Schweikert campaign: Going negative on 9/11 an accident
By Evan Brown, PolitickerAZ.com ReporterThe David Schweikert campaign is calling its release of an attack on U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell on Sept. 11 the result of an "honest mistake."During the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, most political campaigns around the country honored an unofficial "truce" whereby negative campaigning was suspended.
However, two items appeared on David Schweikert's website on Sept. 11 that were not in keeping with the one-day cease fire. One announced the launch of Schweikert's first TV ad in the general election, which criticizes Mitchell for negative campaigning and says Mitchell "blocked new drilling for American energy."
The other release focused on the drilling issue. "Arizonans are suffering from the high cost of energy,” said Schweikert in the release.
“I am disappointed that Harry continues to side with the most liberal elements in his own party in opposition to increasing drilling. I call on Harry today to do the right thing for Arizona and join me in supporting expanded domestic drilling. It’s time to put Arizona first.”
The Mitchell campaign shot back on Friday, after saying it was reserving comment on Sept. 11.
"It's disappointing that [Schweikert] would launch a negative ad on 9/11, a day of national remembrance," said Seth Scott, Mitchell's campaign manager. "It tells us everything we need to know about the man. It speaks to his character."
Scott also pointed out that the negative campaigning referred to in the Schweikert ad wasn't coming from the Mitchell campaign, but rather the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which has committed to spend $1.7 million in the 5th Congressional District race. The DCCC ad takes a mocking tone, saying Schweikert is the winner of the "Mis-Management Pageant" and attacking him on his tenure as Maricopa County treasurer. It is illegal, however, for the DCCC to coordinate with the Mitchell campaign - or any candidate's campaign - and Mitchell's campaign denies any involvement with the negative ad.
Lauren Barnett, Schweikert's communications director, said she was to blame for releasing the attacks early.
"The press release should not have been dated for the eleventh," Barnett told PolitickerAZ.com. "It was an honest mistake."
Barnett said the ad did not start airing until Friday, the day following the 9/11 anniversary, and that the releases were supposed to be embargoed until then as well.
The dates of both items have been changed on the Schweikert website to reflect the intended Sept. 12 release, though both originally appeared on the website on Sept. 11.
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Aww SA thats cute
That's nice that you are trying to defend Schweikert but it seems like he knows that he lied and tried to cover it up so now he is just calling it a "mistake."
I checked your website for the "truth" but on your site he claims it was a mistake by his webmaster and now he is making his communications director take the fall. So then which version of the truth is it?
The person who really is responsible no matter what is Schweikert, it is HIS campaign he needs to take responsibility for his actions instead of shifting blame to everyone but himself.
Mislabeled Headline
This headline should have read, "The negative campaign ad accident that never happened." Or better yet, why don't you skip on over to www.SonoranAlliance.com to read what really happened.
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Glad to see
Glad to see the Schweikert realized there was an article written about them and decided to make some comments...
I see that no one addressed the fact that Schweikert lied and then decided to cover it up and then makes his communications director take the fall.Maybe that is because there is nothing to refute...
It makes you wonder if the fact that Schweiket still has not taken responsibility for his campaigns actions is a pattern that will continue in the future?
Anonymous500
The only people making a big deal of this is the media by writing multiple articles on it... Mitchell chose not to respond to the press release that attacked him on 9/11, then gave a short response on Friday and that would have been the end of it until Schweikert came out to say he made a mistake with his press release...
It is not either sides fault that the media turned this into 5 day story...
I would like to say though at a campaign it is always the ultimate responsibility of the candidate for what happens. Throwing your communications director under the bus for this seems pretty weak especially after they tried to blame it on their webmaster initially...
Wow, just a couple of weeks
Wow, just a couple of weeks into the general election race and the Dims are already pulling the fake outrage card. Nice comments too - I can see that the party of "tolerance" is right on message.
Lauren's mistake
was the issue she chose to blast Schweikert on.
If 9/11 is "sacred" to politicians why were they voting on the House floor? Mitchell was there to vote on moving nonexistant money from the general fund (which is more than $400 billion in deficit) to the Highway fund (which was in danger of being in deficit). This violates PAYGO, of which Mitchell supposedly is an adherent. This further puts the budget (which Harry didn't vote for, but continues to fund) into deficit, which Harry is against -- ask any newspaper or Evan....
I'm getting really really
I'm getting really really tired of people getting distracted by this nonsense. Even as a Democrat, I really believe that this WAS an honest and innocent mistake, and I'm a little embarrassed that our party is devoting this non-issue so much attention. This has absolutely zero to do with the real issues involved in an important race, and both parties need to grow up and debate matters of substance. If this were to happen to Harry, I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and defend him as well, and I'd be pretty upset at attacks on him of this nature.
I have been a long-time resident of this district and I'm looking forward to researching both candidates' platforms and filtering through the normal mudslinging. But, this kind of ticky-tack nitpicking is a waste of everyone's time to discuss.
It does not matter
It does not matter if it was a mistake by Schweikert's campaign or Schweikert himself. He is ultimately the one responsible for what his campaign does and says.
The fact that he is refusing to take responsibility for his campaigns actions is just pathetic and is becoming a pattern. Just like when his FEC returns were late it was not Schweikert's fault someone filed them 15 minutes late.
Own up to your mistakes David and just admit when you are wrong. I doubt you will win anyway but you might as well try and run a decent campaign.
It was an honest mistake...
to hire Lauren Barnett. Fire her so we can beat Mitchell!
If this really was an honest mistake
If this really was an honest mistake why didn't the Schweikert campaign say something to the Thehill.com when they wrote an article but Schweikert being one of the few candidates to run a negative ad on September 11th??
This whole thing stinks of lies and cover ups...
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/not-all-attack-adds-stopped-on-9/11-...
Great start by Schweikert....
If it was an honest mistake then why did Schweikert change it on his website on Friday and not saying anything about in the press till today?
If you really considered it an honest mistake wouldn't you just admit it and leave it up on the website as it is, instead of LYING and COVERING IT UP. Or at least change it on Friday but let the press know about it...
Instead he waits till he called on it by Mitchell and then makes up some BS story where he makes his communications director take the fall. You could not even own up to your mistakes Schweikert.
What a great start to the campaign.
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