Why is McCotter using Taxpayer dollars for Robo Calls?
Why is McCotter using Taxpayer dollars for Robo Calls?
For Immediate Release Contact: Tony Trupiano
March 3, 2006 866-209-8031 ext. 111
McCotter Using Taxpayer Dollars for His Political Campaign on Dubai Ports Issue
Trupiano Says McCotter Part of the Problem in a Congress More Concerned with Politics and Power than the People
Dearborn Heights, MI —Democratic congressional candidate Tony Trupiano today questioned Rep. Thad McCotter’s use of taxpayer dollars to pay for automated phone calls to voters in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District to score points on the Dubai ports issue. According to McCotter’s staff, taxpayer money
was used as part of their allowed “constituency outreach”.
This week, many voters in Wayne and Oakland Counties received pre-recorded phone messages from McCotter with the following message.
These “robocalls” are classic campaign tools used at the height of every campaign season, not tools for official business.
“Thad McCotter either doesn’t get or doesn’t care that he is accountable to the people of this district and they will hold him accountable for such blatant misuses of their money,” Tony Trupiano said. “His recorded phone call should have said, ‘Paid for By the American People’ at the end. It is ironic that Thad McCotter and the Republicans have been cutting money out of the Homeland Security budget for our vulnerable ports,
cutting money for education, and cutting veteran benefits, yet he is using tax payer money for an election year conversation.”
Trupiano said it was unethical for McCotter to use money from his U.S. House of Representatives budget to pay for the ads as opposed to his political committee. “Just like the rest of the Republican leadership controlling things in Washington, McCotter is more concerned with politics and power than he is with doing right by the people of the 11th district.”
“Thad McCotter should pledge to the voters of the 11th District that starting immediately he will refrain from using their money to campaign for re-election” Trupiano said. “He has plenty of special interest money in his campaign committee that he can use to pay for his political campaign tactics. It is beyond reprehensible that well into the 2006 election year McCotter is using taxpayer money to campaign.”
Trupiano said McCotter’s use of taxpayer money for what amounts to political advertising over the phone lines is yet another indication that McCotter is part and parcel of the problem with the Republican leadership in Congress that has been plagued with scandal and corruption.
