NY-20: Either Tedisco or Steele is lying

by: devtob

Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 09:40:04 AM EST

But this is about one particular lie, related to support or lack thereof for President Obama's stimulus package, and about a big-bucks Manhattan fund-raiser last night.

This is the second time that the nationally important 20th Congressional District special election on March 31 between Democratic candidate Scott Murphy and Republican candidate Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco has attracted a personal appearance by Michael Steele, the entertaining new chairman of the Republican National Committee.

And it probably won't be the last.

But when Steele helps Tedisco raise money, someone is lying. Since reporters these days would never ask Steele or Tedisco who's lying about the stimulus, I'll try to answer that, below.

Tedisco is in a tight political spot on this issue -- the wingnut base hates Obama and the stimulus, but overall, Obama and the stimulus are overwhelmingly popular in the district -- so he's trying to have it both ways.

On the other hand, Steele has said that he will not raise money for Republicans who support the stimulus.

So, what are we to think when, last night, Steele attended a major fund-raiser for Tedisco, held by Bush/Pataki funders Andrew and Denise Saul at their Fifth Avenue co-op.

Tickets to the reception were a minimum of $1,000, but those who signed up for the "Host Committee" and committed to raising from $4,800, to $19,200 also got dinner with Tedisco and his good friend, former Gov. George Pataki, who is as popular as an all-day freezing rain storm in the district.

The event was private, naturally, and the amount raised and from whom may not be known until after the election. But it clearly raised somewhere in the six figures from Manhattan GOP millionaires.

The RNC also paid for Tedisco's first TV ad, to the tune of $80,000.

The answer to the "who's lying?" question is obvious -- Tedisco.

He has no doubt given private assurances to Steele, and other Republican leaders/funders, that he would have opposed the stimulus and would, if elected, be a loud Obama obstructionist.

He needs their money, after all.

The idea that a career Republican politician who specializes in barking-dog attacks on Democrats would have been the ONLY House GOP Member to vote for the stimulus is preposterous.

And EVERYONE KNOWS IT.

So Tedisco is lying on this one.

So please do whatever you can to send the excellent Scott Murphy to Congress, and the liar Tedisco back to his Assembly doghouse.  

P.S. IMPORTANT REMINDER, courtesy of commenter/Kossack/Democratic activist RonV: Absentee votes in a low-turnout special election are more important than in a general election. Absentee ballot requests for this special election MUST BE POSTMARKED by March 24, and if mailed in, MUST BE POSTMARKED by March 30.