Republican Lobby Tactics

[DU9598]

<http://www.theiowachannel.com/health/4248064/detail.html>

The Iowa Republican speaker of the house - flexing his muscle with a one seat majority - is refusing a vote on a popular tax increase on tobacco products in Iowa. The tax is being proposed to pay for increasing costs of Medicaid.

It appears that the Repubs are using an out-of-state consulting/telemarketing firm to make calls posing as Iowa citizens to call state reps and ask them to oppose the tobacco tax increase. The tobacco tax increase is supported by Gov. Vilsack and has near unanimous support of the democratic legislators. FWIW, our state senate is divided 25/25.

Anyone else hearing of repubs making false "constituent calls" from out of state telemarketers?

-- Culver for Governor 2006 --

[CornField]

1. I haven't heard that

That's not to say I don't think it happened... just that I can't prove it.

[Rambis]

2. They use phone banks all over the country

Jim Hahn used a phone bank in Idaho or Utah to smear and push poll Tom Fiegen in the last election. Kaufman had people doing the same thing and blaming all the negativity of the campaign on Mike Owen! The republicans ran a by the book Rovian campaign and it worked like a charm. Mike and Tom we really good decent guys and Hahn couldn't string lacing cards with my 2 year old daughter let alone string together a sentence. BS!