Posted without comment...

=====================================================

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2010/07/06/AR2010070605271.html


Democrats digging harder than ever for dirt on Republicans

By Philip Rucker
Washington Post Staff Writer 
Wednesday, July 7, 2010 

The Democratic Party is moving faster and more aggressively than in 
previous election years to dig up unflattering details about Republican 
challengers. In House races from New Jersey to Ohio to California, 
Democratic operatives are seizing on evidence of GOP candidates' unpaid 
income taxes, property tax breaks and ties to financial firms that 
received taxpayer bailout money. 

In recent weeks, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has 
circulated information to local reporters about Republican candidates in 
close races. Among the claims: 

-- That Jim Renacci of Ohio once owed nearly $1.4 million in unpaid 
state taxes. 

-- That David Harmer of California received $160,000 in bonus and 
severance pay from a firm that got a federal bailout. 

-- That Jon Runyan of New Jersey got a legal break in property taxes for 
his 25-acre homestead by qualifying for a farmland assessment thanks to 
his four donkeys. 

Renacci's campaign said the candidate did not believe he had tax 
liabilities for a trust fund and eventually paid all that he owed. A 
spokesman for Harmer said criticizing him for the money he lawfully 
earned is a "severe twist of the facts." Runyan's campaign said his 
actions were legal. 

Jon Vogel, executive director of the DCCC, said Democrats are merely 
pointing out that some Republican recruits in competitive House races 
are "flawed candidates." 

He added, "We have made this election a choice. . . . They're trying to 
run this national message in part about fiscal discipline, but they've 
recruited a number of candidates not credible to carry that message." 

Opposition research has been a part of political campaigns for decades, 
but the 2010 cycle is different. In many states, Republicans have 
steered clear of candidates with long political track records -- 
eschewing state representatives and veteran city council members who 
have cast thousands of votes ripe for scrutiny -- in favor of political 
outsiders. The top GOP recruits include several former professional 
sports stars, as well as doctors and businessmen. 

Democratic leaders are trying to frame the November midterm elections 
not as a national referendum on the party in power but as local choices 
between two candidates. 

"We can win the contrast, but not the referendum," Democratic strategist 
Steve Murphy said. "What is critical in this election cycle is for 
Democratic candidates to hold Republican candidates accountable for 
their views." 

Republicans see the Democrats' strategy as a sign of weakness. 

"When the issues are cutting against you, it is typical for a party in 
trouble to resort to other means," said Ken Spain, spokesman for the 
National Republican Congressional Committee. "With the unemployment rate 
unacceptably high and President Obama's approval rating falling, they 
have nothing left to run on other than character assassination." 

Democratic officials are advising campaigns to hire trackers to follow 
their Republican opponents to public events with video cameras, ready to 
catch any gaffe or misstatement. And the Democratic National Committee 
last week issued a call to the public to submit any embarrassing audio 
or video of Republicans, as well as copies of their direct-mail 
advertisements. 

Party officials would not say how many staffers are working on 
opposition research. Such work used to be farmed out to campaign 
consultants, but the DCCC brought research operations in-house in 2008 
to be more nimble. "It may appear to be more aggressive this cycle 
because what we're finding on Republicans is so rich," Vogel said. 

In Ohio, Democrats are trying to exploit Renacci's business record in 
his race against Rep. John Boccieri (D). Renacci, who owns a Chevrolet 
dealership, nursing homes, real estate investments and sports teams, 
among other interests, has faced a string of lawsuits related to his 
businesses. 

Democratic operatives circulated a report in April that Renacci owed 
nearly $1.4 million in unpaid state taxes, interest and penalties. 
Renacci fought the assessment, believing the money he was holding in a 
trust was free of state tax liabilities. But after losing a dispute over 
his liability, Renacci paid everything he owed, said his campaign 
manager, James Slepian. 

"This is a story that the DCCC was pushing pretty hard," Slepian said. 
"It's unfortunate that John Boccieri has chosen to conduct his campaign 
by slinging mud from behind Nancy Pelosi's desk rather than talking 
about the issues that really matter." 

But Democrats say the strategy paid dividends in the May special 
election for the Pennsylvania House seat of the late Democrat John P. 
Murtha. Republican Tim Burns framed the race as a referendum on Obama 
and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), both unpopular in a district 
that Obama lost to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in 2008. But Democrat Mark 
Critz won handily after tailoring his message to local concerns and 
attacking Burns for saying he would protect tax breaks for companies 
that ship jobs overseas. 

"Some years you ride the wave, and other years you paddle your canoe," 
Democratic strategist Paul Begala said. "Democrats, they've got to 
paddle like hell. So what you do when you're paddling is, as the 
Republicans seek to nationalize, you localize and personalize." 

--- PCBoard (R) v15.3/M 10
 * Origin:  (1:226/600)