U.S. Senate Candidate John Spencer Announces Campaign Team.

Yonkers, NY: Republican U.S. Senate candidate and former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer today announced the formation of his campaign team in his bid to defeat Hillary Clinton and serve New York in the U.S. Senate.

John McLaughlin has worked professionally as a strategic consultant and pollster for over twenty years. During this time he has earned a reputation for helping to guide underdog Republicans and conservative challengers to victory. He has worked across America and internationally in hundreds of campaigns.

John McLaughlin's recent clients have included Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, seven sitting incumbent U.S. Senators and the successful campaigns of: Senator John Warner, ('02), Senator George Allen ('00), Senator Richard Lugar ('00), Senator Richard Shelby ('98), Senator Jeff Sessions ('96), Senator Lauch Faircloth ('92), Senator Jesse Helms ('84/'90), Senator Connie Mack ('88), Senator Al D'Amato ('86), Senator Don Nickles ('86), and Senator Gordon Humphrey ('84).

John McLaughlin has also worked extensively in New York for Congressman Peter King, Congressman John Sweeney and Congressman Randy Kuhl.

Chris LaCivita is an independent political consultant specializing in general campaign strategy, media planning, voter contact mail and grassroots campaigns. Recently, he served as chief strategist for Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and co-producer of their highly successful TV ads. In 2002, Chris LaCivita served as National Political Director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. In the 2000 election cycle, LaCivita was campaign manager of George Allen’s successful bid for the United States Senate and was honored by PR Week magazine as the best run campaign in the country. Before entering politics, LaCivita served in the United States Marine Corps achieving the rank of Sergeant, seeing extensive action in the first Gulf War and was wounded in combat and decorated twice.

Craig Shirley has been professionally involved in American politics and government for over two decades. He has worked in government and on campaigns at the congressional, gubernatorial and presidential levels.

Mr. Shirley is a frequently sought-after commentator and speaker by the national media on politics, ideology and Washington and has also appeared on national television on C-SPAN, CNBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, Fox Television and others.

Mr. Shirley is originally from New York where his parents were charter members of the New York State Conservative party in 1962. Mr. Shirley is the author of the newly published and critically acclaimed “Reagan’s Revolution: The untold story of the campaign that started it all.”

Christian Winthrop brings ten years of campaign experience to the Spencer for Senate campaign. Most recently, Christian served as campaign manager in 2002 and 2004 in the Congressional bid for former U.S. Navy SEAL Dave Rogers. He has worked at the local, Congressional and Senatorial level. Winthrop’s background includes management, fundraising, grassroots organizing and media experience.

Chip Gately, a 17 year political veteran, has served as marketing director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Americans for Hope, Growth and Opportunity, Forbes 2000, Dole for President 1996 and RNC-Victory '96. Recent clients include Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Bush-Cheney 2004, Friends of Giuliani, The Richard Burr Committee, American Conservation Union, Elizabeth Dole for U.S. Senate, Bob Ehrlich for Governor and Friends of Pataki.

Victoria Groetsch brings a wealth of fundraising experience to the campaign. Her clients include the New Jersey Senate Republican Majority campaign fund, gubernatorial candidate Paul DiGaetano and the Passiac County Republican Organization. Victoria also worked as a Legislative Assistant to New Jersey State Senator Nick Asselta.

Robert Harris has directed research for numerous Senate, Governor's and Presidential campaigns since 1980.Clients have included Steve Forbes, Jesse Helms, Lauch Faircloth and Richard Vinroot. Last year, he provided research for successful independent Senate campaigns in South Dakota, Alaska, South Carolina, North Carolina, Okalahoma, Florida and Louisiana.

Liam McLaughlin currently serves as Majority Leader for the Yonkers City Council and has served the 4th district since 1999. Liam was formally Special Counsel for the City of Yonkers, is a Certified Public Accountant and a former adjunct professor at Manhattan College. Currently Liam has a private legal practice and is licensed to practice Law in New York and Connecticut.

“I am energized and excited about my campaign for the U.S. Senate. I have begun to put together a well respected team of advisors and consultants. I am committed to running a highly funded and well executed campaign against Hillary Clinton.” said Mayor John Spencer. “I look forward to traveling around the State of New York, meeting with the voters and discussing my plans to serve them in the U.S. Senate.” Mayor John Spencer, 58, served as Mayor of the City of Yonkers from 1996 until 2004. Yonkers is the fourth largest city in New York and saw great prosperity, redevelopment and environmental cleanup under the leadership of Mayor Spencer.

WASHINGTON BUREAU
(Original Publication: June 25, 2005)

WASHINGTON â€” Former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer, a Republican who is looking to challenge Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton next year, accused her yesterday of "aiding and comforting the enemy" in the Iraq war.

In Washington to begin forming a campaign team, Spencer said Clinton's questioning of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at a Senate Armed Services hearing Thursday constituted a "thinly veiled attack" on President Bush and was another example of how Democratic rhetoric on the war is dividing the country.

Clinton, a Democrat, asked Rumsfeld to repudiate White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove's remarks this week that liberals are not tough enough on America's enemies. She said the remarks, made at a Conservative Party dinner in New York City, were "insulting" and "disturbing" to people like herself who had "legitimate questions" about the administration's conduct of the war while supporting it.

Clinton voted to authorize the war but has been a frequent critic of Bush's postwar strategy.

Spencer criticized Clinton for having not spoken up about the "vitriolic rhetoric" coming from other Democrats attacking Bush and Republicans over the last year and a half.

"She says we all love our troops. But then to be silent when politicians like (Sen.) Dick Durbin, Howard Dean and Ted Kennedy and John Kerry attack the president, that's really aiding and comforting the enemy," Spencer said.

Howard Wolfson, a Clinton spokesman, said Spencer was relying on negative attacks to help launch his campaign.

"It is clear from today's press conference that the Republicans are beginning yet another campaign in which issues and positive ideas take a back seat to false, negative attacks," he said. "Instead of politicizing 9/11 and the war on terror, Mr. Spencer ought to stand with Senator Clinton in uniting against the terrorists and supporting our troops."

Spencer, who was Yonkers mayor from 1995 to 2002, is one of several Republicans said to be looking at seeking the Republican and Conservative Party nominations for the 2006 U.S. Senate race. He plans to make a statewide tour this month to speak with GOP and Conservative Party leaders.

He had planned to hold yesterday's news conference outside Clinton's office in the Senate Russell Building. But the event, which was attended by two reporters, was moved outside the building after Senate press officials told Spencer he couldn't hold it inside.

Spencer said he was particularly incensed that Clinton brought up the Vietnam War and its divisiveness while questioning Rumsfeld. Clinton said that she was old enough to remember how deeply divided the country was "and never want to see that again." But Spencer took issue, saying that as a Vietnam veteran he was "appalled that she would raise the fact that our nation was divided during Vietnam, and then proceed to divide us further today."

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