DNC News

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement in celebration of Earth Day this Sunday: “This weekend, people around the world will celebrate Earth Day through acts of service, stewardship of the environment and by raising awareness of important issues such as climate change. I am especially proud that Democrats have taken the lead on conservationism and energy efficiency. Unfortunately the Bush Administration has continued to play politics with our environmental policy by working to discredit accepted science on global warming and by rolling back environmental regulations. “Democrats believe we should be strengthening and improving our environment, not rolling back and gutting our clean air and water standards. Democrats also believe that we all have a moral obligation to be good stewards of our planet. Cleaning up and caring for our environment is one of the greatest challenges of our time and we must work together across party lines to ensure that we leave a better world to future generations.”

This week, Rudy Giuliani changed his position yet again on a key issue. Even though he previously opposed a federal abortion ban, Giuliani praised the Supreme Court decision upholding the ban. Rudy's statement saying that the court "reached the correct conclusion" flies in the face of his previous position "to preserve the option for women." [Los Angeles Times, 4/19/07] Throughout his career, Rudy Giuliani has been caught making a series of conflicting statements and flip-flops about the federal abortion ban. Ironically, when he was asked whether he supports a ban, Giuliani said "no, I have not supported that, and I don't see my position on that changing." [CNN Inside Politics, 12/2/99] "Rudy Giuliani continues to offer weak leadership by changing his positions on the key issues facing our country," said Democratic National Committee spokesperson Amaya Smith. "No doubt his series of conflicting statements and contradictions may explain his thinning lead in the polls. Americans want a strong leader that stands on principle, not cheap political ploys designed to win elections like we've seen from Rudy Giuliani." CHRONOLOGY: Rudy Can't Seem To Keep His Story Straight 2007: White House Candidate Giuliani Says He Supports Ban On "Partial Birth Abortions" "The Supreme Court reached the correct conclusion in upholding the congressional ban on partial birth abortion. I agree with it." [Giuliani statement, 4/18/07]

• Irony Alert: Rudy Said In 2000 He Wouldn't Change His Position On This Issue To Gain Votes Talking about "partial birth" abortions costing him conservative support in his Senate run, Giuliani said: "I'm not going to twist myself all around for anybody's endorsement. I wouldn't do it for the Republican endorsement, much less the Liberal or the Conservative or any other. They know who I am. If they think I'll be a better senator, they should support me. If they don't think I'll be a better senator, they should support somebody else. [Special Report With Brit Hume, Fox News Channel, 2/8/00]
• Ludicrous Claim: "I've Been Consistent" "Mr. Giuliani's campaign aides say his positions on abortion have not changed, and that his stand on what critics call partial-birth abortions has been mischaracterized, saying he opposed a ban only if it failed to include an exception to protect the life of the mother. But the ban vetoed by President Clinton did include such an exception." [New York Times, 2/10/07]

2005: "Opposes the "partial-birth" abortion ban" [US News And World Report, 9/5/05] 2000: Tells ABC Support "Firm": Asked by George Will "Is your support of partial birth abortion firm?," Giuliani replied "All of my positions are firm." [ABC News' This Week, 2/6/00] 2000: Tells CNN "I Support" Clinton On Veto Of Ban, Noting His Consistent Stance On The Issue: CNN's Wolf Blitzer asked: "If you were in the Senate and [Clinton] vetoed, once again, the so-called partial-birth abortion procedure, you would vote against sustaining that against the -- in favor of the veto in other words, you would support the president on that? Giuliani replied: "Yes. I said then that I support him, so I have no reason to change my mind about it." [CNN Late Edition, 2/6/00] 2000: Tells NBC He Opposes The Ban: Asked by Tim Russert," if you were a senator, would you vote with the president or against the president?" on the "partial birth abortion" ban, Giuliani said "I would vote to preserve the option for women." [Meet The Press, NBC, 2/6/00] 1999: Tells CNN "I Don't See My Position On That Changing: Asked "whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions," Giuliani said "no, I have not supported that, and I don't see my position on that changing." [CNN Inside Politics, 12/2/99] Giuliani Has "Hedged" In The Past Before Facing A New Electorate In 1999, the Associated Press noted Giuliani was "hedging" on "partial birth abortion" as he considered a US Senate run, moving away from his previous stance: "Republican Rudolph Giuliani, weighing a bid for the U.S. Senate and perhaps courting support from New York's Conservative Party, appears to be hedging on past strong support for abortion rights. "That's something I think that I'll address myself to if and when I announce and I get a chance to think out all of those positions," the New York City mayor said when asked about his past opposition to a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions." [Associated Press, 8/17/99] 1998 Interview On White House Ambitions Foretold 2007 Flip Flop While during his Senate bid in 2000 Giuliani couldn't have been clearer about his position on a federal ban of "partial birth abortions," a 1998 interview with CNN about his potential to be a national candidate showed Giuliani hedging his bets. Wolf Blitzer asked: "Do you think someone like you, who supports a woman's right to have an abortion, could have a place at the top or at least the number-two slot of the Republican Party's presidential ticket?" and "does that also hold for the late-term abortion procedure that's called the partial-birth abortion procedure?" Giuliani's answer was that it was up to states: "I think that's more complicated, state to state. I mean, different states have different rules and different regulations, and I think that gets to be more complicated." [CNN's Late Edition, 4/19/98] ###

After weeks of stonewalling, contradictions and misleading statements, it has become increasingly difficult to uncover the truth hidden in the maze of misstatements and contradictions about the firing of eight US Attorneys. After evading questions for months, Americans still don’t know which key members of the Bush Administration were involved in this scandal. Just this morning, Attorney General Gonzales' performance made it clear that the stonewalling and contradictions will continue. One thing that has become increasingly clear as the number of unanswered questions continues to grow is that the widening scandal reaches the top levels of the Bush Administration, and possibly the Oval Office. In an attempt to begin to uncover the truth about the conduct of the Bush Administration in this scandal, the Democratic National Committee sent a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request on March 19, 2007, co-signed by 60,000 Democrats from across the country, asking the Department of Justice to release all communications with their top officials to or from the Republican National Committee relating to the firing of the US Attorneys. The DNC request also included all e-mails to or from the Justice Department from White House officials using the RNC e-mail accounts. To date, the Justice Department has not acknowledged or responded to our request as required by law. Today, the DNC filed a lawsuit demanding this information from the Justice Department. The DNC’s FOIA asks for “all-emails messages in the possession, custody or control of the Office of Attorney General, Office of the Deputy Attorney General and Office of the Associate Attorney General, sent on or after November 1, 2004, to or from any e-mail address including the domain name ‘GWB43.com.’” The request also covers “all documents in the possession, custody or control of the Office of Attorney General, Office of the Deputy Attorney General and Office of the Associate Attorney General, prepared on or after November 1, 2004, constituting, reflecting or referring to communications to or from or to any officer or employee of the Republican National Committee or any state or local Republican Party committee, referring, relating to or discussing (1) any prospective or ongoing investigation or prosecution; (2) initiating any investigation or prosecution; or (3) the appointment or termination of any United States Attorney; or (4) the performance, work or activity of any United States Attorney or Office of United States Attorney.” Over the past few weeks, various news reports indicate that 50 White House staffers were given RNC e-mail accounts, some of which may have been used to communicate with the Justice Department about the politically-motivated firings of a number of US Attorneys. As many as five million of the e-mails sent by White House staffers using the RNC accounts have since been deleted [White House Press Briefing, 4/12/07 and 4/13/07]. And, it was reported that “President Bush’s lawyers told the Republican National Committee on Tuesday not to turn over to Congress any e-mails related to the firings last year of eight U.S. attorneys before showing them to the White House.” [McClatchy, 4/18/07] Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement: “The American people deserve the truth, not more changing stories, missing e-mails, and finger pointing. For six years now, the Bush Administration has put its politics ahead of what’s best for America. Last November, the American people overwhelmingly voted for change and a government that is accountable to their interests. It’s time for the Bush White House and Republican National Committee to stop stonewalling and release these communications.” To read the DNC’s complaint against the Justice Department, click here.

Democratic National Committee Convention CEO Leah Daughtry Download: High-Res Photo Download: Low-Res Photo Washington, DC -Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean announced his appointment of Leah D. Daughtry to serve as Chief Executive Officer of the 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC). Daughtry is currently the Chief of Staff at the DNC, responsible for managing day-to-day strategy and operations of the national party. Among her many accomplishments, Daughtry served at the U.S. Department of Labor as Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management during the Clinton Administration. In that capacity, she oversaw the development of the Department's management programs and policies, including responsibility for the Department's $35 billion budget. Throughout her career, Daughtry has been widely recognized as bringing sound, principled management and leadership practices to organizations with which she has worked. "We are thrilled to have Leah Daughtry leading our 2008 Democratic Convention team,” said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "Her strong guidance, skilled leadership and counsel have been invaluable to me during my tenure as DNC Chair and to the Democratic Party as a whole. I am confident that Leah will play a key role in the success of this important event that will help us elect the next Democratic President of the United States.” "I am honored to be a part of this exciting endeavor as we embark on a path to elect the next Democratic President of the United States," said Democratic National Convention Committee CEO Leah D. Daughtry. "Working with our party's leadership, our partners in Denver, and our convention management team, the 2008 convention will be a technologically savvy, totally accessible convention that will highlight our nominee and showcase the best in our party." Leah Daughtry, Chief Executive Officer The Reverend Leah D. Daughtry is currently Chief of Staff of the Democratic National Committee. In this capacity, she manages the day-to-day strategy and operations of the national party, and leads the DNC’s outreach to Faith communities. Daughtry held various senior posts at the United States Department of Labor during the Clinton Administration, including Senior Advisor to the Secretary, Chief of Staff, and lastly, Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, with oversight for the development of the Department’s management programs and policies, including responsibility for the Department’s $35 billion budget. Daughtry also served on the Clinton-Gore 1992 Transition Team, as Managing Director of the 1992 Democratic National Convention, and as Legislative Assistant to U.S. Congressman Edolphus “Ed” Towns. Pastor of The House of the Lord Church in Washington, D.C., Reverend Daughtry is a member of the Board of Visitors of The Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College, as well as the Boards of Directors of The House of the Lord Churches, and The Randolph Evans Memorial Scholarship Fund. She has previously served on the Board of Directors of the National AIDS Action Council. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Ms. Daughtry has also served as Executive Director of Man-to-Man/Sister-to-Sister, a not-for-profit human service agency dedicated to enriching and enhancing the lives of Brooklyn families, during which she created a specialized mentoring program for girls with HIV-infected mothers.

John McCain heads to South Carolina today amid reports that his primary constituency—the national media—“has fallen out of love with” him, and that his high profile effort to re-launch his crumbling presidential campaign has been “a complete and utter bust.” [NewYorkSunPolitics.com, 4/16/07] McCain’s response, according to a report yesterday in The State, has apparently been to try to buy support in the Palmetto State. Yesterday's report revealed that McCain has paid "more than $30,000 in 2007 to a South Carolina senator and the sons of two other prominent elected officials, all of whom have endorsed" him. [The State, 04/17/2007] McCain's campaign strategy may include buying endorsements, but no speeches or campaign cash can hide the fact that McCain voted six times in the last Congress to deny critical funding for our veterans. Starting today, the Arizona Republican will hold a series of town hall meetings with South Carolina veterans. Perhaps he'll explain why, when he had the opportunity to vote to increase funds for veterans health care and military health care facilities like Walter Reed, McCain decided tax cuts for the wealthy were more important to his campaign strategy. "McCain's desperate, do-anything-to-win campaign may include buying support in the Palmetto State, but he can’t buy an excuse for his votes against additional funding for military and veterans health care," said Democratic National Committee Spokesman Luis Miranda. “When McCain talks to veterans and military families today, he should explain why he chose tax cuts for the wealthiest one percent over much needed funds for our veterans and military families' health care.” McCain Chose Tax Cuts for the Wealthy Over Funding Military Health Care Facilities SIX TIMES in the Last Congress

• McCain Voted Against $19 Billion for Military Hospitals. In February 2006, McCain voted against a Senate amendment that would have provided for at least $19 billion for these military health facilities, paid for by eliminating tax cuts for the wealthiest earners. [Senate Roll Call Vote 7 (http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00007 ), 2/2/06].

• McCain Voted Against Amendment to Provide $2.8 Billion For Veterans’ Medical Care. McCain joined his Republican colleagues in voting against a 2006 Democratic amendment that would have provided $2.8 billion to increase veterans’ medical care.[S.Amdt. 149 to S.Con.Res. 18]

• McCain Voted Against 2005 Amendment to Provide Guaranteed Funding Stream for Veterans' Health Care. McCain joined other Republicans in voting against a Democratic amendment that would have guaranteed funding for Veterans' health care from both discretionary and mandatory funding sources; provided an annual discretionary amount that is locked in for future years at the FY 2005 funding level; and stated that the Department of Veterans Affairs shall receive mandatory funding that is adjusted year-to-year based on changes in demand from the VA health care system and the rate of health care inflation.[S.Amdt. 1937 to H.R. 2863]

• McCain Voted Against Establishing $1 Billion Trust Fund to Provide Improvements to Military and Veterans’ Health Facilities. McCain voted against an Amendment to establish a $1 billion trust fund to provide improvements to health facilities that treat military personnel and veterans by allowing dividends and capital gains tax breaks, for those with incomes greater than $1 million to lapse on December 31, 2006.[S.Amdt. 2735 to S.Amdt. 2707 to H.R. 4297]

• McCain Voted Against Adding $1.5 billion to Veterans’ Medical Services in FY 2007 by Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes. McCain Voted Against a Democratic Amendment to increase Veterans’ medical services funding by $1.5 billion in FY 2007 to be paid for by closing corporate tax loopholes.[S.Amdt. 3007 to S.Con.Res. 83]

• McCain Voted Against Mandatory Funding of $6.9 Billion in FY 2007 and $104 Billion Over Five Years for Veterans' Health Care. McCain voted against a Democratic amendment to provide a mandatory stream of funding of $6.9 billion in FY 2007 and $104 billion over five years for veterans' health care; and offsets by restoring the pre-2001 top rate for incomes over $1 million and closing various corporate tax loopholes. [S.Amdt. 3141 to S.Con.Res. 83]

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement on the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling upholding the federal abortion ban: “Today's decision by the Supreme Court takes away a right that has previously been affirmed by the Court. A woman's decision about her own reproductive health is a very personal and difficult one that should remain hers to be made with her doctor. This latest decision by the Court stands in stark contradiction to previous rulings recognizing the complexity of women's medical conditions and replaces the judgment of doctors, women and their families for the judgment of five Supreme Court Justices. Regardless of political affiliation, we can all agree that reducing the number of abortions is a priority. Democrats are committed to finding common ground on this issue and focusing on legislative measures to increase education, prevention and support systems to help reduce the number of abortions each year in the United States.”

As Rudy Giuliani heads back to New York today for another campaign fundraiser, the reviews are in for his first campaign swing through Iowa, and the results are hardly encouraging. From criticism of his “big-city” politicking, to an “anti-Giuliani” petition circulating in Iowa and a spate of polls showing that the race is tightening, it is clear that the more Hawkeye State Republicans learn about the Rudy they don’t know, the more they’re turning away from his candidacy. The following is a sample of recent articles blasting Giuliani’s trip to Iowa: GIULIANI NOT THE FRONTRUNNER IN IOWA: Despite Highest Poll Numbers, Giuliani Isn't The Frontrunner In Iowa. ""There really isn't a frontrunner in Iowa right now," former state GOP Chairman Mike Mahaffey said. "The polls say it's Rudy Giuliani. But organizationally, I'd have to say Romney and McCain are doing more of the hard slogging." Giuliani, the former New York mayor, has done little compared with Romney, McCain and others to begin building an Iowa campaign network. However, Giuliani has continued to rank at the top of polls in Iowa. The phenomenon is a factor of the ex-mayor's national name recognition, not measurable support among Iowa's GOP activists, Mahaffey and others said." [Des Moines Register, 4/16/07] RUDY RELIES ON "BIG-CITY" POLITICKING IN IOWA: Giuliani Didn't Have The Time To Shake Hands In Iowa. At the Iowa Lincoln Day Dinner, "Mr. Giuliani spoke for 17 minutes, though he left immediately after he was done, passing up the glad-handing of dinner attendees to leave Iowa for a fund-raiser in Missouri." [New York Times, 4/15/07] Giuliani's Campaign Refused To Recommit To Participation in Iowa Straw Poll. "Giuliani told reporters last week during his first trip to Iowa as a candidate that he would compete in the straw poll, but aides later stepped back from the comment, saying they were considering it." [Des Moines Register, 4/14/07] Politico: Iowans Might Demand More Intimidate Touch From Candidate Giuliani. Jonathan Martin wrote, "Will Iowa reporters and activists -- not to mention Giuliani supporters in the state like former Rep. Jim Nussle -- demand a more intimate touch from Rudy? " [Politico, 3/30/07] Des Moines Register: Giuliani Does Not "Get" Politics in Iowa. Veteran Des Moines Register political columnist David Yepsen, commenting on Giuliani's 2006 trip to Iowa concluded, "He's got a few things to learn about presidential campaigning in Iowa. We do small-state, retail politics here, not the big-city stuff." Giuliani's "five-SUV caravan, security guards and staged media events for his national press entourage" recalled for Yepsen "other big-state politicians - like then-California Governor Pete Wilson - who misfired in Iowa because they didn't understand the need to do one-on-one, grassroots work." Iowa campaigns "are more than money and media. They're about key people. George Pataki and Mitt Romney get it. Giuliani doesn't." [Des Moines Register, 5/9/06] ANTI-GIULIANI PETITION IN IOWA: 100 Iowa Conservatives Signed Anti-Giuliani Petition. "One hundred Iowa conservatives have signed a petition, vowing that they will not back Republican Rudy Giuliani's bid for the White House. A Christian Coalition organizer in Michigan spearheaded the petition drive and issued what he called "The Conservative Declaration of Independence" just before Giuliani was due to visit Iowa. The petition says Giuliani's "liberal record" and "the conduct of (Giuliani's) personal life make it impossible" for the 100 Iowa Republicans to back his candidacy "under any circumstances." Onawa City Councilman Dick Schlitter signed the petition." [Radio Iowa, 4/3/07] Giuliani Had Not Reached Out To Iowa Conservatives. "Giuliani has yet to convince influential Christian conservatives who comprise the core of the Iowa GOP. 'So far, he's not made any effort to talk to any of us,' said Steve Scheffler, president of the Iowa Christian Alliance and a caucus veteran. He's staying neutral in the presidential contest. 'Maybe he thinks that he doesn't need social conservatives,' wondered Scheffler, who has received only minimal contact from Giuliani's campaign. 'I would hope not.' Activists like Scheffler demand a personal touch, and Giuliani has more explaining to do than Bush ever did on hot-button social issues. 'The bottom line is that whether he agrees with social conservatives or not, he has an obligation to have a dialogue,' Scheffler said." [Politico, 4/2/07]

With President Bush scheduling photo-ops on the Iraq war in Ohio tomorrow and Michigan on Friday, the Democratic National Committee’s Veterans and Military Families Council has scheduled a conference call with two retired generals and an Iraq War veteran to outline the Democratic plan to change course in Iraq. Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, Ret.) and Brig. General John H. Johns (USA, Ret.) will join Ohio State Senator and Council member Maj. John Boccieri (USAF Reserve) for the call on Thursday, April 17 at 1:15PM. While Democrats in Congress have offered a plan for Iraq that supports our troops by providing them the resources they need, offers a real strategy for success, and holds the Iraqi government accountable for its own future, President Bush continues to refuse to work with Democrats on a way forward. General Gard, General Johns and Senator Boccieri—an Air Force Reserve Major and C-130 commander who has served four rotations supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom—will discuss the strain President Bush’s permanent commitment to a failed strategy in Iraq is placing on our armed forces and outline the need for a new direction. WHO: Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, Ret.), Brig. General John H. Johns (USA, Ret.) and Ohio State Senator John Boccieri WHAT: Conference call on the Democratic plan to change course in Iraq WHEN: Thursday, April 19, 2007, at 1:15 PM Eastern Time (10:15 AM Pacific) WHERE: RSVP to Aaron Resnick at resnicka@dnc.org or by calling (202) 863-8148 to receive call-in information. BIOS: Lieutenant General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, Ret.): A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1950, Robert Gard earned an MPA in 1956 and a Ph. D. in Political Economy and Government in 1961 - both from Harvard University. He retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant general in 1981, following 31 years of distinguished service. General Gard's military assignments included a three year tour in Germany, and combat service in Korea and Vietnam. Assignments during his military career included executive assistant to the Secretary of Defense, the first Director of Human Resources Development for the U.S. Army, and Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. General Gard also served as President of the National Defense University and was a fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations. In 1981/82, General Gard was a visiting professor of international relations at the American University of Paris, and was the director of the Bologna Center of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies from 1982 to 1987. From 1987-1998, General Gard served as president of the Monterey Institute of International Studies. He has written for well-known periodicals that focus on military and international affairs and lectured widely at U.S. and international universities and colleges, and at academic conferences. He is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Council on Foreign Relations. In 1996, General Gard joined Veterans for America as its military advisor. He has been active in VFA's efforts to enact an international and U.S. ban on the production, sale, transfer, and use of antipersonnel landmines. Brig. General John H. Johns (USA, Ret.): Dr. John H. Johns served as a combat arms officer in the Army for over 26 years, retiring as a brigadier general in 1978. During his career, he served in command assignments up to Assistant Commander of the 1st Infantry Division and Director of Human Resources Development for the Army General Staff. He has taught leadership and ethics at the U.S. Military Academy, the Army War College, the U.S. Military Academy, and the Naval Academy. He served four years as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense before resigning to become a Professor of Political Science at the National Defense University at Ft. McNair. He is an adjunct professor at the Federal Executive Institute, where he lectures on "Values and the U.S. Constitution" and teaches a one-week course in ethics. Dr. Johns has an undergraduate degree in economics and political science from the University of Alabama. He holds Masters? degrees from Vanderbilt (psychology) and George Washington University (international affairs) and a Ph.D. from American University (sociology). He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, and The National War College. Senator John Boccieri: State Senator John Boccieri, a New Middletown, OH resident, served three terms as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives for District 61 before being elected to the Senate in 2006. A former Air Force officer, Boccieri was stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base. In his role as staff officer, he supported Presidential visits to Arkansas and also worked on base-wide support of three treaties- Open Skies, Chemical Weapons Compliance, and START II Treaties. As a commissioned Lieutenant in the military, he worked with base-wide support for the Department of Defense, Department of the Air Force, the State Department, the White House Communications Staff, the Secret Service, and Air Force and Marine Advance Agents. While on active duty, Boccieri continued to pursue his interest in government by earning masters degrees in public administration and business from Webster University, St. Louis Missouri. Currently, Boccieri is an Air Force Reserve Major and aircraft commander aboard the C-130 aircraft, stationed at Youngstown Joint Air Reserve Station. He recently deployed in 4 rotations to support our troops in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Boccieri has served our nation in over 40 countries and has eleven years of service in the U.S. Military.

“Today our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and the students, faculty and administration officials at Virginia Tech. Our nation is devastated by this tragedy and mourns with those who lost loved ones today.”

John McCain's attempts to "retool" his campaign and distract from his support for the Bush Administration's failed strategy in Iraq continued today with an economic speech in Memphis, Tennessee.The retooled McCain, however, didn't have anything new to offer, siding again with the Bush Administration on tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of a balanced budget, and on Social Security privatization. And consistent with his do-anything-to-win campaign, McCain blasted the politics of pork barrell spending despite recently naming lobbyist and former Texas congressman Tom Loeffler to head his fundraising operations. According to public lobbying documents, Loeffler and his associates have collected $3,920,000 over the years lobbying for Texas cities that in turn received $40 million and possibly more in federal government 'pork,' according to a public watchdog group. [Lobbyist Disclosure Documents Filled with Secretary of the Senate, Citizens Against Government Waste Pig Book 2003-06; The Politico, 4/5/07; AP, 4/15/07; Washington Post, 4/3/07; Washington Post, 3/7/07] "The only thing lighter than John McCain's campaign account is the substance of his economic plan," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Luis Miranda. "Whether it's looking at Iraq through rose colored glasses, or adopting the Bush Administration's failed economic policies, McCain seems to think the American people just want more of the same failed leadership from the last six years. Retooling his flailing campaign will take more than PR stunts like today's speech." Below is a new DNC research document detailing McCain's double talk on everything from war profiteering to taxes to Social Security: WAR PROFITEERING "I'll use the bully pulpit to make the people who are wasting your money famous." -McCain Economic Speech, 4/16/07 McCain Opposed Creation of Truman Commission to Investigate Fraud and Waste in Iraq. John McCain has voted FOUR times against establishing a commission to investigate waste, fraud and abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan. The special committee would consist of 7 members - four appointed by the majority party, three appointed by the minority party. The committee would hold hearings, and hold subpoena authority. The work of the special committee would terminate on February 28, 2007, unless its authority was extended. [Vote 228, 9/14/05; Vote 259, 10/19/05; Vote 316, 11/10/05, Vote 176, 6/20/06] McCain Voted Twice Against Cracking Down on Corporate War Profiteers. On June 14, 2006, John McCain voted against an amendment cracking down on war profiteers. The amendment would have banned monopoly contracts, debarred unethical contractors, strengthened penalties against war profiteers, made public the audits of unjustified spending and provided protection for whistleblowers. In 2004, McCain voted against an amendment that would have made war profiteering on contracts with the military or to rebuild Iraq punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and $1 million in fines. [Vote 169, 6/14/06; Vote 120, 6/16/04] TAX HYPOCRISY "I won't balance the budget by allowing the President's income and investment tax cuts to expire." -McCain Economic Speech, 4/16/07 2004: McCain Said He Was Opposed to Cutting Taxes During Wartime. "Senator McCain, who spent five years in a North Vietnamese prison, excoriated fellow Republican for pushing more tax cuts while U.S. troops are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'Throughout our history, wartime has been a time of sacrifice.What have we sacrificed?' McCain said. 'As mind-boggling as expanding Medicare has been, nothing tops my confusion for cutting taxes during wartime. I don't remember ever in the history of warfare when we cut taxes.'" [AP, 5/19/04] 2003: McCain Was Against Tax Cuts Because It Will Worsen the Deficit Before It Ever Helps the Economy." Senator McCain rejected "Bush's tax cuts, especially the $1.37 trillion blockbuster Bush pushed through Congress in 2001, criticizing its economic premises and its likely impact. At best, it's a long-term economic stimulus, not the immediate boost the economy needs, McCain said. 'All the predicates for the 2001 tax cuts and all the predictions for its results were absolutely, completely wrong,' he said. And it will worsen the deficit before it ever helps the economy, he added." [Star-Ledger, 2/24/03] SOCIAL SECURITY "If I'm President, I'll submit a plan to save Social Security and Medicare, and I'll ask Democrats in Congress to do the same. We'll listen to what people outside government suggest as well. I'll work on a bipartisan basis to make the hard choices; to protect the retirement security of the American worker, and the growth of the American economy. And if Congress is afraid to make those choices, then they can just let me do it. I'll take the heat. I'll ask Congress to let me submit a comprehensive proposal. I'll prepare it carefully, fairly and honestly" -McCain Economic Speech, 4/16/07 1998: McCain Voted To Create Personal Retirement Accounts. In 1998, McCain voted for legislation expressing that the budget surplus can be used to establish a program of personal retirement accounts for working Americans to reduce unfunded liabilities of Social Security program. [Vote #56, SCR 86, 4/1/98]

• 1998: McCain Voted For Privatizing Social Security. McCain voted for the Grams amendment that would express a sense of Senate stating that assumptions underlying functional totals in budget resolutions assume that Congress and President should use any budget surplus to reduce Social Security payroll tax and establish personal retirement accounts. This would have the affect of replacing Social Security's guaranteed benefits with income from risk-based private investments. [Vote #77, SCR 86, 4/1/98]

Today, as the District of Columbia celebrates the abolition of slavery in the Nation’s Capital, residents will also rally together to call on Congress and President Bush to give DC full voting rights in the House of Representatives. The District of Columbia remains the only place in the country whose tax-paying residents do not have voting representation in the United States Congress. Instead of working to remedy this inequality, the Bush Administration has threatened to veto a bill to give DC voting rights in the House. Today’s march, the largest ever of its kind, follows news reports last week that Bush appointees at the Election Assistance Commission have been playing politics with voting rights issues. The New York Times revealed that the EAC altered a report that concluded that there was little evidence of voter fraud in the country. In past elections, Republicans have used the presence of voter fraud to often justify disenfranchising minority, seniors, rural Americans, young people and the disabled. Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and DNC Voting Rights Institute Chair Donna Brazile issued the following statement coinciding with Emancipation Day and today’s DC voting rights march: “As we celebrate the end of slavery in the District of Columbia we also call for full voting rights to be extended to the people of the District of Columbia who continue to be treated as second class citizens. Today’s march speaks not just to the voting rights of the people of the District of Columbia but to the larger struggle for voting rights for all Americans. “It is an egregious oversight that the District of Columbia’s residents who pay taxes and are fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan are not afforded a vote on policies that affect their everyday lives. President Bush should stop his veto threat and instead support democracy for all U.S. citizens. We call on Congress and the White House to remedy this voting rights injustice and to protect the right to vote for all Americans who remain unfairly disenfranchised.”

Tomorrow, a day before the President’s meeting on Iraq with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, Ret.) and Brig. General John H. Johns (USA, Ret.) will join National Security Network president Rand Beers for a conference call with reporters to outline the Democratic plan to change course in Iraq. President Bush has threatened to veto an Iraq Supplemental bill passed by both Houses of Congress to provide our troops and veterans the resources they need, offer a real strategy for success, and hold the Iraqi government accountable for its own future. General Gard and General Johns will discuss the strain President Bush’s permanent commitment to a failed strategy in Iraq is placing on our armed forces, including reserve and National Guard units, and outline the need for a new direction. WHO: Lt. General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, Ret.), Brig. General John H. Johns (USA, Ret.) and Rand Beers, president of the National Security Network WHAT: Conference call on the Democratic plan to change course in Iraq WHEN: Tuesday, April 17, 2007, at 1:00 PM Eastern Time (10:00 AM Pacific) WHERE: RSVP to Aaron Resnick at resnicka@dnc.org or by calling (202) 863-8148 to receive call-in information. BIOS: Lieutenant General Robert G. Gard, Jr. (USA, Ret.): A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1950, Robert Gard earned an MPA in 1956 and a Ph. D. in Political Economy and Government in 1961 - both from Harvard University. He retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant general in 1981, following 31 years of distinguished service. General Gard's military assignments included a three year tour in Germany, and combat service in Korea and Vietnam. Assignments during his military career included executive assistant to the Secretary of Defense, the first Director of Human Resources Development for the U.S. Army, and Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. General Gard also served as President of the National Defense University and was a fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations. In 1981/82, General Gard was a visiting professor of international relations at the American University of Paris, and was the director of the Bologna Center of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies from 1982 to 1987. From 1987-1998, General Gard served as president of the Monterey Institute of International Studies. He has written for well-known periodicals that focus on military and international affairs and lectured widely at U.S. and international universities and colleges, and at academic conferences. He is a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Council on Foreign Relations. In 1996, General Gard joined Veterans for America as its military advisor. He has been active in VFA's efforts to enact an international and U.S. ban on the production, sale, transfer, and use of antipersonnel landmines. Brig. General John H. Johns (USA, Ret.): Dr. John H. Johns served as a combat arms officer in the Army for over 26 years, retiring as a brigadier general in 1978. During his career, he served in command assignments up to Assistant Commander of the 1st Infantry Division and Director of Human Resources Development for the Army General Staff. He has taught leadership and ethics at the U.S. Military Academy, the Army War College, the U.S. Military Academy, and the Naval Academy. He served four years as a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense before resigning to become a Professor of Political Science at the National Defense University at Ft. McNair. He is an adjunct professor at the Federal Executive Institute, where he lectures on "Values and the U.S. Constitution" and teaches a one-week course in ethics. Dr. Johns has an undergraduate degree in economics and political science from the University of Alabama. He holds Masters? degrees from Vanderbilt (psychology) and George Washington University (international affairs) and a Ph.D. from American University (sociology). He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, and The National War College. Rand Beers: Rand Beers served as the National Security adviser to the Kerry-Edwards 2004 campaign. Previously he spent 35 years as a senior civil servant. After serving as a Marine officer and rifle company commander in Vietnam, he entered the Foreign Service in 1971 and the Civil Service in 1983. From 1988-98, Mr. Beers served on the National Security Council Staff at the White House as Director for Counter-terrorism and Counter-narcotics, Director for Peacekeeping, and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs. From 1998-2003 he was Assistant Secretary of State for International. Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. In 2002-03 he was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Combating Terrorism. In 2002-03 he was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Combating Terrorism at the National Security Council. Beers earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an M.A. from the University of Michigan.

According to today’s Albuquerque Journal, Senator Pete Domenici personally appealed to the White House to fire U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, asking White House advisor Karl Rove to take his message directly to President Bush. He also spoke to President Bush about the issue. Domenici Sought Iglesias Ouster Mike Gallagher Albuquerque Journal “Former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias was fired after Sen. Pete Domenici, who had been unhappy with Iglesias for some time, made a personal appeal to the White House, the Journal has learned. Domenici had complained about Iglesias before, at one point going to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales before taking his request to the president as a last resort. The senior senator from New Mexico had listened to criticism of Iglesias going back to 2003 from sources ranging from law enforcement officials to Republican Party activists. Domenici, who submitted Iglesias' name for the job and guided him through the confirmation process in 2001, had tried at various times to get more white-collar crime help for the U.S. Attorney's Office— even if Iglesias didn't want it. “At one point, the six-term Republican senator tried to get Iglesias moved to a Justice Department post in Washington, D.C., but Iglesias told Justice officials he wasn't interested. In the spring of 2006, Domenici told Gonzales he wanted Iglesias out. Gonzales refused. He told Domenici he would fire Iglesias only on orders from the president. At some point after the election last Nov. 6, Domenici called Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, and told him he wanted Iglesias out and asked Rove to take his request directly to the president. Domenici and Bush subsequently had a telephone conversation about the issue. “The conversation between Bush and Domenici occurred sometime after the election but before the firings of Iglesias and six other U.S. attorneys were announced on Dec. 7. Iglesias' name first showed up on a Nov. 15 list of federal prosecutors who would be asked to resign. It was not on a similar list prepared in October. The Journal confirmed the sequence of events through a variety of sources familiar with the firing of Iglesias, including sources close to Domenici. The senator's office declined comment. The House and Senate Judiciary committees are investigating Iglesias' firing as well as the dismissals of six other U.S. attorneys. Documentation that has been turned over to Congress doesn't indicate problems with Iglesias' performance from the Department Justice point of view.” To read the entire article, click here.

This weekend, Vice President Dick Cheney will appear on CBS's “Face the Nation.” It has been months since Vice President Cheney, whose full-throated defenses of the White House have become routine, has appeared on a Sunday news show. Since then, he has yet to answer questions about the growing number of scandals currently engulfing the Bush Administration as well as the White House’s failed Iraq strategy. Below are a few questions for Cheney on the US Attorneys scandal, the worsening situation in Iraq, and the growing strain being placed on our soldiers: 1. In light of the bombing of the Iraqi parliament inside the green zone, do you still believe things are going “remarkably well” in Iraq?

• “If you look at the general overall situation, they’re doing remarkably well.” [Vice President Cheney on the Rush Limbaugh Show, 10/17/06, http://thinkprogress.org/2006/10/17/cheney-rush/]

2. This week, it was announced that 13,000 National Guard soldiers should prepare for a sooner than expected possible deployment to Iraq and last week Defense Secretary Gates said U.S. Army units would be deployed to Iraq for 15 months instead of 12 months. Even Gates said our forces are “stretched.” Will you acknowledge that your Administration’s failure to properly plan for the war has stretched our military to the breaking point?

• “Defense Secretary Robert Gates said U.S. Army units would be deployed to Iraq for 15 months instead of 12 months, effective immediately. … ‘Our forces are stretched, there's no question about that,’ Gates said… The shift, which doesn't apply to the Marine Corps, comes as 73 percent of Americans said Bush's plan for Iraq has made the situation there worse or has had no effect on the country's stability, according to a Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll.” [Bloomberg, 4/11/07]

• “As many as 13,000 National Guard soldiers from Arkansas, Indiana, Ohio and Oklahoma got an official heads-up yesterday that they should expect possible deployment to Iraq by year’s end or in 2008, sooner than scheduled. Most of these soldiers have already been deployed in the past few years, and several thousand have served at least one tour in Iraq, underscoring just how profoundly the National Guard’s role has shifted since 2003.” [New York Times, 4/10/07]

3. When will we leave Iraq?

• “The insurgency in Iraq is ‘in the last throes,’ Vice President Dick Cheney says, and he predicts that the fighting will end before the Bush administration leaves office.” [CNN.com, 6/20/05, http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/30/cheney.iraq/]

• Prior to the war, “Cheney also predicted the fight would ‘go relatively quickly, but we can't count on that.’ That same day on NBC's ‘Meet the Press,’ Cheney said, ‘I think things have gotten so bad inside Iraq, from the standpoint of the Iraqi people, my belief is we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators.’ It was then he predicted that the regular Iraqi soldiers would not ‘put up such a struggle,’ and that even ‘significant elements of the Republican Guard . . . are likely to step aside.’ Asked if Americans are prepared for a ‘long, costly and bloody battle,’ Cheney replied: ‘Well, I don't think it's likely to unfold that way. . . . The read we get on the people of Iraq is there is no question but what they want to the get rid of Saddam Hussein, and they will welcome as liberators the United States when we come to do that.’” [Washington Post, 3/29/03, http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A44801-2003Mar28?language=printer]

4. Recent reports show that a number of White House staffers used RNC email accounts to secretly conduct government business and that many of these emails, including many of Karl Rove’s messages, have since been lost. Doesn't this practice violate the law? Has any member of your staff been given an RNC account? Can you comment on this practice?

• RNC Emails Lost. "Waxman was briefed today by a Republican National Committee attorney, Rob Kelner, that 'roughly 50 White House officials have had e-mail accounts on RNC servers' at some point since President Bush came to office, accounts that were controllled by the RNC. ''Mr. Kelner stated that to his knowledge, the earliest e-mails records of White House officials on RNC servers are from 2004. Although White House officials had used RNC e-mail since 2001, the RNC has apparently destroyed all e-mail records from White House officials from 2001, 2002, and 2003.'" According to a letter from Waxman, 'Mr. Kelner's briefing raised particular concems about Karl Rove, who according to press reports used his RNC account for 95 percent of his communications. According to Mr. Kelner, although the hold started in August 2004, the RNC does not have any e-mails prior to 2005 for Mr. Rove. Mr. Kelner did not give any explanation for the e-mails missing from Mr. Rove's account, but he did acknowledge that one possible explanation is that Mr. Rove personally deleted his e-mails from the RNC server.' Mr. Kelner also explained that starting in 2005, the RNC began to treat Mr. Rove's emails in a special fashion. At some point in 2005, the RNC commenced an automatic archive policy for Mr. Rove, but not for any other White House officials." [Politico, 4/12/07]

• Practice May Have Violated The Law. "The main issue is that the accounts were used not just to carry out purely political duties, but to conduct official presidential business. How often, no one yet knows. This could get the Bush White House in trouble with the Presidential Records Act. The 1978 law requires the White House to ensure its actions, decisions and deliberations are 'adequately documented' and that records relating to the performance of presidential duties be preserved. It also governs how those records are eventually made public. It contains exceptions for political and personal activities." [AP, 4/13/07]

5. A new poll says a majority of Americans think the Attorney General should be fired. Do you think Attorney General Gonzales should be fired? How far into the Bush White House does this scandal go and has anyone on your staff been involved?

• Majority Of Americans Want Gonzales To Resign. “U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should resign, most Americans say, and White House aides should be forced to testify before Congress about their involvement in the dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys. In a new Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll, conducted April 5 to 9, 53 percent of respondents said Gonzales should leave his post.” [Bloomberg, 4/11/07]

6. Do you feel you were misled by Doug Feith?

• Feith Office Briefed Cheney With Misleading Information. The Washington Post noted that: “The report, in a passage previously marked secret, said Feith's office had asserted in a briefing given to Cheney's chief of staff in September 2002 that the relationship between Iraq and al-Qaeda was "mature" and "symbiotic," marked by shared interests and evidenced by cooperation across 10 categories, including training, financing and logistics.” [Washington Post, 4/6/07]

• Senate Experts Said Feith Office “Determined” To Find Al-Queda, Iraq Connection. “This report shows that in the case of Iraq’s relationship with al Qaeda, intelligence was exaggerated to support Administration policy aims primarily by the Feith policy office, which was determined to find a strong connection between Iraq and al Qaeda, rather than by the [Intelligence Community], which was consistently dubious of such a connection. In order to present a public case that heightened the sense of threat from Iraq, Administration officials reflected more closely the analysis of Under Secretary Feith’s policy office rather than the more cautious analysis of the [Intelligence Community].” [Senate Armed Services Committee Minority Report, 10/04]

• Pentagon Says Feith “Presdisposed.” “Douglas Feith, an architect of President George W. Bush's Iraq war policy, was "predisposed" to find links between Iraq and al-Qaida, a Pentagon report says.” [UPI, 2/9/07]

• Feith Created “Alternative” Analysis From Intelligence Experts. “…the office of Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, developed and disseminated an “alternative” assessment of the relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda that went beyond the judgments of intelligence professionals in the [Intelligence Community], and which resulted in providing unreliable intelligence information about the Iraq-al Qaeda relationship to policymakers through both direct and indirect means.” [Senate Armed Services Committee Minority Report, 10/04]

This week, Democrats in both houses of Congress marked 100 days of work on behalf of the American people. Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement commending Democrats and the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for their significant accomplishments: “After 100 days, Democrats are working hard to keep our promises to the American people. I applaud Democrats for passing ethics reform, increasing the minimum wage, implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 commission and restoring fiscal responsibility to Washington. Under the strong leadership of Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Reid, we are holding President Bush and his allies in Congress accountable for their permanent commitment to a failed strategy in Iraq and we are making sure our troops and veterans get the resources they deserve. We will continue to make sure the interests of the American people are always placed above partisan politics.”

Smooth talking Mitt Romney heads to South Carolina today, one day after skipping his first National Rifle Association Annual Meeting since purchasing a “lifetime” NRA membership in August. While Romney has told audiences that he is “after the NRA’s endorsement,” he dodged the NRA convention in St. Louis despite being in the same town at the same time for a fundraiser. Romney’s decision to duck the NRA meeting raises important questions. Was Romney afraid to be ridiculed by real NRA members over his claim to have been a hunter “pretty much all my life,” despite having never been issued a hunting license and having been on just two hunting trips? [Associated Press, 4/05/07; Associated Press, 04/06/07] Or was Romney simply trying to avoid explaining his real record on gun control issues? A new analysis of Romney’s gun control record by prominent gun owner's rights activist Dave Kopel found that Romney “has a thin record to back up his claims of support for the Second Amendment.” Not only is there “little evidence of executive leadership by Romney on Second Amendment rights,” but Kopel noted that “Romney occasionally considered the Democratic-dominated Massachusetts legislature too soft on gun owners.” Kopel also highlights that, as part of the $500 million in new fees Romney imposed on Bay State taxpayers, Romney quadrupled the fee for a Firearms Identification card (FID). [National Review Online, 4/11/07] “Either Mitt Romney’s brand new NRA lifetime membership card wasn’t activated in time to get him into the convention or Romney was afraid he wouldn’t be able to smooth talk his way out of his record on gun issues,” said Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera. “Either way, Palmetto State voters are right to wonder what else Romney is willing to say to convince them to ignore his record on the issues they care about.” Romney’s Rifle Pander Misfires Romney in 1994: Gun Policies “Not Going to Make Me the Hero of the NRA.” After signaling support for the assault rifle ban and the Brady gun control law, Romney said, “That’s not going to make me the hero of the NRA.” He added, “I don’t line up with a lot of special interests groups.” He echoed that theme in his gubernatorial campaign when he said, “We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts. I support them. I won’t chip away at them. I believe they protect us and provide for our safety.” [Boston Herald, 9/23/94]

• Prominent Activist Dave Kopel: ”Little Evidence” of Romney Leadership. Kopel found that Romney “has a thin record to back up his claims of support for the Second Amendment.” Not only is there “little evidence of executive leadership by Romney on Second Amendment rights,” but Kopel noted that “Romney occasionally considered the Democratic-dominated Massachusetts legislature too soft on gun owners.” Kopel also highlights that, as part of the $500 million in new fees Romney imposed on Bay State taxpayers, Romney quadrupled the fee for a Firearms Identification card (FID). [National Review Online, 4/11/07]

Romney Today: I’m After the NRA’s Endorsement. Romney told a Derry, New Hampshire audience, “I’m after the NRA’s endorsement. I’m not sure they’ll give it to me. I hope they will.” [Associated Press, 4/4/07] Romney Became “Lifetime” NRA Member...LAST AUGUST. “Mitt Romney, who has touted his support of gun owners since launching his presidential campaign, yesterday acknowledged he did not become a member of the National Rifle Association until last August, campaign officials said. A former advocate of gun control, Romney during his 1994 run for the US Senate backed measures the gun-rights group opposed, such as a five-day waiting period on gun sales and a ban on certain assault weapons. The former Massachusetts governor has been criticized for changing his positions to appeal to social conservatives voting in Republican primaries.” [Boston Globe, 2/19/07] Romney: I’ve Been a Hunter “Pretty Much All My Life.” During an appearance in Keene, New Hampshire, Romney touted his hunting credentials to a man wearing a National Rifle Association cap. Romney said, “I support the Second Amendment. I purchased a gun when I was a young man. I’ve been a hunter pretty much all my life. I’ve never really shot anything terribly big. I used to hunt rabbits.” Romney added, “Shooting a rabbit with a single-shot .22 is pretty hard, and after watching me try for a couple of weeks, my cousins said, ‘We’ll slip you the semiautomatic. You’ll do better with that.’ And I sure did.” [Associated Press, 4/4/07] But Romney’s Been Hunting TWICE. Romney has only been hunting twice: as a 15-year-old; and last year, when he attended an outing of major donors to the Republican Governors Association on a fenced gaming preserve in Georgia. [New York Times, 4/6/07; Associated Press, 4/4/07] And Romney’s Never Held a Hunting License. Romney asserts that he hunted as a teenager mainly in Utah where a license is not required to hunt small game and animals. However, a recently passed law prevents public access to Romney’s hunting license. Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Michigan officials report that Romney was never issued a license to hunt. [Associated Press, 4/8/07] Romney Misled Public About Gun Ownership. Romney also told the online The Glenn and Helen Show that "I have a gun of my own." Later, Romney was forced to admit to reporters in Orlando that he in fact did not personally own any guns. [Boston Globe, 1/14/06]

After years of having President Bush play politics with the issue, last night Senate Democrats passed the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, which increases federal funding for stem cell research and expands the number of stem cell lines available for federally-funded research. Earlier this year, House Democrats voted to expand this critical research, which would help give hope to 100 million Americans affected by debilitating or life-threatening diseases and their families. “Democratic leaders in both houses of Congress have now kept their promise to the American people by passing important legislation that removes President Bush’s restrictions on funding for stem cell research,” said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. “The ethical issues surrounding medical research are some of the most challenging of our time, but we must have the courage and compassion to move forward with critical research that can help save lives. By threatening to veto this critical bill, President Bush is once again opting for political posturing ahead of sound science and the desires of the American people. The time has come for the Bush Republicans to put partisanship aside and join Democrats in standing with the huge majority of American families who support sound science and want to do everything we can to offer hope to those who suffer from debilitating ailments like multiple sclerosis, diabetes, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.”

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today issued the following statement applauding the introduction of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (LLEHCPA) in the Senate and urged its swift passage: “The bipartisan Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act is a critical bill that would protect thousands of Americans from the scourge of hate-motivated violence. Each year hundreds of our fellow citizens are victimized because of their race, religion, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. These deplorable crimes have terrorized entire communities and entire groups of people, and have no place in our American society. "Despite the fact that one in six hate crimes target the LGBT community, federal law does not currently include any protections for these Americans. The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act will correct this injustice and provide the Department of Justice and local law enforcement agencies the resources they need to protect every American from hate crimes. “Passing this legislation is critical to making America’s promise of equal rights and protections under the law a reality for all of our citizens. This is not a Republican issue or a Democratic issue; it’s a human rights issue. I urge our lawmakers in both houses of Congress to send a message that hate is not an American value by passing this critical bill, and for President Bush to send the same message by swiftly signing it into law.”

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today demanded an end to Republican efforts to play politics with voting rights after two recent New York Times reports outlined a persistent campaign by Bush Administration officials to undermine fundamental voting rights for countless Americans. Dean’s comments come as recent reports have highlighted a five-year political campaign by Bush Republicans in the Justice Department, the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and the White House to trump up charges of voter fraud in order to pursue restrictive voter ID laws that disproportionately disenfranchise minority, senior, student and disabled voters. Today, the New York Times revealed that “five years after the Bush Administration began a crackdown on voter fraud, the Justice Department has turned up virtually no evidence of any organized effort to skew federal elections.” [New York Times, 4/12/07] This follows yesterday’s report revealing that political appointees at the EAC downplayed evidence by election experts that found little evidence of voter fraud, but found real evidence of ongoing voter intimidation and suppression. The Times also noted that this issue played a "significant role" in the Bush administration's "firing of eight United States attorneys, several of whom, documents now indicate, were dismissed for being insufficiently aggressive in pursuing voter fraud cases." [New York Times, 4/11/07] DNC Chairman Howard Dean today issued the following statement: “The Bush Administration’s campaign to undermine and politicize essential federal voter protections while downplaying voter suppression tactics is one of the most chilling and cynical examples of the Bush Administration’s consistent use of our government to put partisan politics ahead of the American people. In our Democracy, every eligible voter deserves the right to cast his or her vote and have that vote counted. But for Republicans, nothing is more important than their narrow partisan interests. “The list of tools that Republicans have used to enhance their electoral prospects at the expense of our right to vote reads like a shameful litany from past eras: restricting access to voter registration, improper attempts to purge voter lists, the use of voting machines that leave no verifiable audit trails, criminal phone jamming schemes, discriminatory voter ID laws, and inconsistently administered elections. Now, we see the very institutions of our government that are intended to protect the right to vote used by Republican political operatives to undermine that right. This brand of politics is undemocratic and un-American. The time has come for Republicans to stop playing politics with our fundamental right to vote.”

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today announced the six members of the senior leadership team for the 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC). This talented group of professionals brings extensive experience representative of the commitment to excellence, inclusion and accessibility that will be a hallmark of the 2008 Denver Convention. “We are excited about being in Denver for the 2008 convention, where in 17 months we will nominate the next President of the United States,” said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. “I am very proud to announce the members of our convention leadership team who, as a whole, are representative of the talent, experience and diversity that characterizes the Democratic Party. This team will be on the ground working closely with our partners in Denver to actively engage all communities in new and creative ways to showcase our party’s nominee and the issues that will lead the Democrats to victory in 2008.” Governor Dean will formally kick-off the 2008 Denver Convention with a community celebration Thursday. He will be joined by Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Denver 2008 Host Committee President Elbra Wedgeworth and the DNCC senior leadership team members. The leadership team is headed by Leah Daughtry who will serve as Chief Executive Officer of the 2008 Convention. Daughtry is currently the Chief of Staff at the DNC, managing day-to-day strategy and operations. Among her many accomplishments, Daughtry served at the U.S. Department of Labor as Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management during the Clinton Administration. In that capacity, she oversaw the development of the Department’s management programs and policies, including responsibility for the Department’s $35 billion budget. Throughout her career, Daughtry has been widely recognized as bringing sound, principled management and leadership practices to organizations with which she has worked. Daughtry will be joined by the following outstanding members of the DNCC Denver 2008 senior management team: Leah Daughtry, CEO Peggy Cusack, Chief of Staff Susana Carbajal, General Counsel Jenni Engebretsen, Deputy CEO for Public Affairs Sky Gallegos, Deputy CEO for Intergovernmental Relations Cameron Moody, Deputy CEO for Operations Jim McMullen, Deputy CEO for Administration and Finance Leah Daughtry, Chief Executive Officer The Reverend Leah D. Daughtry is currently Chief of Staff of the Democratic National Committee and leads the DNC’s outreach to faith communities. Daughtry held various senior posts at the United States Department of Labor during the Clinton Administration, including Senior Advisor to the Secretary, Chief of Staff, and lastly, Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, with oversight for the development of the Department’s management programs and policies, including responsibility for the Department’s $35 billion budget. Daughtry also served on the Clinton-Gore 1992 Transition Team, as Managing Director of the 1992 Democratic National Convention, and as Legislative Assistant to U.S. Congressman Edolphus “Ed” Towns. Pastor of The House of the Lord Church in Washington, D.C., Reverend Daughtry is a member of the Boards of Visitors of The Rockefeller Center at Dartmouth College, as well as the Boards of Directors of The House of the Lord Churches, and The Randolph Evans Memorial Scholarship Fund. She has previously served on the Board of Directors of the National AIDS Action Council. Ms. Daughtry has also served as Executive Director of MAN-to-man/Sister-to-Sister, a not-for-profit human service agency dedicated to enriching and enhancing the lives of families in Brooklyn, New York, during which she created a specialized mentoring program for girls with HIV-infected mothers. Susana Carbajal, General Counsel Susana Carbajal is currently an attorney with the Bankruptcy and Specialty Litigation Department at the law firm of Brown McCarroll, L.L.P. where she specializes in representing secured and unsecured creditors as well as debtors in commercial bankruptcy and reorganization cases. Prior to practicing law, Carbajal worked in government and politics at the national level. Her career began on Capitol Hill where she worked for Texas Congressman Ruben Hinojosa. Carbajal also served as associate deputy director of the Office of Presidential Personnel where she recruited, screened, and recommended diverse, qualified candidates to President Clinton for appointments to cabinet departments, agencies, commissions, and boards. Carbajal also worked for the 2000 Gore for President campaign. Peggy Cusack, Chief of Staff Peggy Cusack is currently managing director of the Washington office of Rendezvous Consulting Group, a firm that specializes in the production and management of large scale, high profile events. Cusack brings more than 15 years of experience in the special events industry, and her many notable accomplishments include eight years as a White House event planner during the Clinton/Gore Administration – an experience that included senior management roles on three presidential campaigns, two presidential inaugurations, planning committees for the Olympic Games, and two Democratic National Conventions. In 2004, Peggy served as a consultant to the Kerry-Edwards 2004 presidential campaign, orchestrating campaign operations and logistics for the Democratic National Convention and producing the Election Night concert and celebration in Boston. Prior to starting Rendezvous Consulting Group, Cusack practiced for several years as a litigator in the San Francisco office of the law firm Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Jenni Engebretsen, Deputy CEO for Public Affairs Jenni R. Engebretsen is currently the Director of Communications for the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Washington, DC-based trade group that represents the U.S. recording industry. Before joining the RIAA, Engebretsen spent eight years working in Democratic politics, most recently as a Regional Communications Director for the Kerry-Edwards for President campaign, where she was responsible for developing campaign communications strategy for top-targeted states including Florida and New Hampshire. During the 2004 presidential cycle, she also served as Deputy Communications Director for the Democratic National Convention in Boston and as Press Secretary for the Edwards for President campaign during the primaries. Before that, she worked on Capitol Hill in the communications offices of Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and in the White House press office during the Clinton Administration. She is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Sky Gallegos, Deputy CEO for Intergovernmental Relations Sky Gallegos’ work with state and local elected officials spans the last 13 years and includes senior positions in government, corporate, non-profit and campaign arenas. During the Clinton Administration, Gallegos worked directly with the nation’s state and local elected officials in the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs in the White House, and the Democratic National Committee. An experienced campaign veteran, Gallegos worked in the last three presidential campaign cycles and in off-year and mid-term elections in three targeted states for the Democratic National Committee. In 2003, Gallegos was the National Political Director for the Edwards for President Campaign, during the general election she was the California State Director for Kerry/Edwards 04. Gallegos directed the western regional political effort for Vice President Al Gore in the 2000 election cycle, implementing the political strategy for 12 western states including the successful campaigns in California, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico and Hawaii. Gallegos also has experience building and managing coalitions between the public and private sectors, helping start and then manage EdVoice, a political advocacy organization for public school reform in California. As Chief Operating Officer and Political Director, she worked with the CEO to build a Board of Directors and Advisory Board which includes business, education, political and community leaders from across the state. In its first two years, EdVoice had a 99% success rate with the legislation it introduced. Cameron Moody, Deputy CEO Cameron Moody has more than 18 years of experience in project management, strategic planning, special event logistics, and transportation systems. Until recently, Moody was the Director of Strategic Planning and Operations for the American Cancer Society's National Government Relations Office. Prior to joining the American Cancer Society, Moody was Deputy CEO for Operations for the 2004 Democratic National Convention Committee where he oversaw the planning and implementation of Security, Transportation and Housing. In this role, he interfaced with the Boston Host Committee, Secret Service, Boston Police, Boston Conventions and Visitors Bureau, Boston Fire Dept., Boston Police, State Dept. of Transportation and a host of other agencies and corporate entities. Moody also served as Deputy Director of Operations for the 2004 and 2000 Democratic National Conventions and Deputy Director of Transportation for the 1996 Democratic National Convention. Cameron also worked on the 2002, 2000 and 1996 Olympics and the 1997 Denver Summit of the Eight (G-8 Economic Summit). Moody is an engineer by training and has worked in automotive and athletic shoe design and development prior to working in Special Events. Jim McMullen, Deputy CEO for Administration and Finance Jim McMullen is currently a Principal with the Council for Excellence in Government. Previously McMullen served as a career civil servant for 26 years at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Prior to his retirement in 2004, he was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget and Strategic Planning where he was responsible for the DOL budget which totaled $60 billion and 17,000 staff. In addition to the budget duties, he directed the strategic and performance planning activities of the Department. He was also Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management where in addition to budget and planning he directed human resources, information technology, space and procurement for the Department. During the tenure of Secretary Alexis M. Herman he served as Associate Deputy Secretary where he was the principal advisor to the Deputy Secretary on the formulation and development of policy positions for the Department. McMullen has twice received the President’s Rank Award for Meritorious Service and the Philip Arnow Award, which is the highest award given to a DOL employee. Subsequent to his retirement he was a Principal with SRA International, Inc., which is a provider of information technology services and solutions