Debicella Attempts to Deliberately Deceive Voters with Lies about Himes Statements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
PRESS RELEASE
Himes2010
Connecticut’s 4th District
September 14, 2010 Contact: Liz Kerr, 203-275-9715
Debicella Attempts to Deliberately Deceive Voters with Lies about Himes Statements
If the news doesn’t fit your narrative, change the news
BRIDGEPORT, CT—Quotes from Dan Debicella in an article in today’s Greenwich Time show that once again, Debicella is attempting to skew Jim Himes’ positions for his own political gain. In an effort to make the facts fit his preferred version of reality, Debicella has twisted Himes’ position on extending the 2001 tax cuts. In January, Himes sent a letter to President Obama urging an extension of these tax cuts. However, Debicella is attempting to spread the lie that Himes’ position on the cuts has changed.
Debicella deliberately and deceptively cut short a quote of Himes’ comments at a New Canaan town hall meeting held on August 12 to show Himes saying about the tax cuts for households earning more than $250,000 per year: “I’m still looking at it— I would say let them expire.”
In reality, Himes’ answer reiterated his position that economic conditions and the impact a change could have on small businesses would guide any possible vote regarding the extension of cuts for households making over $250,000 per year. The tape shows Himes saying:
“Here’s where I am right now (on the Bush tax cuts). I think for under ($)250,000 for households, under ($)200,000 for individuals, I think we need to contemplate at least a one or two year extension of the tax cuts. The last thing we need to do now is take dollars out of the pocket of our middle class. On the ones that are in excess of $250,000, I’m still looking at it. I would say let them expire but for one thing, which is that there are a lot of small businesses running their tax returns into personal tax returns at that level—this gentleman here—so I need to look at that small business tax cut…”
This tactic isn’t new to conservatives. Last year, the National Republican Campaign Committee doctored a transcript of U.S. Representative Tom Perriello’s (VA-5) comments at a town hall meeting, replacing key words— that provided important context—with ellipses in an attempt to make Perriello’s comments sound racist. When the full transcript was made available, it was clear the opposite was true.
Last Thursday, Daily Show host Jon Stewart highlighted the type of dishonesty rampant in politics to which Debicella is reverting. Stewart summed up the strategy of the GOP and conservative media outlets as “If the news doesn’t fit your narrative, change the news.” He then used examples of edited news clips to show how the meaning of comments can be altered if taken out of context, as Debicella did with Himes’ answer to the question of extending the current tax rates. Note: The relevant portion of the clip begins around 3:45 at this link
“Debicella’s actions are no surprise. He has always put his allegiance to his party ahead of the people he represents, and truth and honesty are not his strong suit,” said David Gioiello, Chair of the Shelton Democratic Town Committee. “While Jim Himes has taken a thoughtful independent approach to his work to fix the economy and create jobs, Debicella is spewing sleazy political talking points.”
Jim Himes has held a consistent position regarding the expiration of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts in the face of a very weak economic recovery: the tax cuts for households making under $250,000 per year should definitely be extended, and, if economic conditions warrant, the existing rate for those making over $250,000 should also be extended.
On January 26, 2010, prior to eight straight months of private sector job growth, Himes and seven other members of Congress wrote to the President calling for an extension of two years or until such time as the economy recovered. During an appearance on ABC News in July, Himes reiterated that the extension should depend on how it would impact the economy and small businesses. At a town hall meeting in August, Himes explained that since economic conditions looked to be changing slightly, he may reconsider the exact length of time he would support extending the existing tax rates, which, along with two unpaid-for wars, have significantly threatened America’s fiscal stability.
“Debicella has stooped to a new low in his effort to say or do anything to climb the political ladder,” said Himes’ campaign manager Mark Henson. “It’s no surprise he’s now attempting to manipulate Jim’s thoughtful words in an attempt to cover up his own knee-jerk, partisan approach to the economy.”
