Rehberg rejects Tester’s plan to keep third-party ads out of Montana
Out-of-state organization spends another $190,000 attacking Tester
BILLINGS, Mont. – Montanans for Tester campaign manager Preston Elliott today released the following statement after Congressman Dennis Rehberg rejectedJon Tester’s proposal to keep all third-party TV and radio attack ads out of Montana:
“Jon offered Congressman Rehberg a simple, good-faith effort to keep secretly funded ads out of this race, and Congressman Rehberg rejected it because he's relying on these ads as we speak.”
Elliott added that Rehberg’s “response” to Tester’s proposal was “just more dishonest politics” from Rehberg designed only to keep third-party, out-of-state TV ads running on Rehberg’s behalf.
“Montanans can't trust Congressman Rehberg to keep his promises. He gave himself five pay raises after campaigning against them, he hid tens of thousands of dollars he's taken from lobbyists, and he's broken every clean campaign pledge he's signed. Montanans won't fall for yet another promise Congressman Rehberg knows he can't keep.”
Immediately after Tester’s proposal last week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—a secretly funded organization not affiliated with local chambers of commerce—spent another $190,000 on TV ads in Montana attacking Tester (fact check HERE).
Below is a summary of why Montanans can’t trust Dennis Rehberg. A full reports is available online HERE.
Rehberg promised Montanans no pay raises for himself…
Rehberg Promised Never to Vote for a Pay Raise. In a 1996 campaign ad, Rehberg said he “has never voted for a pay raise, and [he] never will.” [Rehberg Campaign Ad]
Rehberg Flier Claimed He Had Never Voted for or Taken a Pay Raise – And Never Would. In a 1996 campaign flier, Rehberg boasted, “Rehberg has never voted for or taken a pay raise and he never will.” [Rehberg 1996 Campaign Flier]
2000: Rehberg Promised to Oppose Pay Increases. In 2000, Rehberg “said he has always opposed pay increases as an elected official and would do so in Congress.” [Helena Independent Record, 10/12/00]
…Then he voted for five of them
Rehberg Supported Congressional Pay Raise, Voted to Raise His Own Pay by $3,300 in 2006. In 2006, Rehberg voted to raise his own pay by $3,300 to $168,500.Rehbergvoted to kill an amendment that would block an automatic pay hike for members of Congress. By killing the attempt to block the pay raise, Rehberg voted to receive a 2 percent increase and an annual salary of $165,200. The effort to block the anti-pay raise amendment passed 249-167. (H RES 865, Vote #261, 6/13/06; Congressional Research Service, Salaries for Members of Congress: Congressional Votes) NOTE: This pay raise was later blocked by the Democratic Congress in 2007.
Rehberg Supported Congressional Pay Raise, Voted to Raise His Own Pay $3,100 in 2005. In 2005, Rehberg voted to raise his own pay by $3,100 to $165,200. Rehberg voted in favor of a measure intended to prevent the introduction of an amendment blocking an increase in the annual salary for House members by $3,100 to $165,000. The House blocked a bid by Congressman Jim Matheson (D-UT) to force an up-or-down vote on the pay raise. The effort to block the anti-payraise amendment passed 263-152. (HR 342, Vote #327, 6/28/05)
Rehberg Supported Congressional Pay Raise, Voted to Raise His Own Pay by $4,000 in 2004.In 2004, Rehberg voted to raise his own pay by $4,000 to $162,100. Rehberg voted in favor of a motion to order the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on adoption of the rule to provide for House floor consideration of the bill that would appropriate $89.8 billion in fiscal 2005 for the departments of Treasury and Transportation and related agencies. If the motion had been defeated, an amendment to block the Congressional pay raise would have been allowed. The motion passed 235-170. (H Res 770, Vote #451, 9/14/04)
Rehberg Supported Congressional Pay Raise, Voted to Raise His Own Pay by $3,400 in 2003.In 2003, Rehberg voted to raise his own pay by $3,400 to $158,100. Rehberg voted in favor of a motion to order the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on adoption of the rule to provide for House floor consideration of the bill that would appropriate $89.6 billion in fiscal 2004 spending, including $27.5 billion in discretionary spending, for the departments of Treasury and Transportation and related agencies. If the motion had been defeated, an amendment to block the Congressional pay raise would have been allowed. The motion passed 240-173. (H. Res. 351, Vote #463, 9/4/03)
Rehberg Supported Congressional Pay Raise, Voted to Raise His Own Pay by $4,700 in 2002. In 2002, Rehberg voted to raise his own pay by $4,700 to $154,700. Rehberg voted in favor of a motion to order the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on adoption of the rule to provide for House floor consideration of the bill that would appropriate $35.1 billion in fiscal 2003 Treasury-Postal appropriations. If the motion had been defeated, an amendment to block the Congressional pay raise would have been allowed. The motion passed 258-156. (H. Res. 488, Vote #322, 7/18/02)
Rehberg hid tens of thousands of dollars in lobbyist money
HEADLINE – Rehberg’s Lobbyist Cash Unreported. [Helena Independent Record, 2/6/2012]
HEADLINE – Rep. Rehberg Under Fire After Report Uncovers Lobbyist Contributions. [The Hill, 2/5/12]
Rehberg’s Campaign “Took A Hit” After Discovery Of Unreported Lobbyist Contributions. In February 2012, The Hill reported: “Montana congressman Denny Rehberg's bid to unseat Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) took a hit Sunday after the Associated Press uncovered lobbyist contributions to the Republican hopeful's campaign.” [The Hill, 2/5/12]
Rehberg’s Campaign Received About $20,000 From Three Dozen Undisclosed Lobbyists. In February 2012, The Hill reported: “The AP reports that Rehberg's campaign received about $20,000 through October from three dozen lobbyists who didn't reveal their place of employment on federal disclosure records. The revelation could hurt Rehberg because he has relentlessly attacked Democratic first-termer Tester for being the top recipient of lobbyist campaign funding.” [The Hill, 2/5/12]
Rehberg violated campaign pledges he signed
Rehberg Signed Clean Campaign Pledge in 1996… Then Broke It. On June 27, 1996, Rehberg and Sen. Max Baucus signed a Clean Campaign Pledge to “maintain the highest ethical and moral standards in the conduct of my campaign” with a positive campaign focused on the issues. [Rehberg Clean Campaign Pledge, 6/27/1996]
Rehberg Signed Pledge in 1996, Later Violated the Promise. As reported by the Billings Gazette, “In 1996, Sen. Max Baucus and Republican challenger Denny Rehberg signed a pledge, but that didn't prevent acrimony. By autumn, the candidates were accusing one another of violating the promise and arguing over how to word a letter urging supporters to behave. [Billings Gazette, 6/8/2004]
2000 Senate opponent: Rehberg Violated Clean Campaign Pledge. In October 2000, the Great Falls Tribune reported: "In recent days, both Republican Denny Rehberg and Democrat Nancy Keenan have proclaimed that the other candidate violated the clean campaign pledge each signed in April." According to the report, "Keenan entered the fray Wednesday, saying she is 'outraged at an offensive and misleading' television ad 'run in coordination with Dennis Rehberg's campaign' questioning her commitment to safe schools and a positive learning environment. She was referring to an ad claiming she opposed notifying teachers when a student has been convicted of a criminal offense and that she supported Playboy magazine in school libraries. Keenan demanded Rehberg pull the 'misleading and untrue ad,' and charged that he 'has reverted back to the negative tactics that were the hallmark of his failed bid for the U.S. Senate in 1996' against U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont." [10/5/00]
Keenan Accused Rehberg Of Breaking Clean Campaign Pledge, Said That Montanans "Expect More From This Campaign." In October 2000, PBS reported: "Keenan argued that as school superintendent she was constitutionally prevented from banning books and magazines. She accused Rehberg of misrepresenting her record and breaking their clean-campaign pledge. In a letter to Rehberg, she fired back, saying Montanans "expect more from this campaign than the typical political mudslinging that dominated your '96 Senate campaign." [PBS, 10/26/00]
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