Lunsford Stays on Attack; Misleads Kentuckians

Lunsford's "Change is Coming" Ad

CHARGE: John McCain singled out Mitch McConnell on Corruption:

FACT: The Lunsford campaign should actually ask John McCain instead of putting words in his mouth. This week, McCain said: "Mitch McConnell is my friend. He is a man of honesty and integrity, and Kentucky is a better place because of his leadership." (McCain, 9/16/2008).

This is what John McCain said about Senator McConnell earlier this year: "It's hard trying to do the Lord's work in the City of Sin, and Mitch does it and he does it well. So thank you Mitch for everything...." ( 6/28/2008)

CHARGE: McConnell voted for the infamous Bridge to Nowhere... Twice

FACT: The Lunsford ad cites McConnell's vote for final passage of HR 3, commonly known as the 2005 Highway Bill or SAFETEA-LU. Lunsford is attacking McConnell's vote for:
• $45 million to repair the Brent Spence Bridge
• $ 54million to build two Louisville bridges
• $38 million for the 21st Century Parks initiative in Louisville
• $35 million for a new interchange in Bowling Green
• $40 million for riverfront development in Owensboro
• $10 million for riverfront development in Henderson, and
• $10.2 million for riverfront development in Ashland.

The second vote cited was against a Coburn Amendment that would have stripped funding for the bridge. In this vote, McConnell voted with Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Hillary Clinton who Lunsford calls "Kentucky's adopted daughter" (Roll 262 10/20/2005).

A few months later, McConnell served on the Appropriations Committee, which fixed the problem in the Conference Report to H.R.3058 by removing the specific earmark for the bridges in question and allowing Alaskans, under Governor Palin, to determine where the funds should be spent. The bill with the following provision passed by Unanimous Consent on 11/21/2005.

SEC. 186. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any amounts made available pursuant to Public Law 109-59 for the Gravina Island bridge and the Knik Arm bridge shall be made available to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities for any purpose eligible under section 133(b) of title 23, United States Code: Provided, That in allocating funds for the equity bonus program under section 105 of such title, the Secretary shall make the calculations required under that section as if this section had not been enacted: Provided further, That the descriptions for High Priority Projects #406, the Gravina Island bridge, and #2465, the Knik Arm bridge, in section 1702 of Public Law 109-59 are hereby deleted and in their place is inserted `the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities'.

CHARGE: Voted himself pay raises but opposed raising the minimum wage.

FACT: It's pretty convenient that Lunsford forgets to mention the 10 times McConnell has voted to raise the minimum wage in the last twelve years and the 28 times that McConnell voted to limit his own pay during his career.

McConnell has voted ten times over the last decade to raise the minimum wage, but to do so in a way designed to preserve and create Kentucky jobs. McConnell's votes for the minimum wage included targeted tax relief for small businesses that create the majority of new jobs in Kentucky and frequently hire many minimum wage earners .
(Roll Call 181, 5/24/07; Roll Call 42, 2/1/07; Roll Call 229, 8/3/06; Roll Call 180, 6/21/06; Roll Call 258, 10/19/05; Roll Call 27, 3/7/05; Roll Call 75, 4/7/00; Roll Call 357, 11/9/99; Roll Call 183, 7/9/96; Roll Call 184, 5/9/96).
During his career in the Senate, McConnell has voted at least 28 times to limit his own pay.
(Roll Call 7, 1/29/87; Roll Call 9, 1/29/87; Roll Call 222, 7/3/87; Roll Call 11, 2/2/89; Roll Call 12, 2/2/89; Roll Call 306, 11/17/89; Roll Call 133, 7/17/91; Voice Vote, 2/24/93; Roll Call 16, 2/24/93; Roll Call 20, 2/25/93; Voice Vote on Amendment to S. 382, 3/3/93; Roll Call 23, 3/3/93; Roll Call 103, 5/5/94; Voice Vote on HR 4539, 9/28/94; Roll Call 232, 5/25/95; Voice Vote on Amendment to HR2020 8/5/95; Voice Vote on HR 2020, 8/5/95; Voice Vote on Amendment to S. 1244, 9/22/95; Roll Call 576, 11/15/95; Voice Vote on amendment to HR 3756, 9/10/96; Voice Vote on HR 3610, 9/30/96; Voice Vote on amendment to S 1023, 7/17/97; Roll Call 191, 7/22/97; Roll Call 314, 10/21/98; Roll Call 256, 10/18/05; Voice Vote on Amdt 2934, 3/8/06; Roll Call 19, 1/18/07; Roll Call 48, 2/15/07 )
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