Benishek cries foul over attack ad

NEWS RELEASES

DAN BENISHEK FOR CONGRESS

CONGRESSMAN BART STUPAK 1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN

***************************** Benishek lawyer asks stations to pull distortion ad

McDowell commercial is ‘deliberately misleading’ and was pulled off air once before

IRON MOUNTAIN, MI – The attorney for Dr. Dan Benishek's campaign today called on area television stations to remove from the airwaves an ad produced by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) on behalf of Gary McDowell as deliberately misleading.

Benishek campaign attorney Charlie Spies pointed out: "The DCCC tried to make the exact same spurious accusation against House candidate Tim Burns in Pittsburgh last May, its ad was swiftly pulled off the air by a prominent Pittsburgh station."

Spies noted that Factcheck.org, a non-partisan independent organization, found that the ad "fails to mention that the fair tax proposal would also repeal the federal income tax entirely and do away with the Internal Revenue Service. It would also eliminate gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare and self-employment taxes. But anyone viewing the DCCC‘s ad could easily conclude that Burns favored slapping a 23 percent sales tax on top of all existing taxes, which is not true."

Spies' request to station managers noted that each station has "a duty to protect the public from false, misleading or deceptive advertising. Failure to prevent the airing of false and misleading advertising‘ may be probative of an underlying abdication of licensee responsibility."

Spies concluded his letter by writing: "This ad is maliciously deceptive and misleading. We request that you immediately cease airing the ad."

Campaign Press Secretary Trent Benishek added: "Since Gary McDowell can‘t run on his Lansing record of voting to raise taxes, nor his support of the Obama-Pelosi agenda, his only recourse is a game of misdirection which is typical of a 27-year career politician. Dr. Benishek is confident that voters won‘t be fooled by Gary McDowell‘s malicious attacks."

Dr. Dan Benishek is a surgeon from Iron River, Michigan and the Republican nominee for Congress in Michigan’s 1st Congressional District.

Please visit his website at BenishekforCongress.com. ***************************** Stupak endorses McDowell  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) today formally announced his support for State Representative Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard) in the race to succeed him in Congress. 

Stupak has represented Michigan’s 1st Congressional District for the past 18 years, longer than any other congressman in the district’s history. 

Stupak, who plans to make campaign appearances with McDowell in October, said McDowell is the best candidate to continue the fight for northern Michigan in Congress.

“Gary McDowell is by far the best candidate to represent northern Michigan in Congress,” Stupak said. “Gary is honest, trustworthy, hardworking, dedicated and determined. His experience as a farmer, UPS driver, public servant, husband, father and grandfather provide him with the experience and life skills necessary to be an effective advocate for the people of Michigan’s 1st District. Gary’s dedication and commitment to public service and his tenacity in fighting for what he believes in will serve us well in Congress.

“I have worked side by side with Gary on many issues. When Canadian sewage was polluting the St. Mary’s River and the beaches of Sugar Island, we worked together to force our Canadian counterparts to accept responsibility and take corrective action. While I fought to secure federal grants to encourage the Mascoma company to construct a cellulosic ethanol plant in the Eastern Upper Peninsula, Gary was fighting just as hard at the state level. 

“Gary has pledged to continue the fight to protect our Great Lakes, bring new businesses and jobs to our communities, preserve Social Security and Medicare, and protect the pensions and benefits our workers and veterans have earned. Gary will continue to fight for funding to construct the new Soo lock; he will work to increase investment in our roads, bridges and waterways; and he will continue to support quality education for our children and families.

“Together we have accomplished a great deal. However, much more work remains to be done. The people of northern Michigan need a strong leader who will continue to fight for us in Washington. Northern Michigan needs Gary McDowell!”

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