Zimmer for Senate

WASTE OF THE WEEK, HALLOWEEN EDITION: THE HAUNTED BROWN MANSION

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer's "Waste of the Week" campaign this week highlighted how Senator Frank Lautenberg spent taxpayer dollars to support the haunted Brown Mansion in Coffeyville, Kansas.

The Brown Mansion received $225,000 in taxpayer dollars in 2008. Senator Lautenberg supported the funding with his vote on the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Bill. The Brown Mansion is believed to be a site of paranormal activity and it has been popular attraction for ghost hunters looking for a good scare. (HR 2764, PL 110-161, Consolidated Appropriations Bill, Division F; Senate Vote #441, December 18, 2007, On Resolving Differences, Lautenberg voted yes)

In addition to its haunting appeal, Brown Mansion can also be rented out for special events such as weddings. (Brown Mansion website)

Zimmer issued the following statement:

"We can all appreciate a good ghost story especially around Halloween, but what is most frightening in that Senator Lautenberg is using our tax dollars to house ghosts. Particularly in these times of economic peril, government must live within it means and not waste precious resources on an old mansion for ghosts to haunt.

"This November, we have to opportunity to reshape the way business is done in Washington by electing a Senator who will eliminate wasteful spending and who will put the taxpayers first. I will be that Senator for New Jersey."

Zimmer's "Waste of the Week" campaign is designed to highlight Senator Frank Lautenberg's record of supporting wasteful spending and pork-barrel politics at the expense of New Jersey taxpayers. Previous Wastes of the Week were the $300 billion Farm Bill, the $389 million Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska, a $225,000 pamphlet on beaver damage, various Monuments to Me spending projects, the Teapot Museum in North Carolina, the Joplin, Missouri interchange, Amtrak's Sunset Limited, renovations for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Collingswood, New Jersey, the EarthPark indoor rainforest in Iowa, the Frank R. Lautenberg Train Station, the Camden-Philadelphia aerial tram, the wood uses research and the Hippie museum.

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ZIMMER ENDORSED BY THE COURIER NEWS

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer was endorsed today by the Courier News for his record of fiscal responsibility and his commitment to small government.

Zimmer has also been endorsed by the following newspapers:

Philadelphia Inquirer
Press of Atlantic City
Asbury Park Press
Courier Post
Gloucester County Times
Express-Times
Hunterdon County Democrat

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LAUTENBERG CAN'T EXPLAIN WHAT HE DID IN 24 YEARS; UNABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT HE WILL DO WITH ANOTHER SIX

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - Senator Frank Lautenberg demonstrated his weak grasp of the current financial crisis and his failure to avert it during 24 years in office in last night's radio debate on 101.5 FM.

U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer asked Senator Lautenberg if he could name three things he did in his 24 years in office to avert the current financial crisis and why we should expect anything better from him in another six years.

Here is Senator Lautenberg's complete answer:

Well uh, I uh, voted uh to uh cap uh CEO uh pays which uh I note that you opposed. Uh and uh I have uh constantly focused on uh helping uh the middle class that uh, uh to be to able to sustain themselves. I uh uh voted uh uh to uh, improve uh uh our uh educational system by uh uh helping uh get a uh uh a GI Bill passed a uh very recently. Uh and uh I am uh uh I am proud of the votes that I have taken. I think that the middle class is uh better off from my efforts and I intend to want to continue to help them.

And uh I uh vote I uh created legislation that uh to uh avert further expansion of our deficit. I voted against uh some of the uh funding uh that uh we were uh uh giving uh to uh help the uh giant uh companies in in our country get uh uh incentive grants. Uh I've worked very hard on trying to uh stop the uh special interests from uh from enveloping our society uh your party Dick Zimmer and uh uh and uh the Bush Administration. I've worked very hard to control things. I was a businessman. I know something about controlling deficits and uh uh creating revenues and creating jobs and uh I uh think uh that I've earned uh my stripes uh by doing it the right way.

"Not only is Senator Lautenberg unable to identify a single thing he did to avert the current financial crisis in his 24 years as a Senator; he doesn't have a clue how we can avoid another financial crisis in the future," said Zimmer campaign manager Mark Duffy. "There can be no stronger argument for replacing Senator Lautenberg with Dick Zimmer in the U.S. Senate."

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LAUTENBERG CAN'T EXPLAIN WHAT HE DID IN 24 YEARS; UNABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT HE WILL DO WITH ANOTHER SIX

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Here is Senator Lautenberg's complete answer:

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WASTE OF THE WEEK, #13: THE WOODSTOCK HIPPIE MUSEUM

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer's "Waste of the Week" campaign this week highlights how Senator Frank Lautenberg chose to spend $1,000,000 on a hippie museum rather than support a prenatal and child healthcare program.

The Museum at Bethel Woods is commonly referred to as the Woodstock hippie museum since it examines the experience of the Woodstock festival and the legacy of the Sixties.

Senator Lautenberg voted against a specific amendment that would have shifted $1,000,000 in federal funds from the Woodstock hippie museum to the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program which provides prenatal and children's healthcare. (Senate vote 377, October 18, 2007, S. Amdt. 3321 to HR 3043, FL voted yes on motion to kill amendment)

During yesterday's U.S. Senate radio debate on New Jersey 101.5 FM, Senator Lautenberg said that he voted for the hippie museum because "it looked like something that was vital in terms of American history and the movement of our society." However, the museum was considered absurd even by Democrats who crossed party lines to kill it. (NJ 101.5 FM, October 29, 2008; USA Today, Senate Quashes Grant for Woodstock Museum, October 19, 2007)

Zimmer issued the following statement:

"Apparently, Senator Lautenberg feels that preserving go-go boots and tie-dyed t-shirts is more ‘vital' to society than the health of our nation's children.

"Wasteful spending must be stopped so our economy can get back on track. As Senator, I will eliminate wasteful spending and make the interests of the taxpayers my top priority."

Waste of the Week, #1: THE FARM BILL

Waste of the Week, #2: BRIDGE TO NOWHERE

Waste of the Week, #3: BEAVER DAMAGE MITIGATION

Waste of the Week, #4: MONUMENTS TO ME

Waste of the Week, #5: N.C. TEAPOT MUSEUM

Waste of the Week, #6: JOPLIN, MO INTERCHANGE

Waste of the Week, #7: SUNSET LIMITED

Waste of the Week, #8: SCOTTISH RITE THEATRE

Waste of the Week, #9: INDOOR RAINFOREST

Waste of the Week, #10: FRANK R. LAUTENBERG TRAIN STATION

Waste of the Week, #11: CAMDEN-PHILADELPHIA AERIAL TRAM PROJECT

Waste of the Week, Special Edition: LAUTENBERG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Waste of the Week, #12: WOOD USE RESEARCH

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ZIMMER ENDORSED BY THE PRESS OF ATLANTIC CITY

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer was endorsed today by the Press of Atlantic City for his strong record of fiscal responsibility, his intellect and his commitment to looking out for the taxpayers. The Press editors criticized Senator Lautenberg for limiting face-to-face contact with Zimmer and the voters, calling this approach to the campaign ‘unacceptable.'

To view the Press of AC endorsement of Zimmer, click here.

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ZIMMER ENDORSED BY THE GLOUCESTER COUNTY TIMES

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer was endorsed today by the Gloucester County Times because he is as a level-headed, socially moderate, fiscally responsible Republican with a solid environmental record.

To view the Gloucester County Times endorsement of Zimmer, click here.

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ZIMMER ENDORSED BY THE EXPRESS-TIMES

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer was endorsed today by the Express-Times for his strong record of fiscal responsibility and his understanding of the financial crisis and the bailout plan.

To view the Express-Times endorsement of Zimmer, click here.

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ZIMMER DEMANDS SENATOR TED STEVENS RESIGN

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ -- U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer today called for the immediate resignation of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, who was found guilty of seven felony corruption charges in federal court yesterday. Zimmer also called on Senator Frank Lautenberg to demand Stevens' resignation.

Zimmer released the following statement:

"A culture of corruption has plagued our government for far too long. Too many people in power have manipulated the political process to criminally enrich themselves.

"The worst thing that can happen is for honest elected officials to sit idly by and say nothing. Today, I am calling on Senator Stevens to resign, and I ask that Senator Lautenberg join me in this demand. Perhaps Senator Stevens will heed the advice of someone who has served with him so long on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

"After all, it is our duty as elected officials and candidates for office to speak out against public corruption and work to restore the public's trust in their elected officials."

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ZIMMER LAUNCHES NEW CAMPAIGN AD: "Skater Frank"

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - The Zimmer for Senate campaign today launched a new campaign ad focusing on Senator Lautenberg's failure to take any action to address the critical issues facing New Jersey. The ad will air on television this week.

To view the new Zimmer for Senate campaign ad, click here.

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ZIMMER ENDORSED BY THE ASBURY PARK PRESS

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer today was endorsed by the Asbury Park Press for his strong record of fiscal responsibility and his commitment to reducing the size of the federal government.

To view the Asbury Park Press endorsement of Zimmer, click here.

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ZIMMER ENDORSED BY THE COURIER POST

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer was endorsed today by the Courier Post, the Gannett publication of Cherry Hill, for his strong record of opposing tax increases and his commitment to rein in wasteful government spending. Additionally, the Courier Post said Senator Lautenberg is running on cruise control hoping to get re-elected simply by riding Barack Obama's coattails to get re-elected.

To view the Courier Post endorsement of Zimmer, click here.

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ZIMMER ENDORSED BY THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer was endorsed today by the Philadelphia Inquirer for his strong record of fiscal responsibility, his commitment to cutting wasteful spending and his ability to work in a bipartisan manner. Additionally, the Editorial Board said Senator Lautenberg offered few details on how he would tackle a fifth term in the U.S. Senate.

To view the Philadelphia Inquirer's endorsement of Zimmer, click here.

WASTE OF THE WEEK, #12: WOOD USE RESEARCH

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer's "Waste of the Week" campaign this week highlighted Senator Frank Lautenberg's support to spend over 90.8 million taxpayer dollars to research uses for wood.

Since 1985, funding for the Wood Utilization Research Program has cost taxpayers over 90.8 million dollars. This year, Senator Lautenberg supported the $4.8 million earmark with his vote on the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Bill. (Citizens Against Government Waste, 2008 Pig Book and HR 2764, House Appropriations Committee Print, Final Version Page 134 and HR 4818, Cnf. Report 108-792, Senate vote 441, on resolving differences, HR 2764, December 27, 2007, Frank Lautenberg voted "yea")

"Senator Lautenberg might as well be throwing cash in a wood chipper by using federal dollars to fund this classic example of corporate welfare. Is finding uses for sawdust and alternatives for wood chipping something that really should be funded at taxpayers' expense?

"Particularly in these times of economic peril, government must live within it means and not waste precious resources on a program that, if it has any value, should properly be funded by private industry. New Jersey taxpayers are in the midst of an energy crisis, an affordability crisis and now a financial crisis. This November, we have to opportunity to reshape the way business is done in Washington by electing a Senator who will put the taxpayers first. I will be that Senator."

Waste of the Week, #1: THE FARM BILL

Waste of the Week, #2: BRIDGE TO NOWHERE

Waste of the Week, #3: BEAVER DAMAGE MITIGATION

Waste of the Week, #4: MONUMENTS TO ME

Waste of the Week, #5: N.C. TEAPOT MUSEUM

Waste of the Week, #6: JOPLIN, MO INTERCHANGE

Waste of the Week, #7: SUNSET LIMITED

Waste of the Week, #8: SCOTTISH RITE THEATRE

Waste of the Week, #9: INDOOR RAINFOREST

Waste of the Week, #10: FRANK R. LAUTENBERG TRAIN STATION

Waste of the Week, #11: CAMDEN-PHILADELPHIA AERIAL TRAM PROJECT

Waste of the Week, Special Edition: LAUTENBERG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

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LAUTENBERG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Lawrenceville, NJ - U.S. Senate candidate Dick Zimmer today endorsed naming Denver International Airport after Senator Frank Lautenberg, as suggested by former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb. Lautenberg has bragged that he directed 351 billion taxpayer dollars to build the airport he uses to reach his winter home in Vail, CO.

"If Frank Lautenberg skied in New Jersey instead of Vail, maybe Newark Airport would have been able to get 351 million dollars," said Zimmer.

Denver International Airport was completed 16 months behind schedule at a cost of $4.8 billion, nearly $2 billion over budget. Its dysfunctional automated baggage-handling system became a national joke. Overspending on the airport was the subject of an episode of NBC's continuing series, "The Fleecing of America."

"Senator Lautenberg's pork-barrel spending may be helping Colorado but it's hurting the New Jersey voters he is suppose to represent," Zimmer said. "We now see one reason why New Jersey is dead last in the rate of return on our federal tax dollars. Senator Lautenberg has been taking money out of the pockets of New Jersey taxpayers to fund extravagant projects in other states.

In an address given to the Greater Denver Chamber of Commerce, Senator Lautenberg said the following about the funding for the Denver International Airport and his role as an appropriator:

It is amazing in these days of inflation and the depreciation of the dollar what a measly half a billion bucks will get you in terms of plaques...I am a very popular fellow at the beginning of calendar year when the appropriation bills are being developed. All of my colleagues, Republican, Democrat, liberals, conservatives, they all pat me on the back, write me letters, make phone calls. I am asked to fund projects in their states... Denver is going to get 351 million dollars. I guess that is what you call a Rocky Mountain high. (Senator Lautenberg's Address to Greater Denver Chamber of Commerce. From Denver Chamber of Commerce Collection, Denver Public Library Collection WH1216 Tape 6, 2 April 1990.)

In August, during the Democratic National Convention, former Denver Mayor Webb praised Lautenberg for his success in securing funds to build the Denver International Airport.

Webb also won some laughs when he told the audience of his administration's connection to the Garden State. Webb said that while he was mayor he had to enlist the aid of Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) to hold together enough federal funding to get the new Denver International Airport built. ‘A wing of that airport should probably be named after Frank Lautenberg,' Webb said. ("Democratic National Convention: Denver's first black mayor addresses New Jersey delegation," The Star-Ledger. 26 August 2008)

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