Texans For Kay

It Wasn’t Too Long Ago That Perry Called Hutchison A “True Champion For Texas”. Now, In An Election-Year, He Changes His Mind.

“Once again, Rick Perry is changing his mind in an election-year and launching attack ads against Kay Bailey Hutchison despite having praised her as a ‘true champion for Texas.’ However, no amount of negative ads will cover-up Perry’s record of cronyism in office that led to proposing the Trans-Texas Corridor and mandating the HPV vaccine for sixth-grade girls,” said Joe Pounder, Texans for Kay spokesman.

Austin, TX – Today, Rick Perry released yet another negative ad attacking Kay in hopes that voters will forget his record of supporting TARP, hiring Washington lobbyists with Texas taxpayer dollars, and doubling the state debt. The ad highlights footage from 1993, but it’s telling that while Kay was talking about cutting spending and reducing taxes – in 1993, Perry was praising HillaryCare, improperly billing taxpayers and abusing tax loopholes. Check out the facts below:

PERRY FICTION VS. FACT: Perry Attacks Kay, But As Of 2005, Perry Was Praising Kay’s Leadership:

PERRY AD: Attacks Kay. (Texas For Rick Perry, TV Ad, 2/8/10)

FACT: In 2005, Rick Perry Said Hutchison Had Been “True Champion For Texas.” Rick Perry: “Sen. Hutchison has been a true champion for Texas in Washington. We were both elected to statewide office in 1990, we share many of the same supporters and friends, and together we will continue to fight for a better future for our children.” (Dave Montgomery and jack Douglas, “Hutchison Won’t Run For Governor,” Fort Worth Star Telegram, 6/18/05)

•    In 2002, Perry Praised Kay Bailey Hutchison’s Leadership On Transportation Issues Saying “We’re Fortunate To Have Had Leaders Like Sen. Hutchison Who Have Worked Very Hard To Attain Funding.” PERRY: “Let me just say that we’re fortunate to have had leaders like Sen. Hutchison who have worked very hard to attain funding, whether it was she and Sen. Gramm and our Congresswomen who have increased our state share of federal transportation dollars – the gas tax if you will – flowing back into the state. But, with that said, if we have to rely upon the federal government to make progress on our infrastructure in the State of Texas, we’re in trouble.” (Gov. Rick Perry, Remarks, Austin, TX, 1/28/02)

•    In 2001, Perry Said He Was “Very Proud Of Our United States Senators And The Job They Are Doing.” “Perry, who had been encouraged by wise heads to stay cool amid the Hutchison rumors, at a press conference Wednesday greeted the news of her noncandidacy by saying he was ‘very proud of our United States senators and the job they are doing.’” (Dave McNeely, “Did Money Derail Hutchison’s Gubernatorial Hopes?” Austin American-Statesman, 3/18/01)

PERRY FICTION VS. FACT: Perry Attacks Kay For Her 1993 Campaign Pledges, But Back In 1993 Perry Was Praising HillaryCare, Improperly Billing Taxpayers For His Personal Airplane, And Abusing Tax Loopholes:

PERRY AD: Attacks Kay’s 1993 Record. (Texas For Rick Perry, TV Ad, 2/8/10)

1993 FACT: In Letter To Hillary Clinton, Perry Lauded Clinton’s Efforts To Overhaul Healthcare As “Most Commendable.” “But it was quite a different tone that Perry struck in 1993, when he was the state’s young Republican agriculture commissioner and another Democratic president was trying to overhaul health care. It doesn’t appear that Perry supported that effort, either, but he certainly expressed his reservations differently. … [Perry:] ‘Dear Mrs. Clinton: I think your efforts in trying to reform the nation’s health care system are most commendable. The Task Force on National Health Care Reform consists of many entities representing all types of health care providers and citizens.’” (Jason Embry, “With Clinton, Perry Used Softer Tone On Health Care,” Austin American-Statesman’s “First Reading” Blog, www.statesman.com, 8/19/09)

1993 FACT: “After Being Called On The Carpet By A State Lawmaker, Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry … Agreed To Repay The State $431 For Improperly Billing A Flight On His Personal Airplane.” (“Official To Repay State For Flight Bill,” Houston Chronicle, 3/4/93)

•    Perry And His Wife Improperly Used The State’s Airplane Pooling Plan For A Trip To Dallas For A Fashion Program. “State Rep. Dan Kubiak, D-Rockdale, revealed the improper flight billing in a letter to the House General Investigating Committee. Kubiak noted that Perry and his wife, Anita, used a state aircraft pooling board plan to fly from Austin to Dallas last Nov. 16 for a fashion industry program.” (“Official To Repay State For Flight Bill,” Houston Chronicle, 3/4/93)

1993 FACT: Houston Chronicle Noted That Several Statewide Lawmakers, Including Perry, Took Advantage Of An Agriculture Tax Loophole To Pay Lower Taxes While Not Earning A Living As A Farmer. “Many state lawmakers also take advantage of the loophole to escape paying school taxes on their land. Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock; Texas Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry; Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland; Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston; and Rep. Hugo Berlanga, D-Corpus Christi, all claim agricultural exemptions on property they own in the state. None of the lawmakers make their living as farmers or ranchers.” (Tara Parker Pope & Bob Sablatura, “Speaker Backs Reform Of Ag Tax Break,” Houston Chronicle, 2/17/93)

•    Texas Schools Were Losing Millions Of Dollars A Year Because Of Misuse Of The Tax. “The Houston Chronicle reported Sunday that Texas schools are losing millions of dollars a year because of a loophole in a tax law intended to protect family farmers. The Chronicle found that the law -- commonly known as the agriculture exemption – allows many developers and land speculators to pay far less in taxes than the average homeowner with property of equal value.” (Tara Parker Pope & Bob Sablatura, “Speaker Backs Reform Of Ag Tax Break,” Houston Chronicle, 2/17/93)

PERRY FICTION VS. FACT: Perry Attacks Kay For Supporting TARP, But Perry Neglects To Mention That He Wrote A Letter Urging Congress To Pass TARP:

PERRY AD: Attacks Kay For Voting For TARP. (Texas For Rick Perry, TV Ad, 2/8/10)

FACT: WOAI: “Perry Fails To Mention He Also Thought [TARP] Was A Good Idea At The Time.” “Governor Rick Perry is hoping to sink his challenger Kay Bailey Hutchison by hanging the Wall Street bailout around her neck. … But while he slams his opponent, Perry fails to mention he also thought it was a good idea at the time.”  (Brian Collister, “Gov. Rick Perry’s Campaign Ad Put To The Truth Test,” WOAI, 1/15/10)

•    Dallas Morning News Headline: “Gov. Rick Perry And Democratic Counterpart Prod Congress To Pass Bailout, Put Aside Partisanship” (Todd J. Gillman, “Gov. Rick Perry And Democratic Counterpart Prod Congress To Pass Bailout, Put Aside Partisanship,” Dallas Morning News’ “Trail Blazers” Blog, http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com, 10/1/08)

•    Fort Worth Star-Telegram Headline: “Perry Joins With Democrat To Push For Bailout” (Maria Recio, “Perry Joins With Democrat To Push For Bailout,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s “PoliTex” Blog, http://startelegram.typepad.com, 10/1/08)

PERRY FICTION VS. FACT: Perry Attacks Kay On Debt Limit Votes, But Rick Perry Has More Than Doubled The State Debt:

PERRY Ad: Attacks Kay On Debt Limit. (Texas For Rick Perry, TV Ad, 2/8/10)

FACT: According To The Texas Bond Review Board, Total Outstanding Debt In Texas Has Increased 137% During Perry’s Tenure As Governor. In FY 2000, bonded debt in Texas was $13.2 billion. In FY 2008, bonded debt in Texas was $31.3 billion, an increase of 137.1%. (Texas Bond Review Board, “Debt Affordability Study,” www.brb.state.tx.us, 2/09, p.4)

•    According To The Tax Foundation, Texas Spent The Sixth Highest Percentage On Debt Interest In The Nation.  (Gerald Prante, “Where Do State And Local Governments Concentrate Their Spending?” The Tax Foundation, taxfoundation.org, 10/29/09)

FACT: As Treasurer, Hutchison Was The Architect Of The State Debt Limit. “‘When you have seen the kind of rate of growth we've had you know it's not all bad,’ said Texas Treasurer Kay Bailey Hutchison, an architect of the state's new debt policy. ‘When you are in economic hard times, you need to make sure you are being prudent.’” (John Racine, “Texas Limits Debt For The First Time As State Continues Turning To Bonds,” The Bond Buyer, 12/5/91)

•    In 1991, Hutchison Proposed Capping Debt As Part Of A Debt Management Plan, And State Rep. Rob Junell (D-San Angelo) Sponsored The Measure In The State Legislature. “The Texas House of Representative has adopted a new measure that would limit borrowings by the double-A rated state to 5% of general revenues -- which is about four times the current debt load. Kay Bailey Hutchison, the Texas treasurer who proposed the measure as part of a broad debt management plan, applauded state Rep. Rob Junell, D-San Angelo, the sponsor, for the bill's passage.” (John Racine, “House Limit Borrowings By The State To 5% Of General Revenues,” The Bond Buyer, 8/6/91)

PERRY FICTION VS. FACT: Perry Attacks Kay On Earmarks, But Perry Spent Over A Million Dollars Of Taxpayer Money To Hire Washington Lobbyists To Secure Earmarks:

PERRY AD: Attacks Kay On Earmarks. (Texas For Rick Perry, TV Ad, 2/8/10)

FACT:  Rick Perry Was The First Governor To Hire Outside Lobbyists To Supplement The Office Of State-Federal Relations. “While the state lobby office has existed since the 1960s, Perry is the first governor to hire outside contract lobbyists.” (R.G. Ratcliffe, “Dems Urge End To Lobbying Pact,” The Houston Chronicle, 1/21/06)

•    Under Perry, D.C. Lobbying Firm Cassidy & Associates Negotiated “A $15,000-A-Month Contract With The Texas Government To Secure Congressional Earmarks For State Projects.” “In Texas, state Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, a Democrat, earlier this month demanded that GOP Gov. Rick Perry drop contracts with two Washington lobbying firms … Cassidy & Associates, for example, has a $15,000-a-month contract with the Texas government to secure congressional earmarks for state projects.” (Shawn Zeller, “Lobbyists! Run!,” Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 1/28/06)

•    Under Perry, The State Also Hired The D.C. Lobbying Firm The Federalist Group, LLC, Which Was Paid $600,000 By The Texas Office Of State-Federal Relations For Its Services From 2003 – 2006. (Tara Copp, “Democrats Push State To Cancel Lobbying Deal,” Austin American-Statesman, 1/21/06; Federal Lobbying Disclosure Database Website, soprweb.senate.gov, Accessed 11/30/09)

•    TxDOT Spent $1.1 Million On A 13-Month Contract With Lobbying Firms To Advance Its Interests In Washington. “The Texas Department of Transportation will spend nearly $1.1 million to hire lobbying firms to advance its interests in Washington under a 13-month agreement that runs through the end of this year.” (“Corrections,” Houston Chronicle, 2/3/07)

FACT:  The Perry Campaign Admits That “Perry Isn’t Completely Averse To Earmarks.” “The letters the Hutchison campaign released Tuesday indicate that Perry isn't completely averse to earmarks, and Miner – defending the requests as reflecting the governor's priorities – said as much.”  (Todd J. Gillman, “Perry, Hutchison Camps Argue About Earmarks,” The Dallas Morning News, 10/21/09)

•    Austin American-Statesman: “Some Earmarks Sit Just Fine With The State Government That Perry Leads.” “The Perry campaign has been trying to draw attention this week to the fact that Citizens Against Government Waste has just named Hutchison ‘porker of the month’ for her vast earmark requests. But Hutchison hit back Tuesday with some evidence that some earmarks sit just fine with the state government that Perry leads.” (Jason Embry, “Hutchison Hits Back On Earmarks,” Austin American-Statesman’s “First Reading” Blog, www.statesman.com, 10/21/09)

•    In Two Letters, TxDOT Executive Director Michael Behrens Submitted Earmark Requests. “The Hutchison campaign also produced two letters – one written in March 2003 and one written in February 2004 – in which the executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation submitted earmark requests to Hutchison.” (Jason Embry, “Hutchison Hits Back On Earmarks,” Austin American-Statesman’s “First Reading” Blog, www.statesman.com, 10/21/09)

Over The Years, Perry Sent Hutchison Several Letters “Asking For Federal Funding On Specific Projects.” “Some of those collaborative efforts have turned into talking points and the source of bickering. There are several letters from the governor asking for federal funding on specific projects, but Perry has frequently criticized Hutchison for being a ‘big spender’ in Washington.” (Tom Benning, “Correspondence Between Rick Perry, Kay Bailey Hutchison Transforms From Cordial To Brusque,” The Dallas Morning News, 11/30/09)

FACT: Three-Fourths Of The Spending Projects Hutchison Has Secured For Texas Have Been For The Military. “Three-fourths of Hutchison’s earmarks have been for the military; she’s the ranking republican on the appropriations subcommittee that oversees military spending.” (Dave McNeely, Op-Ed, “Stimulus Money, Earmarks And The Republican Governor’s Race,” Weatherford Democrat, 10/16/09)