Yesterday, Republican Lt. Governor candidate Bill Bolling -- aka Mr. "Enron of the Insurance Industry" -- launched a vicious, slimeball, dishonest ad which the http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767819755 The utterly idiotic thing about Bolling's ad is that, although it was apparently designed to hurt his opponent, Leslie Byrne, it also manages - in one fell swoop -- to attack his own running mate, Robert Francis ?Bob? McDonnell (aka "Taliban Bob"), as being soft on sex offenders. Can we say "collateral damage?" Duh....
Anyway, here's the Byrne campaign's response to Bolling's desperate, lying, pitiful attack ad on Leslie Byrne - who, by the way, represents the exact opposite of Bolling when it comes to integrity, competence, and honesty.
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***October 28, 2005
For More Information Contact:
Tyler Rosen
Office: (703) 573-0960
Mobile: (609) 213-1333
Tyler.Rosen@gmail.comIn attack on Byrne, Bolling accuses McDonnell of being soft on sex offenders
Bill Bolling's newest television commercial is a dishonest smear that clearly implies he believes Republican Attorney General Candidate Bob McDonnell is soft on sex offenders.
The ad attacks Leslie Byrne by saying she "Opposed supervision of sex offenders" and cites her vote against SB125 from 2000. When the same version of the bill was brought before the House Courts of Justice Committee, McDonnell also voted against it. The bill required all felons?NOT sex offenders?to be placed under mandatory post-release supervision whereas the law had given judges discretion. McDonnell amended the bill to exempt felons with suspended sentences before it passed the House. Byrne then voted for the House version of the bill.
"I call upon Mr. Bolling to publicly clarify whether he believes McDonnell is soft on sex offenders or his ad is a lie," Byrne campaign manager Joe Shafer said.
Byrne's record of protecting Virginians from sex offenders is strong, which is why Bolling reached so far for a bill to cite in his smear. Mandatory supervision of sex offenders began in 1996 when Megan's Law passed. Therefore, SB125 in 2000 dealt with other felons.
"Bolling can't run away from his own record of cronyism and corruption," Byrne said. "Last ditch efforts to smear me with phony issues only reinforce what many Virginians know?Bolling can't be trusted."
This lie about Byrne's record is part of a consistent pattern of deception by Bolling. In an October 6 press release, Bolling attacked Byrne on bills where she ultimately voted the same way he did (HB383, 2000) and where she voted for amendments to strengthen the bill (HB141, 2000).
He has also consistently misrepresented her position on the death penalty. When his old citation was refuted?he cited amendments to the 1994 Omnibus Crime Bill regarding racial fairness in the death penalty?he replaced the citation with meaninglessly vague "Congressional Record 1994" on his website.
"First it was not being candid about Reciprocal, now it is distorting Leslie Byrne's votes. There's nothing Bill Bolling won't say to get elected," Shafer said.
For more information, log on to www.lesliebyrne.org.
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Don't like Bolling's attacks on Bob McDonnell and Leslie Byrne? If not, I encourage you to contact the Bolling campaign and tell them so. Specifically, you might call Bolling's campaign manager, Randy Marcus, at (804) 746-9830 or e-mail him at randy@billbolling.com. Alternatively, you can try Director of Communication Kristen Hainen at kristen@billbolling.com. Either way, tell them that their ad is a lying piece of garbage that needs to be taken off the air at once. Whatever it is, it certainly does not represent "The Virginia Way," nor does it represent ANY WAY for Mr. Bolling to treat his own running mate - let alone a classy lady like Leslie Byrne!