FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: ARDEN MANNING
MAINE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO COLLINS:
AUGUSTA - Saying "enough is enough," the Maine Democratic Party today requested an apology from Senator Susan Collins and her surrogates for attacking Congressman Tom Allen for standing by his family. The MDP also asked Senator Collins and her supporters to pull down a web video carrying specific attacks on Congressman Allen for missing votes to attend his mother's funeral and to stand by his wife in her illness with breast cancer. [The video can be viewed here: "Since last summer Senator Collins and her friends have taken Tom Allen to task for missing votes to attend the funerals of his parents and to attend his daughter's wedding," said Peter Chandler, MDP Coordinated Campaign Manager. "Last fall, they attacked Tom Allen for missing votes to attend the funeral of a relative." Chandler said, "Now they have gone overboard, producing and nationally distributing a vicious web video that specifically names votes Congressman Allen missed while attending the funeral of his mother, and others recently missed to be with his ill wife. "Senator Collins and her supporters need to debate the issues that matter to every Mainer like the economy, high energy prices, health care costs and Iraq instead of resorting to these tactics," he added. "She and her friends distributing these attacks should apologize and pull the video down." Chandler noted that Congressman Allen and Senator Collins have served the same 11 years in Washington. During that time, he has cast about 7,020 votes, compared to her 3,700. "Senator Collins wants to debate labels and numbers instead of the issues at stake. Tom Allen's voting attendance record of 98% is solid, with votes against invading Iraq, against harmful Bush economic policies, against big giveaways to Big Oil and Gas, and on behalf of Mainers," Chandler said. "Compare that to Senator Collins' votes with the Bush-Cheney Administration 82% of the time with votes to authorize and continue the war, votes that harm Maine's middle class and votes that give the breaks to Big Oil and Gas while Maine families struggle to make ends meet."
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Votes specifically targeted in the video: The first two votes cited in the video were missed when Congressman Allen's mother passed away:
Other votes cited were missed when Congressman Allen's father passed away:
More recent votes cited in the video were missed so that Congressman Allen could be with his ill wife:
Previous relevant articles on Senator Collins' attacks: Kennebec Journal: Senate race should turn on real issues http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/view/columns/4923423.html Portland Press Herald: Calling roll! Senate race slip-up? Here! http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=138915&ac
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