A press release from the Now or Never PAC:
NOW OR NEVER PAC
DUCKWORTH (IL-8) TRIES TO GET NOW OR NEVER PAC AD PULLED, CLAIMING IT IS FALSE DESPITE OVERWHELMING PROOF THAT AD IS FACTUAL
Tammy Duckworth
Democratic Congressional candidate Tammy Duckworth (IL-8) is attempting to get ads produced by Now or Never PAC pulled from the airwaves.
Duckworth has been contacting stations claiming that the the PAC’s ad makes “false claims” about Duckworth’s record and is not “accurate.”
The ad in question, entitled “Better Off,” was released by Now or Never PAC last week:
NON-PAC Television Advertisement: “Better Off”
Duckworth: I think that the people in this district, and especially businesses, are better off.
VO: Better off? Come on, Tammy!
Hard-working families and businesses are struggling.
Better off?
Duckworth support Governor Blagojevich’s budget that increased taxes and spending by billions.
As a “Blago” appointee, an audit found Duckworth was guilty of misusing or misreporting four-million dollars of taxpayer money.
Tammy Duckworth, a Blagojevich pal who supports higher taxes and wasteful spending.
Maybe Tammy’s better off, but we aren’t.
VO: Now or Never PAC is responsible for the content of this advertising
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Duckworth is trying to discredit the advertisement and Now or Never PAC by calling the television spot “false.” But, the following source information makes it the case against Duckworth clear.
Claim: Tammy Duckworth thinks that the people in her district, and especially businesses, are better off.
Fact: On September 14th, 2012, during a televised 8th Congressional District Debate on WFLD Fox Chicago, Tammy Duckworth said “I think that the people in this district, and especially businesses, are better off.”
Source:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8kN2taXbtA (Begin Minute 45)
Claim: Hard working families and businesses are struggling.
Fact: Unemployment in the United States has been above 8% for 43 months in a row.
Source:
1. http://www.politifact.com/georgia/statements/2012/sep/14/phil-gingrey/unemployment-rate-comparable-great-depression-cong/
Claim: Tammy Duckworth supported Governor Blagojevich’s higher taxes and spending.
Fact: Tammy Duckworth Advocated for Governor Blagojevich’s Fiscal Year 2008 Budget. Governor Blagojevich’s 2008 budget included a “gross receipts tax” on businesses, and called for spending to be increased by $2.3 Billion over the previous year’s spending.
Sources:
1. Support for 2008 Blagojevich Budget: Kurt Erickson, “Duckworth: A ‘Perfect Storm’ Builds On Vets Care,” The [Bloomington, IL] Pantagraph, 3/25/07
2. Tax Increase in 2008 Blagojevich Budget: Courtney Klemm, “VA Director Advocates For ‘Families Initiative’,” [Illinois] Herald & Review, 3/23/07
3. Increased Spending in 2008 Blagojevich Budget: Chrissy Mancini, “Analysis Of The Fiscal Year 2008 Illinois General Fund Budget Proposal,” Center For Tax And Budget Accountability, May 2007
Claim: Tammy Duckworth was an appointee of Governor Blagojevich, and an audit found that Tammy Duckworth was guilty of misusing or misreporting $4 million of taxpayer funds.
Fact: Tammy Duckworth was appointed by former Governor Rod Blagojevich, and was the Executive Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs during the period of time in which an audit was conducted by the Illinois Office of the Auditor General. The audit of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs uncovered that more than $4 million in taxpayer funds had been misused or improperly reported.
Sources:
1. Tammy Duckworth was appointed to be the Executive Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich: http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=3&RecNum=5542
2. Tammy Duckworth was the Executive Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs from 12/15/06 – 2/6/09, and she was the Executive Director during the period in which the Illinois Office of the Auditor General conducted an audit: http://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/Compliance-Agency-List/DVA/FY08-DVA-Comp-full.pdf. Pages 1 and 77.
3. The Illinois Office of the Auditor General found more than $4 million in misused or misreported funds in an audit of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs while Tammy Duckworth was the Executive Director of the Department: http://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/Compliance-Agency-List/DVA/FY08-DVA-Comp-full.pdf. Pages 11 – 43.
4. The Illinois Office of the Auditor General states on Page 7 of their audit that “The management of State of Illinois, Department of Veterans’ Affairs – Central Office is responsible for compliance with these requirements.” http://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/Compliance-Agency-List/DVA/FY08-DVA-Comp-full.pdf Page 7.
5. Therefore, Tammy Duckworth was the Executive Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, appointed by Gov. Blagojevich, during the period of time in which Illinois Office of the Auditor General found more than $4 million in misused or misreported funds. Further, the Illinois Office of the Auditor General expressed in their audit that it is the responsibility of the Management of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs Central Office to comply with the regulations which were found deficient in the audit. As the Executive Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Tammy Duckworth was the manager for the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and therefore she was responsible for the deficiencies found in the audit.
The Now or Never Political Action Committee (NON-PAC) will fight to keep the ads on the air, despite Duckworth’s convenient memory-lapse about her time at the Department of Veterans Affairs and her comments that people in her state and district are “better off.”
