Smith Tees Up Lobbyist Cash, Ignores Constituents

Gordon Smith will swing for money this weekend while he leaves Oregonians swinging in the wind on Iraq, alternative energy and other crucial issues.

No matter how well he plays on the golf course this weekend, United States Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) will be missing the ball on his real job – listening to and representing Oregonians.

As Smith joins donors and lobbyists at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort this Saturday for a fundraiser, he will be talking more about the greens than his record.

That’s too bad, because Oregonians have important questions for Smith:

1. Why does Smith tell Oregonians he opposes the Iraq War, but in Washington, DC he votes more than 20 times to authorize and fund it?

2. Why did Smith vote twice last week against a bipartisan plan to let big oil companies – who are already reaping record profits – keep billions of dollars of excess profits rather than using that money to expand incentives for alternative energy development? Did it have anything to do with the more than $250,000 Smith has gladly taken from the oil and gas industry?
[Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 6/20/07]

3. Why does Smith vote with President Bush 90 percent of the time?

4. In a state that values a woman’s right to choose and protecting our environment, why does Smith earn a 15 percent score from pro-choice advocates and a 14 percent score from environmental advocates?

“Rather than bringing Oregon values to Washington, DC, Smith is bringing Washington, DC money to Oregon,” DPO Chair Meredith Wood Smith. “It’s nice of Gordon Smith to talk to his constituent base. Unfortunately he feels his constituents are well heeled Washington, DC lobbyists, not Oregon families, employers and children.”

Comments

Post a comment

Name:

Email Address:

* Your email address will never be displayed, but may be used to contact you if we have questions.

URL:

Remember Me?YesNo

Comments: