Blog For Arizona

Rick Renzi's Credibility Gap

In a recent television interview Rick Renzi personally made several statements about Democratic Congressional candidate Paul Babbitt which are simply not true. Renzi smeared opponents in his 2002 bid for the District 1 Congressional seat as well, so it is hardly surprising that Renzi is employing half-truths and misdirection regarding the record of Paul Babbitt. Arizona voters need ask themselves whether they are willing to continue to accept leadership which thinks so little of them as to lie right in their faces. We've seen where the Bush Administration's contempt for the voters and for the truth has led this nation over the last four years. Rick Renzi's falsehoods demonstrate that same contempt. It is time for leadership that respects the truth, and isn will to tell citizens the unvarnished truth.

FALSEHOOD: Rick Renzi claimed on camera that Babbitt’s former "campaign manager" is involved in the Flagstaff Arboretum.

FACT: No former Paul Babbitt campaign manager works for the Flagstaff Arboretum. However, a former short-term contracted fundraiser who left the campaign months before the project was awarded does work at the arboretum.

FALSEHOOD: Renzi claimed that funds used for water conservation projects in Paul's Supervisorial District could have been used to fund services in Page.

FACT: The funds allocated to each Supervisor may not be transfered to projects outside that Supervisor's district. Page is outside Paul Babbitt's district. Also, funds for the two types of projects come from two distinct accounts: Community Initiatives and Emergency Services. Mr. Renzi has choosen to use his term in Congress to authorize the largest expansion in non-defense spending in the history of this nation and vote for a radical expansion of our national debt. Perhaps, then, it should come as no surprise that Mr. Renzi lacks an appreciation of basic budgeting practices.

FALSEHOOD: Renzi opined, also on camera, that putting money into water conservation was to "invest it in dirt & plants & flowers out there."

FACT: Any real Arizonan would know that water scarcity and conservation are some of the toughest issues facing Arizonans, and would not denigrate forward-looking efforts promoting responsible water management.

FALSEHOOD: Rick Renzi claimed that he was looking for Homeland Security funding for Page emergency services.

FACT: Renzi is personally responsible for there being LESS Homeland Security funds out there to find. He voted for the 2005 GOP budget, which decimated federal funding for local homeland security efforts, including fire, emergency response, police, and first responder training. The budget Renzi supported directly damages local communities. Renzi's cuts slashed FIRE Act grants to local fire departments in half, gutted state and local homeland security grant funding through DHS’ Office of Domestic Preparedness of $800 million, and sliced state and local first responder training funding in half. Renzi's budget shortchanged of small town Arizona on homeland security resources by diverting funding to the Urban Area Security Initiative, which puts a disproportionate share of funding into metro areas.

Rick Renzi appears to be ready to say anything to secure re-election in this election. He hopes that winning will establish him as unchallengable in future elections. Unconstrained by accountability, there will be nothing left restraining Renzi from serving the interests of his masters in Washington, D.C., who put him in office, over the interests of the regular folk of Arizona's rural communities.

posted by Michael Bryan @ 9/01/2004 05:13:00 PM