Archives for October 2016

INDIANAPOLIS – During the 2013 government shutdown that Congressman Todd Young voted for five separate times, he made a promise to Hoosiers that he would give up his pay. After touting his vow to refuse his paycheck, Congressman Young was silent on whether or not he followed through with his promise.

Fast forward to almost exactly three years since the government shut down. After being asked directly whether or not Congressman Young accepted pay, his campaign refused to confirm if he donated his paycheck. But just a few days later, it was reported that Todd Young did in fact end up cashing his taxpayer-funded paycheck.

Meanwhile, many other members of Congress who similarly vowed to refuse pay during the shutdown were true to their word and returned their paycheck to the Treasury or donated it to charity.

“Congressman Young willingly accepted his pay, even after all his grandstanding and public vow to refuse it during the government shutdown,” said John Zody, Chairman. “Congressman Young voted five times to shut down the government—a shutdown that impacted seniors, children, and veterans relying on crucial services—and he still hasn’t admitted to Hoosiers that he accepted his paycheck for failing to do his job. His shutdown shenanigans prove Congressman Todd Young really will say or do anything to try to advance his political career, no matter the consequences for Hoosiers.”

The government shutdown Congressman Young supported cost more than $23 billion in lost economic activity.

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WNDU: “Protesters question Walorski-Coleman debate schedule”

INDIANAPOLIS – Hoosiers are continuing to see how out of touch Congresswoman Jackie Walorski is as she keeps dodging common sense campaign practices. Aside from Walorski’s simple refusal to hold a public debate for this campaign, Hoosiers now say she’s been ignoring the Second District.

WSBT: “Do you plan to have any other debates?”

Walorski: “Again, the campaign teams worked these out and there’s been agreement on both sides and really other than that, that’s how these formats happen.”

Congresswoman Jackie Walorski is not available to speak with Hoosiers and will do everything possible to stack the deck against Lynn Coleman for the only debate in this campaign year. This is ironic considering Walorski campaigned on this issue in 2010 when she called for six debates against then U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly.

Click here to watch the full WNDU video.

“Hoosiers are picking up on the fact that Congresswoman Jackie Walorski forgot about the Second District the moment she reached Washington, D.C.,” said Drew Anderson, communications director. “From failing to hold regular public town hall events to using taxpayer dollars to mail out political mail pieces across the district, Walorski is afraid to be held accountable for her out-of-touch agenda that aligns with Washington special interests and leaves Hoosiers falling behind.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: WALORSKI’S DEBATE PROBLEMS GETTING ATTENTION ACROSS THE SECOND DISTRICT

South Bend Tribune: “[The Coleman for Congress Campaign] again criticized Walorski’s decision to participate only in the Wabash radio debate, which likely will not reach as many constituents as a televised debate.”

WNDU: “A dozen protesters gathered outside Rep. Jackie Walorski’s (R-2nd) lunchtime speaking engagement with the South Bend Rotary Club at Century Center Wednesday. They carried signs that read “Special Interest Jackie!!” and “She talks to Lobbyists not to voters!”

‘Jackie said in 2010 that she should have six debates against then-incumbent Joe Donnelly. I was a Joe Donnelly supporter, but I thought she had the right position at the time, now she changes her position as the incumbent and says she only wants to have these little junior debates,’ said Dan Kane, a protester.”

WSBT: “According to our partners at the South Bend Tribune, Walorski asked for no less than six debates in 2010, when she ran against incumbent Joe Donnelly for Congress.

We reached out to her campaign after the meeting to respond to this, and have not heard back. Wednesday Donnelly said this about the Walorski-Coleman debate.

‘This district has always been about televised debate, other debate, there’s a real engagement to let people hear,’ he said, ‘It’s our obligation to tell people why we think we’re the better choice.’”

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INDIANAPOLIS – Tennessee Trey Hollingsworth moved to Indiana just to run for the Ninth Congressional Seat. And while Tennessee Trey tries to say he’s a “proud Hoosier,” many Hoosiers aren’t buying it – even members of the Indiana Republican Party.

Ahead of tonight’s Ninth District debate, Check out this compilation video from the primary where Republicans like Attorney General Greg Zoeller, State Senator Brent Waltz, and State Senator Erin Houchin all denounced and tore apart Tennessee Trey’s attempt to pull one over on Hoosiers in this election.

Click here to hear what Hoosier Republicans think of Tennessee Trey Hollingsworth.

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Only IN-02 debate is sponsored by organization that endorsed Walorski, moderator is former Statehouse colleague of the congresswoman

INDIANAPOLIS – Congresswoman Jackie Walorski is simply “not available” to talk about why she is dodging debates with Lynn Coleman and her avoiding her constituents in the Second District. In fact, WSBT got this response from Walorski’s Campaign: “We requested an on-camera or phone interview with Rep. Walorski on Tuesday, but her campaign spokesperson said she was not available.”

“Being ‘unavailable’ perfectly summarizes Jackie Walorski and her approach to representing Indiana’s Second District. It’s inexcusable for a Member of Congress to avoid their constituents,” said Drew Anderson, communications director. “From failing to hold consistent public town hall events to using taxpayer dollars to mail out political mail pieces across the district, Walorski is afraid to be held accountable for her out-of-touch agenda that aligns with Washington special interests and leaves Hoosiers falling behind.”

Further, the sponsor of the small reach, radio debate in the southern part of the Second District actually endorsed Jackie Walorski for the election. But don’t expect to find this endorsement on Walorski’s website. Her team deleted this information just yesterday. And Hoosiers in Indiana’s Second District shouldn’t assume this debate will be fair. The moderator is a former Republican colleague of Jackie’s at the Statehouse – former State Representative Bill Ruppel.

Simply put, Congresswoman Jackie Walorski is not available to speak with Hoosiers and will do everything possible to stack the deck against Lynn Coleman for the only debate in this campaign year. This is ironic considering Walorski campaigned on this issue in 2010 when she called for six debates against then U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly.

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INDIANAPOLIS – Eric Holcomb is “quite proud” of Mike Pence’s record. This includes an economy where Hoosier wages and the state economy are consistently behind the national average. And while Mike Pence tried to tout Allen County during last night’s vice presidential debate, Hoosiers aren’t buying the Mike Pence-Eric Holcomb snapshot economy either.

Under the Mike Pence-Eric Holcomb Administration, the strength of income for Hoosiers has dropped to 38^th in the nation. On average, Hoosier workers only make 86 cents on the American dollar and the state of Indiana ranked last in economic growth in the Midwest.

This administration is just not getting the job done, and hardworking families continue to fall behind the rest of the nation.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: INDIANA IS FALLING BEHIND THE REST OF THE NATION

• Indiana’s economy grew at 1.7%, trailing the national 2.4% average. – [Indy Star, 6.14.16]
• Per Capita Income: Indiana ranks 38^thin per capita income, down from 33^rd in 2004. – [NWI Times, 03.2016]
• Mike Pence signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in a closed door ceremony [FOX 59, 3.26.15], throwing Indiana into a $250 million economic panic. – [The Advocate, 7.10.15]
• Median Incomes: Wages have dropped from $53,500 in 2000 to $46,900 in 2013. – [S. Census]
• Hoosiers make 86 cents for every one American dollar earned. – [Indianapolis Star, 6.1.15]
• Indiana ranks 45^thin quality of life, 36th in workforce. – [CNBC,2016]
• African American households earn on average $21,000 less than white households. – [Indianapolis Star, 4.11.15]
• Hispanic households make $15,000 less than white households. – [Indianapolis Star, 4.11.15]
• About two thirds of minimum wage workers in Indiana are women. – [Forbes, 7, 2015]
• Hoosier women make 75 cents for every dollar a man makes. – [AAUW, 2015]
• Mike Pence and Statehouse Republicans repealed the common construction wage laws, allowing union worker wages to go down and the expanding wage gap continues to grow in our state. – [NWI Times, 5.6.15]

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