Hatch Caught Lying
That's the only way I can characterize it.
Jim Nobles, Minnesota's Legislative Auditor, said that Mike Hatch crossed the legal line by using OAG stationery for a gubernatorial press release. Here's what Nobles said:
"There are a lot of subtleties about the line separating official function from campaigns," Nobles said on Monday. "But this one was not subtle. It was an official document, and a reference to a running mate has no place in it."
Of course, Hatch responded by trying to spin it:
Hatch said Carey chose to focus on minor items because Republicans have major message problems. "They've got a crummy platform," Hatch said. "The roads are lousy, tuition's doubled, health care's a mess. They're not going to talk about their record, so they might as well talk about Judi's [Dutcher] name in a press release." Hatch said he had mentioned Dutcher in a "historical context," referring to a press conference they'd given. Such references occur often in official press release, he said. "I would do it again," Hatch said. "I did nothing wrong."
Carey shot back, saying:
"I think everybody knows his staff [in the attorney general's office] has been doing a lot of his campaign work, and that's the real reason he can have two staffers compared to the governor's 10."
Mike Hatch is lying about mentioning "Dutcher in a 'historical context'." But that's the least of his worries. Here's what Michael Broadkorb said about the 'other' incident:
Independence Party Chairman Jim Moore questioned [see below posts] whether Attorney General Mike Hatch should have used his office's official stationery in filing a complaint this week against the Star Tribune with the Minnesota News Council...In a press release, Moore said he wondered whether 'the use of OAG letterhead was designed to use the power of the OAG to intimidate the news media.'"
Follow this link to Hatch's complaint to the Minnesota News Council. I agree with Ron Carey that it's pretty clear that Mike Hatch is attempting to run his campaign using the OAG's resources. Here's a bit more proof:
Attorney General Mike Hatch is running a bare-bones campaign for governor, a strategy he hopes will leave him ample cash for the homestretch.
---------------
Three months from Election Day, only two paid staff members are in the cramped campaign office of DFL gubernatorial endorsee Mike Hatch. Dispensing with protocol, Hatch almost always drives in his own car to campaign events instead of being chauffeured. He writes his own speeches. He personally returns reporters' calls to the campaign number. At some fundraisers, he serves cold garlic toast.
Color me skeptical but I'm not buying into the notion that he's running a campaign with 2 staffers, especially with all the use of office supplies. If he's willing to use OAG stationery to intimidate a watchdog group, why wouldn't he be willing to use OAG staff to help keep things running, especially now that he's saying that he didn't do anything wrong?
Frankly, I think Matt Entenza was onto something but just couldn't prove it. Mr. Hatch hasn't impressed me with his honesty. Instead, he's displayed his willingness to act unethically.
That isn't what I'm looking for in an elected official.
Posted Tuesday, August 8, 2006 12:06 PM
July 2006 Posts
No comments.
"There are a lot of subtleties about the line separating official function from campaigns," Nobles said on Monday. "But this one was not subtle. It was an official document, and a reference to a running mate has no place in it."
Of course, Hatch responded by trying to spin it:
Hatch said Carey chose to focus on minor items because Republicans have major message problems. "They've got a crummy platform," Hatch said. "The roads are lousy, tuition's doubled, health care's a mess. They're not going to talk about their record, so they might as well talk about Judi's [Dutcher] name in a press release." Hatch said he had mentioned Dutcher in a "historical context," referring to a press conference they'd given. Such references occur often in official press release, he said. "I would do it again," Hatch said. "I did nothing wrong."
Carey shot back, saying:
"I think everybody knows his staff [in the attorney general's office] has been doing a lot of his campaign work, and that's the real reason he can have two staffers compared to the governor's 10."
Mike Hatch is lying about mentioning "Dutcher in a 'historical context'." But that's the least of his worries. Here's what Michael Broadkorb said about the 'other' incident:
Independence Party Chairman Jim Moore questioned [see below posts] whether Attorney General Mike Hatch should have used his office's official stationery in filing a complaint this week against the Star Tribune with the Minnesota News Council...In a press release, Moore said he wondered whether 'the use of OAG letterhead was designed to use the power of the OAG to intimidate the news media.'"
Follow this link to Hatch's complaint to the Minnesota News Council. I agree with Ron Carey that it's pretty clear that Mike Hatch is attempting to run his campaign using the OAG's resources. Here's a bit more proof:
Attorney General Mike Hatch is running a bare-bones campaign for governor, a strategy he hopes will leave him ample cash for the homestretch.
---------------
Three months from Election Day, only two paid staff members are in the cramped campaign office of DFL gubernatorial endorsee Mike Hatch. Dispensing with protocol, Hatch almost always drives in his own car to campaign events instead of being chauffeured. He writes his own speeches. He personally returns reporters' calls to the campaign number. At some fundraisers, he serves cold garlic toast.
Color me skeptical but I'm not buying into the notion that he's running a campaign with 2 staffers, especially with all the use of office supplies. If he's willing to use OAG stationery to intimidate a watchdog group, why wouldn't he be willing to use OAG staff to help keep things running, especially now that he's saying that he didn't do anything wrong?
Frankly, I think Matt Entenza was onto something but just couldn't prove it. Mr. Hatch hasn't impressed me with his honesty. Instead, he's displayed his willingness to act unethically.
That isn't what I'm looking for in an elected official.
Posted Tuesday, August 8, 2006 12:06 PM
July 2006 Posts
No comments.
