Wednesday, August 29, 2012

CD6: GOP Mailer Attacks John Delaney for Polluted Landfill // Delaney Says Not My Dump, Asks Roscoe Bartlett to Denounce

UPDATE: Maryland Juice has confirmed that this mail piece was sent to some Montgomery County Democratic households. Notably, the piece is attacking Delaney on an environmental issue, so clearly the Maryland GOP is feeling the need to try and erode the Democrats' support for their candidate. 

COORDINATED MAIL CAMPAIGN? Also see the authority line for the mail piece here (at right). The Maryland Republican Party sent this piece as an independent effort. But the Maryland GOP's Chair is Alex Mooney, who also works for Rep. Roscoe Bartlett. Is it really plausible that this mail campaign was not coordinated? Note that it is illegal for independent expenditures to be coordinated with campaigns. Hmm.

Maryland Juice received a copy of a recent direct mail piece attacking John Delaney, the Democrats' nominee in the 6th Congressional District. The piece (copied below) was allegedly sent by the Maryland Republican Party, and it criticizes a landfill funded by Delaney's company CapitalSource. Below we provide a response from the Delaney campaign.

The text of the mailer says:
The John Delaney Landfill Record

x  Illegally dumped thousands of tons of trash
x  Allowing polluted storm water to flow from the dump
x  Failing to properly dispose of or cover trash
x  Running a landfill that attracted rats
Maryland GOP Direct Mail Attack on John Delaney


John Delaney's campaign responded to the mailer with the following press statement:

PRESS RELEASE 
 
Maryland GOP Launches Blatantly False Attack on John Delaney’s Business Record

John Delaney asks Roscoe Bartlett to renounce these attacks and stand up for the truth

GAITHERSBURG - The Maryland GOP, under the leadership of Chairman Alex Mooney (also a Bartlett Congressional staffer) recently launched the first negative mailer of the general election, falsely accusing John Delaney of owning and operating a landfill.  John Delaney has never owned or operated a landfill. None of Delaney’s companies have ever owned or operated a landfill.

Just last week Congressman Roscoe Bartlett’s campaign stated in a press release; “This is the type of negative politics that Marylanders are sick and tired of”. If Bartlett stands by this statement he should renounce this false attack and demand that his supporters at the Maryland Republican Party immediately stop sending out factually inaccurate mailers on Delaney’s private sector experience.

If Congressman Bartlett renounces these tactics he should also clarify if his campaign transferred money to the Maryland Republican Party to help pay for this mailing.

“Regrettably this is the kind of shameful behavior people have come to expect from other career politicians; but we had hoped that Congressman Bartlett was different,” said Delaney Campaign Manager Justin Schall. “Congressman Bartlett might want to remember that the last time the political establishment falsely attacked John Delaney’s business record voters responded by giving John a 25 point victory.”

John Delaney added,“The attack on me and my business is utterly and completely wrong.  I have never owned or operated a landfill and unless the Congressman renounces these false accusations we can only conclude that he endorses political tactics that condemn legitimate free enterprise.  I believe attempts to destroy the reputation of legitimate business practices in the name of political gain is an attack on our entire system of free markets and free enterprise.”

The Facts
  • The company John Delaney founded, CapitalSource, is a lender who provides loans to thousands of businesses
  • Neither John Delaney nor CapitalSource has owned or operated a landfill
  • CapitalSource loaned money to National Waste Services of Virginia, it is simply one of the more than 5,000 companies that have received loans from CapitalSource
  • In fact, after the violations, it is well documented that Page County, Virginia took over all operations of the landfill, not John Delaney or CapitalSource [“PAGE COUNTY WORKS ON LANDFILL HAVING TAKEN CONTROL,” Richmond Times Dispatch, 4/30/2005]
  • John Delaney has been endorsed by the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters
  • Roscoe Bartlett scored a 0/100 from the Sierra Club and 9/100 from the League of Conservation Voters in their most recent rankings
The Maryland Republican Party mailer can be viewed here.

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