Mar 8, 2010
Will Rob Portman Join GOP Chairman Steele As He Unveils Latest Republican Fear and Smear Fundraising Tactic in Cincinnati Tuesday?
CINCINNATI—In the wake of revelations last week that the Republican National Committee planned to use offensive and demeaning caricatures of President Obama to help raise money, RNC Chairman Michael Steele visits Rob Portman’s hometown of Cincinnati tomorrow to unveil the latest ad in his party’s fear and smear campaign.
While the disturbing RNC tactics have drawn fire from across the political spectrum, Rob Portman has been noticeably silent. Will he join Steele for the latest Republican effort to raise money through a campaign based on “fear” and “saving the country from trending toward Socialism?”
“Congressman Portman has said nothing about the disgraceful campaign strategy of his own Party, so we expect him to stand proudly next to Chairman Steele at the Republican’s next venture in intimidation and fear-mongering,” Ohio Democratic Party Press Secretary Haley Morris said. “After spending decades in Washington as a consummate Republican insider, Portman clearly believes these offensive tactics are merely business as usual.”
Politico first reported last week that the RNC planned to raise money this year through “an aggressive campaign capitalizing on fear,” and a promise to “save the country from trending toward Socialism.”
It remains unclear whether this commercial to air in the Cincinnati market this week was developed during the RNC’s original campaign that Steele has since denounced as “unacceptable.”
Portman has shown no willingness to break with extreme elements of his own party. Last week, Portman refused to sever ties with the Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST), which refers to public officials as "Nazis" on its Web site. While Portman called the group’s statements “highly inappropriate,” he keynoted the group’s biggest event of the year, raising them $15,000 while ignoring calls from 20 Ohio legislators to cancel his speech and distance himself from COAST. The letter from the lawmakers remains unanswered by Portman.
“Congressman Portman’s deafening silence raises serious questions about his tactics in the race for Senate this year,” Morris said. “Will he follow the RNC’s lead and run a campaign based on fear and innuendo, or break with his party and finally begin to offer solutions for the economic challenges facing Ohioans?”
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