Posted on 02/09/2002 1:37:29 PM PST by anniegetyourgun
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - GOP gubernatorial candidate Richard Riordan is using the Enron scandal in two new commercials attacking Democratic Gov. Gray Davis for taking money from the now-bankrupt company.
In one ad, Riordan also explains his position on abortion - answering charges from Davis' ads that Riordan can't be trusted to support abortion rights. Riordan says he strongly dislikes abortion but "just as strongly, I respect and support the right of a woman to make her own choice."
Riordan criticizes Davis' record on energy and the budget and accuses Davis of taking "more money from Enron than any other politician in America."
"We got blackouts. What did Enron get?" an announcer in one ad says.
Davis accepted donations totaling $119,500 from Enron.
Davis press secretary Roger Salazar dismissed the line of attack as "laughable." He noted that Enron donated $10,000 to finance a 1996 ballot proposition Riordan was backing, and $100,000 to support the 2000 Democratic National Convention, which Riordan helped bring to Los Angeles.
Riordan also accepted a $500 campaign contribution from Enron in 1996 that he recently returned. Salazar said Davis has no plans to return the $119,500.
"There is no disputing that Governor Davis fought companies like Enron tooth and nail to get them to do what's right for California," Salazar said. "We weren't the ones taking Enron's advice - it was Riordan and his free-market ways that were following the Enron line."
The new ads come as Riordan faces the party faithful at the three-day state GOP convention in San Jose, along with his more conservative opponents, Secretary of State Bill Jones and Los Angeles businessman Bill Simon. The primary is March 5 with the winner facing Davis in November.
Keep saying that, Salazar, somebody might believe it.
Salazar said. "We weren't the ones taking Enron's advice - it was Riordan and his free-market ways that were following the Enron line."
Laugable. Davis was instrumental in creating the "free-market" ways in the first place, and then did nothing for as long as he could when it all fell in on California.
People pay extra for "tooth and nail" action in Kalifornia. Davis was just working the oldest profession on Demron.
Gray to enron execs: "Do what is right for california..."
"Listen here guys, I will get your per kwhr rates up, waaaaayyy up, so you can send me some more campaign money and my fellow whores in the state senate and congress... along with babs and feistein... YOU do what is right. Pull a few of your wires out, claim the shortage. I will use the FREE MARKET mechanisms in the deregulation of the utilities acts... and float the kilowatt hour WAAAAYYYY up.. and I'll make sure that the state of California will be the backers for that massive increase in rates and debt... SEND YOUR DOWN PAYMENT DIRECTLY TO MY CAMPAIGN.. NICE ROUND AMOUNT... SAY $119,000 TO START."
Right for california? ... You bet your ass it is!!!! Right for Grayout Davis' corrupt adminstration that is.
Aside from interfering with Riordan's introduction to the greater electorate (those not familiar with the former LA mayor), Davis's strategists want to use the classic GOP "Split" over abortion so that Republicans will be polarized between pro- and anti-choice candidates in their own primary.
It's a smart move, and it has Riordan on the defensive, but it ultimately may backfire on Davis as the public has grown sick of these type of negative attack ads. Bottom Line: Whatever the particular politics, Grey has got to go!
davis knows this and has been directing his pre-primary ads against riordan.
whining for simon is just another of those crys from the crib.
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