In the November Senatorial race, with the Republican dark-money groups trying to smear incumbent Senator Claire McCaskill, challenger Josh Hawley, instead of campaigning on the issues, is allowing these dark-money groups to smear the Senator with lies and distortions and — most importantly — is not calling them out or demanding they stop.
Like disgraced governor Eric Greitens, whom Hawley refused to prosecute when confronted with the facts of campaign finance violations and illegally destroying office communications, Hawley is so overcome with blind ambition, he’s willing to allow the smears to continue; willing to do anything to try to win, regardless. In doing so, he is showing his true colors.
THE TRUTH IS OUT
Fact checks — by numerous media and non-partisan groups about the smear ads charging Senator McCaskill with “getting rich” by helping her husband win government contracts — make clear that the charges are false.
• Washington Post: Attack ad is “false,” adding “Republicans should retire this smear campaign.”
• ¨FactCheck.org: Rated the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s attack “unsupported.”
• Kansas City Star: “Not true.”
• Washington Missourian: Claire “doesn’t deserve the smears and disrespect she has received from the Hawley camp. Hawley knows the ad is not true, but refuses to do anything about it, hoping it will help his campaign.
TOTALLY FALSE
Kelsey Ryan of the Kansas City Star and Lindsay Wise of McClatchy DC investigated the ad’s claim that McCaskill’s husband, developer Joseph Shepard, got $131 million in subsidies, implying that she facilitated the federal payments. They found it to be totally false.
• “The federal payments don’t go directly into Shepard’s pocket. Most of the money goes toward operating costs for government-subsidized housing projects Shepard is invested in. Those companies then distribute the profits to Shepard and other investors.”
• “There’s no evidence that McCaskill played any part in directing federal funds to businesses affiliated with her husband.”
• “McCaskill’s husband is a limited partner in the vast majority of the housing projects that receive federal funds, meaning that he isn’t responsible for day-to-day operations and has no say in the distribution of profits, which is limited by law.” (Emphasis added.)
If Hawley had any ethics or moral fiber, he would demand Republicans end this smear campaign and put up his own ads on issues. But he’s too weak on the issues, so he will allow the smears to continue, hoping they have an impact.
WE NEED COMPROMISE
As I have urged here before, if we are to have a government that works for all of us, we need legislators willing to COMPROMISE on issues. That can’t happen with the Republicans controlling the House and Senate in both the state and federal governments, as well as the governorship and presidency.
One party rule, by any party, is not good government.
In November, regardless of your party, working families need to vote DEMOCRAT this year to affect the balance we need in Jefferson City and Washington to protect our interests in fair wages, working conditions and treatment under the law. If we don’t return BALANCE to our government, the erosion of the middle class will continue and all of us will suffer the consequences.
This move at balance should start by re-electing Senator Clair McCaskill, a true fighter for ALL Missourians who isn’t afraid to work across the aisle and deal with the tough issues fairly and squarely.
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