Billy Dalto and Debi Farr misleading all over the place.

In the same week that Jim Torrey (R-Eugene) got a smackdown from Bill Clinton (yes, that Bill Clinton), incumbent State Reps. Billy Dalto and Debi Farr are also getting hammered for untruthful statements:

First, Billy Dalto. From the Statesman-Journal:

The Salem teachers union and local Stand for Children leaders say Dalto went over the top in a campaign mailing that falsely implies that he has the support of both groups.

Randy Fishfader, who has a Clem lawn sign in her front yard, was surprised to get Dalto's mailer using a years-old quote from her praising the representative. It identified her as the chapter chairwoman of Salem-Keizer Stand for Children, a post she last held in 2003. "I was really stunned and shocked to see my name being used," Fishfader said. "I thought it was purposely misleading and unethical." ...

Retired state corrections officer John Theodore, a Republican who voted for Dalto the past two times he was up for election, said he is rethinking his vote in light of the brochure and the phone calls he got about the controversy. "To me, it was like forgery," Theodore said of the quotes used by Dalto. "I'll probably be voting for Brian Clem after this sleazy deal, where he tried to co-opt the endorsement for these two organizations."

And, here's the Debi Farr item. From the House Dems blog:

Debi Farr's Campaign Statement regarding her position on abortion in cases of rape, incest or risk to the woman's life on October 23, 2006 on a recorded message left with voters:

"Patent lies should never be part of the political process. Hi, this is Debi Farr and my opponent has engaged in the worst type of campaigning. He and his supporters have stated that I would never support the woman's right to choose. Let me be perfectly clear; in cases of rape, incest, or life of the mother, I will always support the woman's right to choose. Period. This is Debi Farr and I am asking for your support."

Debi Farr's Record: Debi Farr has been given a full endorsement by Oregon's most prominent anti-choice organization, Oregon Right to Life, which wants to ban abortion even in cases of rape and incest. On the Oregon Family Council’s 2004 questionnaire, Debi Farr's position on abortion is clearly stated in unequivocal terms: Pro-Life Opposed to Legalized Abortion.

Both of these campaigns are going to go down to the wire - and determine control in the Oregon House. Help Brian Clem defeat Billy Dalto. Help Chris Edwards defeat Debi Farr.

Discuss.

  • JHL (unverified)
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    Wait a minute... I hope that Clem and Edwards win as much as anybody... but how are these statements at all "untruthful?"

    Dalto used a quote that was a real quote from Stand for Children. He didn't say he was endorsed. So I guess the letters Stand for Children sends out are Top-Secret?

    How is that differet from Kulo touting his primary endorsements after the primary was over?

    How is that differet that Pete Sorenson saying that he received the "most votes" at the OEA endorsement in March, even though he wasn't endorsed?

    How is it different than Kulo using any quotes out of the Oregonian even when he didn't swing that endorsement?

  • JB Eads (unverified)
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    How is that differet from Kulo touting his primary endorsements after the primary was over?

    I don't really understand this statement. Why shouldn't Ted use statements after the primary is over? I don't know of any primary endorsing group/individual who withdrew support later, so why would this be a problem?

  • JHL (unverified)
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    Aside from the fact that some of those endorsements were up in the air while he was touting the primary endorsement victories... Governor Kulongoski cites stories from the Oregonian on his campaign website. Yet the Oregonian has endorsed his opponent! Pandemonium!

    Eads, it would be ridiculous if I had a problem with that. The gov's done nothing wrong. And neither has Dalto (at least, within the confines of this thread).

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    Here's what the problem is: If we've reached such a low point in politics that it's acceptable to quote meaningless throwaway lines in form letters... well, it's just pathetic.

    For example, let's say that you give $20 to your local school foundation. They might send you a letter saying, "Your contributions will help make our local schools better able to educate our kids."

    Would it be acceptable to then use that throwaway line in a campaign mailer - implying that you've done more than just send in a twenty?

    I don't think so.

  • LT (unverified)
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    Kari is right.

    Don't know about you, JHL, but if you are a state rep. and I send a letter saying "thanks for your support of this bill", I don't want that letter quoted the following year in a campaign mailer unless the candidate ASKS ME FIRST!

    This isn't a new problem--we see it at the national level with Republicans trying to claim Truman as one of their own while resisting "Truman Commission" type oversight hearings.

    There are instances where someone once said something nice to a person whose politics they disagree with most of the time, and then see that something nice quoted maybe a year later claiming they support that politician.

    I've said here more than once that I admired some of the things Ted Ferrioli did last session--how he handled the AuCoin nomination opposition, his ability to engage in dialogue with ordinary folks, his newsletters explaining his thought process.

    But I would be very angry if that appeared in a "re-elect Ferrioli" campaign brochure.

    Just think of it this way. If you saw a Dalto ad or mailer saying "JHL on Blue Oregon said Dalto has done nothing wrong", would that be OK with you?

    Basically that is what it comes down to. If that wouldn't bother you, then I can see your point. But it would bother me.

  • JHL (unverified)
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    Come on, Kari... a PAC letter to legislators is a form letter? Lame.

    Sounds like Stand for Children made a comment about Dalto's legislative record, and then later on when he was targeted, they wish they hadn't admitted that he wasn't evil. Tough nuts.

    Bad form, perhaps... but BlueOregon labeled it "untruthful." What was untruthful about it?

    I didn't see you take the Oregonian stories off Kulo's website when he lost that endorsement... and you shouldn't have to! And I don't think Dalto should have to hide the simple fact that he worked well with this group during the course of his legislative career. How is that not a relevant issue?

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    The point is that if we're going to start using throwaway lines, then that means that people can no longer be pleasant and civil to each other - for fear that their comments will be taken out of context.

    It's sort of like when movie ads take a line like this: "It was an amazing piece of schlock, with stunningly bad cinematography, even though the underlying story was compelling." -- and turn it into headlines, "Amazing! Stunning! Compelling!"

    Context matters.

  • JHL (unverified)
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    And yet... somehow... movie reviews still get written with impunity.

    <h2>Answer me this... if Stand never expected that letter to be quoted ever, why send it at all? Simply to Warm Billy Dalto's heart? As a birthday card? To conceal some sort of secret code? Letters like that are designed for public consumption -- not for scrapbooking.</h2>
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