The Leading Anti-Hillary Voice in Congress: Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX)
Today, Stop Hillary PAC, a leading anti-Hillary group, gained the support of its first member of Congress, Texas Congressman Steve Stockman. Stockman has a long history of embracing and promoting bizarre conspiracy theories, making offensive comments, and dabbling with the fringe. Below you'll find some background information on Rep. Steve Stockman, the leading anti-Hillary voice in Congress. Stockman Accused Clinton Administration Of Staging Branch Davidian Raid In Waco In 1993 For The Sake Of Promoting An Assault Weapons Ban. According to the New York Times, "A Republican member of Congress from Texas has suggested that the Clinton Administration staged the 1993 raid on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Tex., to convince Congress that it should ban assault weapons. 'Waco was supposed to be a way for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) and the Clinton Administration to prove the need for a ban on so-called 'assault weapons,' the Representative, Steve Stockman, who is a strong opponent of gun control, wrote in the June issue of Guns & Ammo magazine. Mr. Stockman, a freshman whose district is in the southeastern corner of Texas along the Gulf Coast, wrote that President Clinton had agreed to do the bidding of gun control advocates like Sarah Brady after his election in 1992 but that Ms. Brady's organization, Handgun Control Inc., had been unable to persuade Congress to ban rifles, shotguns and semiautomatic weapons. 'So an incident had to be encouraged to happen,' Mr. Stockman wrote." [New York Times, 5/13/95]
- Stockman's "Suggestion Of A Government Conspiracy" Came Soon After The Oklahoma City Bombing. According to the New York Times, "The tone of Mr. Stockman's article, with its suggestion of a Government conspiracy, is an example of the increasingly strong language used by some opponents of gun control. At the same time, criticism of such statements has risen since the bombing of the Oklahoma City Federal Building last month." [New York Times, 5/13/95]
- Stockman Called For President Clinton To Order Janet Reno "Indicted For Premeditated Murder" After Branch Davidian Raid. According to the New York Times, "In his article, Mr. Stockman declared that the more than 80 members of the Branch Davidians, including 25 children, who died during the raid were 'executed in a particularly gruesome way: gassed, choked and then incinerated.' He also said, "Had Bill Clinton really been unhappy with what Attorney General Janet Reno ordered, he would not only have fired her, he would have had Reno indicted for premeditated murder." [New York Times, 5/13/95]
VIDEO: Christie & Lonegan: We "believe in so many of the same things"
During his endorsement event on Tuesday, Gov. Chris Christie heaped praise on New Jersey Republican Senate candidate Steve Lonegan. "I am proud to have him as our candidate for the United States Senate," Christie said. "Steve and I have believed and still believe in so many of the same things." So what exactly was Christie endorsing? Here's American Bridge's newest video:
Cuccinelli Lectures, Flees Reporters Asking About Gas Royalties Case
While speaking to reporters today in Richmond, Ken Cuccinelli first lectured, then fled a group of reporters once they began asking tough questions about the VA inspector general investigation into his office's handling of the gas royalties case in SW Virginia. Take a look:
Tell the RNC to take a stand: Anti-Hillary groups are going too far.
The Hillary Haters are at it again... and the Republican National Committee has nothing to say about it. The rabid right wing is so scared of a potential Hillary Clinton candidacy in 2016 that they’re already doing everything they can to sink her sky high popularity. That, we expected. What didn’t we expect? Slapping. Last week The Hillary Project, a leading conservative group determined to smear the former Secretary of State, promoted an online video game prompting people to violently slap Hillary Clinton. And Republican leaders at the RNC haven’t said a word about it. If leading GOP groups are going to stoop this low, the RNC needs to speak out. Click here to sign our petition demanding Republican leaders at the RNC condemn their allies’ vicious attacks.
Ken Cuccinelli = Lance Armstrong?
When public figures are caught engaging in unethical or illegal behavior, they often try (and fail) to make up for it by engaging in some type of grand gesture to show the public that they're not alllll bad. By pushing for ethics reform after accepting -- and refusing to return -- $18,000 in gifts from Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams, Cuccinelli is following the PR playbook of disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong...
SHOT: "Cuccinelli Op-Ed: Why We Need Ethics Reform Now" [Cuccinelli.com, 8/7/12] CHASER: "Armstrong tried to donate $250,000 to anti-doping agency" [CNN, 1/9/13]It didn't work out so well for Lance, either.
Introducing GiveTheGiftsBack.com — What's Ken Waiting For?
10:30am today will mark exactly one week since Gov. Bob McDonnell announced that he would return the gifts he received from Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams. For one week -- 168 hours -- Ken Cuccinelli has refused to follow McDonnell's lead and return the tainted gifts he received from Williams. Why? What's he waiting for? Cuccinelli said yesterday that "Trust is something that is easy to lose and hard to recover." He's right. And until he shows Virginians that he understands that it was wrong for him to accept (and even ask for) THOUSANDS of dollars of gifts from someone who was fighting the state in court, he is not taking a single step toward recovering Virginians' trust.
VIDEO: Rick Scott/Tony Bennett: Together in Scandal
Things just keep getting worse for Gov. Rick Scott. Tony Bennett, Gov. Scott's handpicked Education Commissioner resigned last week after…
American Bridge Launches English/Spanish Websites Linking GOP To Steve King
American Bridge today launched AllSteveKingsMen.com and vocesintolerantes.com (in Spanish), research-based websites demonstrating that Rep. Steve King is the GOP's leader on immigration reform.
Earlier this week, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) demonstrated just how clueless he is by attempting to fundraise off offensive remarks he made comparing immigrants to dogs (and foolishly linking to American Bridge tracking footage to do so). This was what he deemed an appropriate response to a more recent controversy in which he claimed “For everyone who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there who weigh 130 pounds--and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.” Those remarks prompted Speaker John Boehner to argue that King’s comment “does not reflect the values of the American people or the Republican Party.”
Unfortunately, Boehner is only half-correct. While the American people are deeply opposed to the bigotry espoused by King, the Republican caucus is solidly aligned with King’s worldview. Last week, American Bridge released a report showing that when the House votes on immigration legislation, the majority of King’s Republican colleagues follow his lead 9 out of 10 times. And today, American Bridge launched AllSteveKingsMen.com to show voters that the Republican Party has plenty of followers of King’s extreme anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Gov. Pat McCrory: Man of his Word?
Gov. Pat McCrory betrayed North Carolina voters by signing legislation seriously limiting abortion rights even though he was elected on the promise that he wouldn't sign any new restrictions. Here's American Bridge's new video on Pat McCrory's betrayal:
STUDY: Republicans vote with Steve King on immigration 90% of the time
Recently, while speaking about DREAM Act-eligible young Americans, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) claimed, "For everyone who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there who weigh 130 pounds--and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.” Offensive on just about every level, the statement drew the excoriations from his colleagues that did not accompany his comparison of immigrants to dogs during the 2012 election. Said Speaker John Boehner, King’s comment “does not reflect the values of the American people or the Republican Party.” Unfortunately, Boehner is only half-correct. While the American people are deeply opposed to the bigotry espoused by King, the Republican caucus is solidly aligned with King’s worldview. Since Rep. King first took office as a member of the House in 2003, Congressional Quarterly has identified 110 votes in the House as pertaining to immigration. On 98 of those votes, the majority of Republicans in the House followed King’s lead. Excluding one vote that King missed, that means that the Republican caucus sided with the virulently anti-immigrant King 89.9% of the time when asked to vote on immigration issues.