad Week for N.H. Democrats

Cilley’s Bumpy Announcement Gets Worse, Shea-Porter’s Hypocrisy Highlighted

Good Afternoon,

In what started as a week Democrats probably thought would be positive, the tides have quickly turned.  First, Jackie Cilley’s gubernatorial announcement got off to a bumpy start, as we mentioned yesterday, that turned into a focus on her income tax flip-flopping, and today the Portsmouth Herald reports on Carol Shea-Porter’s PAC and lobbyist money hypocrisy. 

With Friends Like These

In case you weren’t convinced, we’ve found more proof that Cilley’s announcement rollout didn’t go according to plan.  For most campaigns a successful rollout is followed by positive media coverage and increased website traffic from people looking to learn more about the candidate.   As of this morning, Cilley’s page (linked from www.JackieCilley.com) showed a whopping six supporters. #GotMomentum?

Carol’s Careless Hypocrisy

Meanwhile, former Nancy Pelosi puppet Carol Shea-Porter finds herself on the wrong end of campaign promises.  The Portsmouth Herald reports today on the fact that she’s taken lobbyist money, despite pledges against doing so, and that her no-PAC-promise flies in the face of the $1.2 million she’s received from PACs throughout her career.  Carol’s intentionally misleading voters with her no corporate PAC promise – she takes money from some of the most influential PACs in Washington – big labor – and she takes money from Nancy Pelosi and other Democrat leaders who do take corporate PAC money.  Carol, are you for or against PACs?  It’s that simple, no caveats please.

What else?  Shea-Porter’s been a leading critic of super PACs, but a recent announcement by a liberal super PAC “will ultimately make Shea-Porter a beneficiary” of the same groups she so strongly opposes.  Even President Obama considers this hypocrisy: “You can’t say yesterday you don’t believe in [super PACs] and today you are having three-quarters of a million dollars being spent for you.” Will Carol flip-flop on super PACs just like Obama has?

Portsmouth Herald on Shea-Porter’s PAC, Lobbyist Hypocrisy: “While Shea-Porter Wednesday pointedly noted her refusal to accept corporate PAC donations, the New Hampshire Republican State Committee was quick to release a statement on what it called the ‘Shea-Porter hypocrisy.’ The committee pointed to a statement made by Shea-Porter in 2009, in which she claimed to take no money from lobbyists as well as corporate PACs, despite receiving contributions from a registered lobbyist: James Demers, president of the Demers Group and a former Democratic congressional candidate. At that time, Shea-Porter defended her decision to accept money from Demers, a former state legislator, whom she said contributed ‘as an individual.’ Tory Mazzola, executive director of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee, noted Shea-Porter raised nearly $500,000 from PACs in 2010 and that, over her entire career, has raised nearly $1.2 million from PACs. Wednesday's statement by the Shea-Porter campaign has ‘brought hypocrisy to a new low,’ he charged.” (Danielle Ryan, “Shea-Porter Takes Aim at Guinta’s PAC Donations, Portsmouth Herald, 2/9/2012)

Shea-Porter shares links to FEC PAC money

New Hampshire-  Today, former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, who is running for the NH-01 Congressional seat, shared links to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) site that identifies all of the political action committee money—PAC money—that both she and Republican Candidate Congressman Frank Guinta report to the Federal Election Commission.

Shea-Porter released the following statement with the links:

"New Hampshire voters deserve to see who is contributing to my campaign and who donates to Frank Guinta's campaign.   This list shows the PAC money given directly to and approved by the candidates so far this cycle.  I am highlighting the PAC money to increase accountability and transparency in the NH-01 race." 

Guinta: http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_give/2011_H0NH01217

Shea-Porter: http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_give/2011_H6NH01230

Shea-Porter statement about Congresswoman Giffords' resignation

New Hampshire-   Former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter released the following statement about the resignation of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords:

"My brave and funny and smart friend in Congress, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, has resigned. However, I know she will continue to serve and inspire the people of Arizona and this country, not only by what she has done, but by what she will continue to achieve. Congresswoman Giffords has shown us what public service means and what courage looks like. May God bless her and Mark and her chief of staff, my friend Pia Carusone,  who has been a pillar of strength and courage also."

Carol Shea-Porter statement on NH AG settlement with Rep. Frank Guinta's 2010 campaign polling consultant

New Hampshire-   Former Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter released the following statement about the New Hampshire Attorney General’s settlement with Rep. Frank Guinta’s 2010 campaign polling consultant, OnMessage, Inc..  

“Frank Guinta ran a nasty push poll against me in 2010 and his campaign consultants, OnMessage, Inc., illegally did not tell people that Mr. Guinta paid for that poll. I always knew every detail about every poll I paid for. That's called accountability and oversight. Saying you didn't know your consultants were breaking the law isn't good enough. ”

####

Background: http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2012/01/18/polling_company_to_pay_nh_15000_for_violations/

NRCC - Shea-Porter Heads to Washington with Hopes of Being the Next Obama-Pelosi Rubber Stamp

New Hampshire Democrat Recruit Meets With Washington Party Leaders Who Hand-Picked Her to Push for the Failed Obama-Pelosi Agenda

Washington --- With President Obama’s failed policies more unpopular than ever, Carol Shea-Porter is rushing to the aid of Washington Democrats today in hopes of returning Nancy Pelosi to the Speaker’s Chair. Since she has been hand-picked by Washington Democrat leaders, Pelosi and Obama know they can count on Shea-Porter to defend their years of failed leadership which has left middle-class families in New Hampshire facing increasingly dismal economic prospects.

“Today’s meeting in Washington makes it clear that President Obama is counting on Carol Shea-Porter to return Nancy Pelosi to the Speaker’s Chair so they can promote more of their failed taxing, spending and borrowing spree that will make a bad economy worse,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Shea-Porter will be nothing more than a rubber stamp for Obama and Pelosi’s broken policies, which voters are rejecting more than ever before.”

Democrat leaders are inviting their hand-selected, top recruits to Washington on Wednesday:

“The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is bringing over 100 of its top recruits to Washington on Wednesday for a day of training and meeting with top Democratic officials as they prepare their candidates for next year's election cycle in their hopes of taking back the House.” (Jessica Taylor, “DCCC Bringing Top Recruits to D.C.,” National Journal’s Hotline On Call Blog, 10/24/11)

They are counting on loyal candidates to support their Democrat agenda in the face of increasing unpopularity:

“House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to Christiane Amanpour, in a bite for ABC’s ‘This Week’ that didn’t make the show, on whether she would advise vulnerable Dems to invite President Obama into their districts to campaign with them: …

“The president would be well received by any one of our members into their districts. … [T]he consensus in our caucus that we're very proud of his coming forth with a jobs bill, with his speaking out about why it's important to the American people. His reelection is very important to the country. … [H]e's been a great president. And our members are very proud of him. And I think any one of us would love to have the president as a guest in our districts.” (Mike Allen, Politico’s Playbook, 10/9/11)

President Obama’s Democrat policies are now more unpopular than ever with American voters, underscoring the importance Democrat leaders are placing on finding loyal recruits:

“President Barack Obama's 11th quarter in office was the worst of his administration, based on his quarterly average job approval ratings. His 41% approval average is down six percentage points from his 10th quarter in office, and is nearly four points below his previous low of 45% during his seventh quarter.” (Jeffrey M. Jones, “Obama Job Approval Average Slides to New Low in 11th Quarter,” Gallup, 10/21/11)

Democrat leaders in Washington believe they’ve found the perfect new rubber stamp for their failed agenda in Carol Shea-Porter. However, it seems doubtful that middle-class families struggling with the bad economy in New Hampshire believe that installing Nancy Pelosi back into the Speaker’s Chair is the solution to years of failed Democrat leadership.

Shea-Porter Heads to Washington with Hopes of Being the Next Obama-Pelosi Rubber Stamp http://ow.ly/79ttc #madeinwdc