It seemed like a miracle when it happened a few weeks ago. Fox News revealed that the McCain campaign was stating false information about Obama’s tax proposals in their attacks. Believe it or not, they have done this again in a recent article I missed while on vacation. Major Garrett believes that John McCain has a problem on taxes–especially as he has been repeatedly exposed for lying about Obama’s policies:
Add to this the mounting evidence that McCain’s TV commercials assailing Obama’s tax policy contain serious distortions, if not out-right lies.
On Aug. 8, FactCheck.org, published this report on a spate of new McCain TV spots on Obama and taxes.
Read it here: www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/more_tax_deceptions.html
That report followed one in July that raised similar concerns about the truthfulness of the McCain attacks on Obama. Read it here: www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_32000_question.html
And today The Washington Post published this blistering editorial that comes as close as any Beltway publication can to using the word “lie” to describe McCain’s criticism of Obama’s tax policies. Read it here:
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/30/AR2008083001681.html
The Post editorial specifically mentions a side-by-side analysis of McCain and Obama tax policies by the non-partisan Tax Policy Center. Here is the link to the center’s updated comparison posted on Aug. 28: www.taxpolicycenter.org/publications/url.cfm?ID=411750
Both McCain and Obama would cuts taxes, but Obama’s tax cuts would be targeted to the middle class and partially offset by higher taxes on the wealthy (those earning more than $250,000).
But on the stump this weekend, when either Obama or Biden (they both hit the issue) said they would cut taxes for “95 percent of those who earn a pay check,” the crowds in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan shouted their approval.
The tax debate has just begun and McCain is losing credibility among the non-partisan bean counters and the larger media organizations that have done their own compare and contrast exercises.
With more than two months to go, the Obama camp will have plenty of time to script TV ads accusing McCain of distortions. For all these reasons, McCain may have more to worry about on the tax front than any Republican presidential candidate in a generation.
When even Fox News is calling the Republican candidate a liar the party really has a problem.
This leads me to believe that Rupert Murdoch is simply steering Fox News in whatever direction his own latest opinions go. According to one interview I watched, Murdoch has some liking for Obama, so I guess he is telling Fox to be more (gasp!) fair toward him.
Basically it means that Rupert Murdoch has an even more oversized ego than I realized.
Hey, Rupert, if you’re reading this: keep up the good work, and eventually “fair and balanced” could become an accurate slogan rather than just one more repulsive lie.
Rachael Maddow out and out called them liars.
And it’s about time, too!!
Barbara Boxer got her digs in, too.
Honestly, it’s about time that people are saying these people are LYING!!! I would like to officially retire the word Mendacity.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 6, 2008
“McCain’s Ties to Shadowy Security Company Confirmed”
John McCain makes occasional mention of his friend, Admiral Chuck Larson, whose distinguished career includes the command of nuclear submarines and the management of the Naval Academy.
Not as well known but by no means concealed is Larson’s link to Washington’s ViaGlobal Group, the successor company to ViaFinance and Galway Partners.
ViaGlobal was serving as the “business incubator” for Rosetta Research and Consulting LLC, best known as the company involved in luring Afghan tribal chieftain and accused drug kingpin Haji Bashar Noorzai to the U.S., where he was arrested in April of 2005.
One of Rosetta’s Department of Defense sponsors, believed to be a senior staff member in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, brokered an introduction to CNN military commentator General David Grange, who serves as an advisor to ViaGlobal.
Grange made the initial arrangements between Rosetta, represented by former Katten Muchin Zavis Rosenman partner and ex-NSC attorney Joseph Myers, now with the International Monetary Fund, and ViaGlobal’s chairman, Frank Gren.
Another former Katten Muchin Zavis Rosenman partner, Carole Van Cleefe, brokered a deal between Rosetta and Oracle. Oracle project managers Barbara Bleiweiss and Peter Bloom attempted to establish a joint venture using an existing contract vehicle with the Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force (FTTTF), but was unsuccessful due to Rosetta’s cost demands.
Gren and his colleagues sought to obtain additional funding for Rosetta, as millions of dollars in investment money had been spent on payments to secure the confidence of Noorzai. Myers, Gren, and others sought sources of funding such as a contract with the FBI as well as an investment from fallen tobacco lawyer Dickie Scruggs.
ViaGlobal appears to have used McCain, acting through staffer Chris Paul, to divert a 2004 FBI internal investigation into dealings between Rosetta contractors and certain FBI employees. This was the subject of a meeting held with the FBI’s Deputy Director John Pistole in late 2004.
In mid 2006, the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General conducted an investigation into criminal activities of the same FBI employees. Rosetta’s phone, email, and contractual records were subpoenaed. In addition, several Rosetta officials and advisors were questioned for several weeks.
Papers filed as part of the Noorzai case show that Rosetta, acting under the orders of senior U.S. officials, promised Noorzai he would not be arrested. Rosetta also paid substantial sums to various foreign government officials who then lied to Noorzai about the actual purpose of the meetings. Noorzai had been indicted as a drug kingpin, and since efforts to secure his cooperation in other matters had failed, the decision was made to bring him to the United States and arrest him.
The papers also show that Rosetta sought and obtained in excess of ten million dollars from investors, who believed they were investing in a security company.
Instead, the money was being used to finance the lavish and extensive travel needed to locate Noorzai and gain his confidence. The investors are understandably upset, but since the Rosetta principals are known only as “Mike” and “Brian” no success has been had in locating them.
Rosetta also had improper relationships with a handful of FBI employees, who were later investigated for contributing to Rosetta’s alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices and Neutrality Acts.
As part of the incubation arrangement, ViaGlobal sought to obtain ownership of Rosetta’s proprietary database of terrorist financiers as well as access to the extensive network of contacts in the Middle East developed as part of the dealings with Noorzai.
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McCain’s dishonesty should be made a major issue by the Obama campaign. If he can’t tell the truth when campaigning, why should anyone believe he will tell the truth should he be elected?
Er Rosetta’s DoD sponsor, y not just say Paul Wolfowitz and be done with it? McCain is the godfather of the Neocons!
Obama’s vote not to make the bush tax cuts permanent is the same as a 250% tax increase on single minimum wage earners starting in 2011.
So to Obama the tax increase on the rich is for those making $15,000 a year or more.
That is incorrect. Obama is only supporting repeal of the Bush tax cuts for those making over $250,000 per year. He is also proposing a tax cut for those making under $250,000 per year.