FitzSimmond's Statement

FitzSimmonds Statement on False Democrat Advertising

The following statement was made today by Bob FitzSimmonds (R-Bristow) at the Manassas City Republican Headquarters today. After the statement is additional information.

This campaign season the Democratic Party has created the most deceitful, dishonest and negative campaign mail in recent memory. It has rightly drawn the attention and condemnation of local and state news organizations. I believe the Potomac News has run at least two articles and the Post had a long article on the front page yesterday talking about the string of distortions that spread all across Virginia, but seem to be at their worst here in Northern Virginia. Up until the last few days I escaped the string of distortions that were directed at many of my ticket mates.

In the last few days the Democrat distortion machine has taken aim at me. In an incredible piece of mail, my opponent accuses me of being a friend of criminals and working to "allow people who have been committed to a mental institute to purchase guns", among other things. The hit piece notes my service as Legislative Director to Sen. Cuccinelli as proof of these outlandish claims.

Incredibly, it cites bills that were considered when I did not work for Senator Cuccinelli as evidence and even one bill that Senator Colgan himself voted for and that Governor Warner signed into law.

In addition to this mail piece, the Democratic Party has begun running cable ads accusing me of wanting to imprison women who have abortions. These ads have been run against many Republicans in Northern Virginia and the only justification for these claims is that we are pro-life candidates. In the past Senator Colgan always claimed to be pro-life, but now he is running ads that say I am unfit to hold public office simply because I am pro-life.

This, combined with the similar tactic used in the mail attack is the height of hypocrisy and has absolutely no place in legitimate political discourse. If Senator Colgan wants to criticize me for positions I have articulated or printed in my literature that is perfectly fine. If he wants to review public statements and take issue with survey answers, again, that is fine. But he is not doing this. He and the Democratic Party are fabricating positions to advance their campaign with no regard for the truth.

This is the second time I have run against Senator Colgan. In 1999 our race was issues oriented and factually based. In our many joint appearances Senator Colgan stuck to a clear articulation of his views and criticism of my stated positions. The type of distortions that are now coming to characterize his campaign are completely new and can only be explained by the knowledge that he is losing this race on the issues.

Let me be clear, neither I nor my former boss have ever taken a position that women should be arrested for having an abortion. If this is what constitutes a pro-life position in Senator Colgan's mind then possibly his party should be expressing concern about him. The charges leveled in the mail piece and the cable ad are total fabrications and presenting them as fact is immoral. I call on Senator Colgan to renounce these distortions, to insist that the Democratic Party of Virginia stop these attacks and stick to the truth. I further call on Comcast to immediately stop airing these lies.

I am pro-life and I am an advocate for the second amendment. I am proud of these stands and happy to discuss them. I am not willing to stand by, while my opponent and his party attempts to parody my position. I have very intentionally run my campaign on the issues that define the public's concerns in this election year. I have talked about transportation, growth and illegal immigration. In my campaign literature I have described those things which set me and Senator Colgan apart on these important issues. I encourage the senator to do the same. I call on him to get his party out of the gutter and to conduct his campaign in a fit and proper way.

Thank you.

Fact Sheet

The school parking lot bill ( HB 2535) passed the Senate 28-11 and the House of Delegates 85-9 before it was signed into law by Gov. Warner on March 26, 2005. The bill was supported by all five Prince William Delegates and Chuck Colgan.

Democratic blog, Raising Kaine, in defending against a similar attack against Chap Petersen said:

It also accused him of supporting 'concealed weapons' in school, a gross misrepresentation of a law that passed the House of Delegates 85-9 and was signed by Governor Warner in 2005.

SB 964 and SB 939 (both 2003) was legislation introduced and voted on before FitzSimmonds worked for Senator Cuccinelli.

None of the bills mentioned were introduced or co-sponsored by Senator Cuccinelli, therefore any "work" done by Bob FitzSimmonds would have been incidental at best.

 

Date Published: 2007-10-24 06:00:00

Section: Politics,