SCHIP ATTACKS ON CONGRESSMAN HAYES
EXPOSE RANK HYPOCRISY OF LIBERAL FRONT GROUP
Kissell Keeps Ducking the Issue

RALEIGH—The announcement late last week from a group of liberal interests that they were going to attack Robin Hayes for standing up for North Carolina’s economy is so thick with hypocrisy, you could cut it with a knife, said North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Linda Daves.

On Friday, a group of unions combined with MoveOn.org announced that they would spend $1 million to attack certain Republicans in Congress over their vote on the SCHIP bill.  The front group, Americans United for Change, announced that they were targeting Congressman Robin Hayes as part of their effort.

“MoveOn.org self-destructed when they attacked General Petraeus, and now Americans United for Change is showing that it has no credibility either with their ridiculous attacks on Congressman Hayes,” said Daves.  “The hypocrisy surrounding this is so thick, you could cut it with a knife.”

Daves pointed out the following:

Attacks are 100% political and have 0% to do with policy: Americans United for Change is attacking Robin Hayes for voting against the SCHIP bill because he opposes the devastating effects the legislation would have on tobacco and the North Carolina economy.  Two of North Carolina’s Democrats (Bob Etheridge and Mike McIntyre) voted the same way for the same reason, however Americans United for Change announced they wouldn’t attack any Democrat.

This time it’s ok to shoot the messenger:  Americans United for Change is led by Brad Woodhouse, former agriculture staffer to North Carolina Democrat Congressman Bob Etheridge.  Woodhouse used to advocate pro-tobacco policies on behalf of Etheridge before attacking them on behalf of liberal interest groups.

Kissell hiding from reporters: Hayes’ Democrat opponent, Larry Kissell will not say how he would have voted on the bill, and refuses to call any reporters back.  Should he be subjected to the same attacks as Congressman Hayes, or would he have voted to devastate North Carolina’s tobacco industry?

Citing the devastating effects on North Carolina’s economy, Robin Hayes voted against the current SCHIP bill.  According to an in-depth study conducted at NC State University, the 160% increase on tobacco excise taxes would cost North Carolina’s economy over $500 million a year. 

(“Cigarette tax hike could hurt state in many ways”  The News & Observer, July 27, 2007, http://www.newsobserver.com/print/friday/city_state/story/651200.html)

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