Gordon Smith is now airing an ad attacking Jeff Merkley and the Oregon state legislature for the cost of renovating the capitol building here in Salem, Oregon. That's right folks, Gordon Smith, the man who voted for the Iraq War and Cheney's energy boondoggle of 2003 is attacking Jeff Merkley, claiming he's fiscally irresponsible.
Full disclosure, I am the netroots director for OR-Sen candidate Jeff Merkley
Check out Smith's latest attack ad:
The Merkley Campaign is not wasting any time in responding to Smith's shallow attacks. Here's what Merkley spokesman Matt Canter had to say:
"Senator Smith will do anything to distract voters from his record," Merkley spokesman Matt Canter said. "His record includes driving the nation into nine trillion dollar debt, traveling to 20 foreign countries on the taxpayer dime, and approving every boondoggle of the Bush administration."
Democratic and Republican lawmakers voiced their support for the much needed renovation. Here's a snippet from the Oregonian:
Merkley and others -- including Republicans known for pinching pennies -- argue that the furnishings are classy, well-priced and guaranteed to last for the next 30 to 75 years. A bipartisan panel of legislators from both chambers debated the decor before approving it, says Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem.
We weren't trying to be arrogant about that," he says. "We really feel that this place should be taken care of, and it has been allowed to fall apart.
"This isn't my furniture, this is your furniture. It belongs to you, it belongs to all Oregonians," he says.
"I lived for 11 years in the building with that godawful 1970s cloth furniture," says Senate Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, who served on the legislative oversight committee.
"If you sat down (on the couches), you couldn't get out of them."
Guess what? Jeff Merkley decided NOT to have new furniture purchased for his own office in the House. The furniture is for the offices of members of the House and Senate and their staff and is intended to last for the next 75 years. The Capitol Building in Oregon has needed a massive renovation for decades. The pipes were corroded, the water deemed undrinkable, and the funky cloth furnishings and green and orange carpeting needed to be replaced. Gordon Smith is attacking the entire Oregon legislature for a long overdue renovation while Smith has a long history of being a reckless spender.
Just a few things Gordon Smith voted to fund using taxpayer dollars
The Iraq War
Cost: 542 billion dollars and counting
20 F-22 Fighter Jets, even though the GAO sent Congress a report stating that funding for the jets should not be granted because the aircrafts are outdated.
Cost: 1.19 billion dollars
The Bridge to Nowhere, or should I just say oink oink?
Cost: 223 million dollars
Widening a Road for Walmart, because apparently Walmart needs taxpayers to fund their own improvements.
Cost: 37 million dollars
Documentary Film about Alaska Infrastructure, another project Smith feels is worthy of using taxpayer dollars.
Cost: 3 million dollars
Gordon Smith supports 621 million renovation to Capitol Visitor's Center
While Gordon Smith is crying foul about the renovation to the Oregon Capitol building, Smith had no problem supporting the 621 million dollar renovation of the Capitol Visitor's Center. The budget for the visitor's center is now 350 million over budget and still is not completed. It's quite ridiculous for Smith to be whining about oak desks in the Salem Capitol when he helped fund pink Tennessee marble floors in the visitor's center. Smith also apparently supports the television/radio stations added to the visitor's center which have fully equipped makeup facilities for the Senate.
Memo to Gordon Smith
Instead of attacking the Oregon Legislature for their Capitol Building renovation, why don't you take a good look in the mirror? Under your leadership in the Senate, you've helped create 9 trillion dollars in debt for our nation. You helped send our country into a war that's costing Oregonians nearly 4.4 billion dollars. You voted for 18 billion in tax breaks for big oil. You could learn a thing or two from Jeff Merkley. Under Jeff's leadership as House Speaker, we have a balanced budget in the state of Oregon. While Jeff balanced the budget, he passed an increase of 18% in public school funding. Jeff also pushed through a savings account to protect our public schools when lawmakers like yourself recklessly spend taxpayer dollars and harm economic growth.
Help us fight back
Gordon Smith has already spent millions airing misleading and negative attack ads against Jeff Merkley. We need your help to fight back. I set up a fundraising page where Kossacks can flex their monetary muscles for progressive Democrat Jeff Merkley. Donate and help us counter Smith's misleading attacks.