Web of Connections Continues to Grow, More Bush Officials Linked to Smear Vets
9/7/2004 12:36:00 PM
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To: National Desk, Political Correspondent
Contact: Chad Clanton or Phil Singer, 202-464-2800; Web:
http://www.johnkerry.com WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was released today by Kerry-Edwards 2004:
Straight talk from Texas Rep. Silvestre Reyes on Bush's Smear and distract tactics:
"We need to talk about the real issues that Americans care about like health care, jobs and the price of gas. We know now that the Bush campaign is using this smear to distract us from these issues, and from this administrations' failed policies that have taken our country in the wrong direction. "
Despite Continued Denials, Another Week of Scrutiny From the Press Has Revealed More Close Ties Between Bush Campaign and White House Officials to the Smear Boat Veterans for Truth.
New Ties Between Bush Officials & Smear Boat Vets Continue to Surface:
AP: Another Two Bush Officials Linked to Swift Boat Vets Ads. "Two former Vietnam prisoners of war who appear in ads attacking Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry were appointed by the Bush administration to a panel advising the Department of Veterans Affairs. The former POWs in the ad, Kenneth Cordier and Paul Galanti, serve on the VA's 12-member Former POW Advisory Committee. VA Secretary Anthony Principi appointed Cordier in 2002 and Galanti in 2003. Cordier also was a member of a Bush campaign veterans' committee but quit earlier this month after that role was revealed." (AP, 9/3/04)
ROVE DOING BUSH'S DIRTY WORK:
Karl Rove Picking Up Smear Boat Vets Talking Points. "Bush strategist blasts Kerry over anti-war testimony. White House strategist Karl Rove said Wednesday that Sen. John Kerry had tarnished the records of fellow Vietnam veterans with his anti- war protests. Rove created a campaign stir when he told The Associated Press that he didn't appreciate Kerry's congressional testimony 33 years ago, upon his return from the Vietnam War, condemning the actions of some U.S. soldiers. 'It was a period of intense feeling on both sides for and against the war, but I think that was painting with far too broad a brush to tarnish the records and service of people who were defending our country and fighting communism and doing what they thought was right,' Rove said during the 30-minute session with AP reporters and editors." (AP, 9/2/04)
Lies, Resignations and Money Show Clear Links Between Smear Vets and Bush
Bush-Cheney '04 Lawyer Becomes Second Campaign Official to Resign for Ties to Swift Boat Ads. "Benjamin Ginsberg, a lawyer for the Bush campaign, resigned Wednesday, a day after acknowledging that he had given legal advice to the anti-Kerry group. Ginsberg said he never told the Bush campaign what he discussed with the group or vice versa, and didn't advise the group on ad strategies. The Kerry campaign has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing the Bush campaign and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth of illegally coordinating the group's ads." (AP, 8/25/04)
"Bush Adviser Quits After Appearing in Swift Boat Ad"
"A volunteer adviser has quit President Bush's re-election campaign after appearing in a veterans group's television commercial blasting Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry's involvement in the Vietnam-era antiwar movement. A Bush campaign statement said it did not know that retired Air Force Col. Ken Cordier had appeared in an ad by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The Kerry campaign has accused the group of illegally working with the Bush campaign." (CNN.com; 8/22/04)
AP: Florida Bush Headquarters Busted for Handing Out Swift Boat Material. "A volunteer for John Kerry said Friday he picked up a flier in Bush-Cheney headquarters in Gainesville, Fla., promoting Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group the Bush campaign has insisted for weeks it has no connection to. The Kerry campaign e-mailed the flier to news organizations Friday, declaring that the Bush-Cheney campaign was 'busted' for coordinating 'in their smear campaign against John Kerry.' The flier distributed at Alachua County Republican Party headquarters promotes a weekend rally sponsored by 'Swift Boat Vets for Truth' and other groups." (AP, 8/20/04)
New York Times: Bush Family, Bush Political Aide Have Close Ties to These Ads. "In a series of interviews and a review of documents show a web of connections to the Bush family, high- profile Texas political figures and President Bush's chief political aide, Karl Rove. Records show that the group received the bulk of its initial financing from two men with ties to the president and his family - one a longtime political associate of Mr. Rove's, the other a trustee of the foundation for Mr. Bush's father's presidential library. A Texas publicist who once helped prepare Mr. Bush's father for his debate when he was running for vice president provided them with strategic advice. And the group's television commercial was produced by the same team that made the devastating ad mocking Michael S. Dukakis in an oversized tank helmet when he and Mr. Bush's father faced off in the 1988 presidential election." (NYT, 8/20/04)
Dallas Morning News: "Veterans' Group Critical of Kerry Backed by Bush Supporter." Bob Perry, a major supporter of President Bush and the Republican Party, is the biggest financial backer of a veterans group seeking to discredit Democrat John Kerry's military service, according to federal records. Perry, a Houston homebuilder, gave $100,000 to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group that has been critical of Kerry's anti-war activities after he returned from Vietnam. That accounted for two-thirds of the organization's receipts to date. (DMN, 7/23/04)
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=35739
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