Campaign Update – Democrats Denounce ‘Hate Group’ Endorsement
Tory Elmore, GoLocalProv Politics Contributor
Campaign Update – Democrats Denounce ‘Hate Group’ Endorsement
Democrats claim GOP candidates were endorsed by a hate group. Democrats say Robitaille is an insider. Loughlin billed an extremist.… and more from the campaign trail.
The state Democratic Party yesterday slammed Republican Congressional candidates John Loughlin and Mark Zaccaria for being endorsed by Americans for Legal Immigration, which it described as a hate group.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTParty Chairman Ed Pacheco urged both candidates to renounce the endorsement.
"Seeking and accepting this endorsement raises serious questions about Zaccaria and Loughlin's ability to relate to working Rhode Islanders. ALIPAC is a hate group, backed by other hate groups who care more about promoting intolerance and ignorance than they do about reaching sensible solutions to America's challenges. Mark Zaccaria and John Loughlin should be ashamed of themselves for courting this right-wing group of angry bigots," said Pacheco.
In 2009, the Anti-Defamation League criticized the group for disseminating “its message with virulent, anti-immigrant rhetoric” and said white supremacists and anti-Semites had promoted the group by “engaging in activity on its behalf and posting links to ALIPAC’s Website on their own Websites and forum.”
“It’s a shame that Chairman Pacheco feels a need to resort to the type of fear-mongering tactics that have we have come to expect from the far left,” Zaccaria said. “Clearly the Democratic Party is sobering up after a two-year tax-and-spend bender and realizing that the majority of Rhode Islanders and Americans are disgusted with the leadership, or lack thereof, shown by Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Langevin. Enforcing our nations laws, including our immigration laws, is a requirement, not an option. If Mr. Pacheco wants to spend his time slinging mud, that’s his choice. I intend to spend my time working hard for the people of Rhode Island to address problems like illegal immigration, unemployment, and out of control spending.”
Loughlin Campaign Manager Cara Cromwell added: “Under Mayor Cicilline, Providence has become a sanctuary for illegal aliens. Like most Americans, John Loughlin believes we should enforce our laws against illegal immigration and this is a major difference he has with Mayor Cicilline.”
State Democrats yesterday called Republican candidate for governor John Robitaille an insider, citing his work in the administration of Gov. Don Carcieri.
"John Robitaille likes to separate himself from what he terms the 'career politicians' in this race, but multiple consulting contracts and a senior-level position in the Carcieri Administration doesn't exactly make him a newcomer," said state chairman Ed Pacheco.
Robitaille's public relations firm, Perspective Communications, was hired to promote the governor's "Financial Fitness" initiative as well as "Governor Carcieri: Communication Strategy," in 2004-05 for almost $21,000. In 2008, Carcieri hired Robitaille as his communications director, with an annual salary of just over a quarter of a million dollars.
Robitaille spokesman Mike Napolitano released the following response:
"Because they can't find any dirt on John Robitaille they are now resorting to attacking his work record as a private citizen,” Napolitano said. “This blatant attack by the liberals in the Democratic Party is just plain ridiculous. It certainly is a far stretch to compare an employee in the public sector to a career politician who has been involved in politics for his entire adult life. John Robitaille spent two years in the Statehouse as an employee. Frank Caprio spent almost 20 years in the Statehouse as an elected official. Using this logic from the Democrat party every person who works for state government or a local municipality would be considered a political insider.”
The Rhode Island Democratic Party launched a mock Facebook page for Republican Congressional candidate John Loughlin in an effort to expose what it calls "his extreme, right-wing beliefs."
The site, www.meetjohnloughlin.com, features status updates poking fun at Loughlin's stated views on issues including climate change and Social Security.
"The political machine in this state is desperate to change the subject from [Democratic Congressional candidate David] Cicilline's disastrous record of lost jobs, higher taxes, and wasteful spending" said Loughlin's campaign manager Cara Cromwell.
Caprio Releases New Jobs Plan
The plan consists of four strategies dedicated to increasing small business's access to capital:
1. Activating the $13.1 million in federal funding that RI qualifies for under the US Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), a federal lending program created under the Jobs Act, and combining these newly-available funds with existing US Small Business Administration (SBA) programs.
2. Transferring $50 million of $125 million from the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation Job Creation Guaranty Program to a newly created Rhode Island Small Business Loan Fund, which requires that for every $25,000 loaned, one job is created or retained in Rhode Island.
3. Setting aside $5 million from the SSBCI program for direct loans of $25,000 to $500,000 to small businesses, with a streamlined application process committed to a 10-day turnaround on loan decisions.
4. Creating a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) funded by the $3 million state-backed Slater Technology Fund, $6 million in private capital, and another $27 million from the federal SBA.
"At no cost to RI taxpayers, [the programs will provide] new and increased opportunities for small businesses to get the loans they need to make their businesses grow," Caprio said.