Harrassing Phone Calls?

I received an inquiry today asking if I had received any automated telephone calls, sometimes 10 or 15 in a row, that claimed to be representing the Eric Massa for Congress Campaign. I was told that these calls are NOT from the Massa Campaign.

It appears that these calls are designed to annoy potential Massa voters so that they would stay home on election day. Apparently calls such as these are happening across this district in addition to happening in a number of tight races across the country.

I have not received any of these calls. If you receive any and have caller ID service, please make a note of the telephone number. If you have a recording of one on your answering machine, please do not erase it. Post a message here with the details, and I will make sure that the information is relayed to the proper person.

Thank you for your help in this matter. This is at the very least unethical, if not illegal, and it goes a step beyond negative advertising.

[UPDATE: 11/6/06, 1:00 pm. I’ve just talked with someone who informed me that there are reports that some residents in Allegany County have received these calls. Some of them have been called at 2:00 in the morning. Please let us know if you have received this type of call.]

Recent News on the Kuhl/Massa Race

Hat tip to The Fighting 29th for sourcing the following recent articles on the Kuhl/Massa Congressional race:

THE CHOICE IS YOURS From Steuben County’s The Courier
Spitzer backs Massa in Canandaigua From the Finger Lakes Times
It’s a sprint to the wire for Kuhl, Massa; From the Olean Times Herald

The Fighting 29th is also reporting that President Bill Clinton will be in Rochester on Monday “to rally the faithful” and although Massa’s Monroe County schedule is not yet posted for tomorrow, we can probably safely assume that he’ll be showing up at the event.

Working Families Party Support for Eric Massa’s Campaign

The Working Families Party is sponsoring the following items on behalf of Mr. Massa’s campaign:

Senator John Edwards phone call on behalf of Eric Massa.

Mailing #1 – Subject: Jobs

Mailing #2 – Subject: Health Care

Mailing #3 – Subject: Lower Taxes for Working Class Families

If you have not received a phone call or the mailings, click the links and check them out.

Massa’s Newest Ad on Social Security

Check This Out!

Pollster.com provides a graph that charts the results of the Kuhl/Massa polls. Unfortunately, I cannot show it here as this site does not allow for embedding javascript for security reasons.

Go take a look. Its quite interesting.

Follow-up to “Latest Kuhl Campaign Ad”; The Patriot Act

As noted on my last post, “Latest Kuhl Campaign Ad”:

[NOTE: The ad hits on Massa’s opposition to the Patriot Act. This is a complex subject worthy of a book, let alone a blog post. Therefore, I’m going to briefly address this in a following post. (This one is long enough already.)]

So, lets talk about the Patriot Act. From the Electronic Frontier Foundation:

Latest Kuhl Campaign Print Ad

 

Did You Know that Eric Massa Hates the Troops and America and wants this nation to be attacked again? You didn’t??? It could be because its not true. However, according to the latest “hit piece” from Rep. Randy Kuhl’s campaign, this must obviously be the case.

I’m getting highly annoyed and pretty tired of debunking these attack ads from Rep. Kuhl. Rep. Kuhl, when are you going to start sending out ads that detail your positions on issues instead of sending out these attack ads on Mr. Massa??? How about something positive from you, about only you, for a change? Do you have any plans for that type of advertising? You are running out of time, though. (And I could use the break from doing these reports. PLEASE???)

Buffalo News Endorses Eric Massa

From today’s Buffalo News:

Vice President Cheney and first lady Laura Bush have stumped for incumbent freshman Rep. John R. “Randy” Kuhl of Hammondsport, who has pretty much marched in lock step with the White House. Kuhl served for 24 years as a state legislator and nine years as assistant majority leader in the dysfunctional State Senate before replacing retired Rep. Amo Houghton in this district, which stretches into Western New York’s Southern Tier.

Clinton/Massa Event in Rochester 10/30/06

I was not there, so I’m left to news reports for some information. The choices were slim.

Hornell’s The Evening Tribune has: Hillary praises Massa in Rochester campaign stop: Visit by former first lady follows last week’s stop by another first lady, Laura Bush

Judging from the title, you’d think that the article’s coverage of the events was split between the two events. It is not. The whole article is about the Clinton/Massa event, save one odd paragraph stuck in the middle regarding the Bush visit. The paragraph references that this event was free, while the Clinton event was a fundraiser. (Which, although not mentioned in the article, cost the attendee $25 to attend.)

NY-29 Blog Roundup

From The Fighting 29th:

Trivium

Ad Tweaks and Internet Ads, which includes the new Massa commerical and an internet ad from Majority Action, which focuses on Rep. Kuhl’s opposition to stem cell research (although I don’t recall them using the word “embryonic” in the ad).

Closing Time

NRCC Phone Calls and the Candidates’ Immigration Views

In response to a comment by “Rottenchester” in the post, Sometimes We Are Blessed, the following are transcripts of recent calls I’ve received from the NRCC in support of Rep. Kuhl’s candidacy. The first is a complete transcript. The second is a partial transcript, as I picked up the phone mid-message to talk to the caller. Either the caller didn’t engage with the recipients, or it was an automated call (although it didn’t sound automated – I could be wrong).

Sometimes We are Blessed

Living where we do – in a media market that serves Buffalo vs. Rochester, Corning, or Elmira – can sometimes be more of a blessing than a hinderance in this election season. While we are being bombarded with Tom Reynolds and Jack Davis Congressional television commercials, we are not being subjected to the nasty, negative commercials for our own district, (However, we are receiving the deceptive telephone calls and mailings.)

So why the distorted, negative advertising, and what are we missing?

… Carl Forti, with a similar budget to protect the GOP majority, was playing defense. His own polls showed a growing number of House Republicans in serious trouble. Forti, 34, had little choice but to buy ads to protect suddenly at-risk Reps. Charles Bass (N.H.) and John R. “Randy” Kuhl Jr. (N.Y.).

A Promise Made, A Promise Broken

Do you Pledge to not engage in negative campaigning and advertising?

(Rep.) Kuhl – Absolutely not (meaning he will not run a negative campaign). I have never run a negative campaign and never will.

I heard the above words spoken in real time, on October 10, 2006, during the debate for Rep. Kuhl and Eric Massa held in Elmira, NY.

149th NYS Assembly Debate 10/24/06 (Part 3)

Part 1
Part 2

Seasonal workers on Western NY, and are they treated fairly?

Linda Witte:  It is one of the things to look at. It is a regional problem. If they come here to do jobs, you have to treat them fairly. You have to look at what they are doing for us. There is nothing wrong with seasonal workers coming here and being treated fairly, and this includes their children and taking care of them if they become ill.

Joe Giglio:  They are vital to our economy and farms. They are treated fairly. It is important that we protect all workers. The farmers need their help – it is an important relationship.

149th NYS Assembly Debate 10/24/06 (Part 2)

Part 1

Wind generation for Cattaraugus County and NY State?

Joe Giglio: I am in favor of alternate fuels here in Catt. Co. It might be the way to go. We should get it up and running.

Linda Witte: I would like to support it, but it needs to be something that farmers are a part of. It is frustrating when government comes in and makes decisions that comes back to us and says “why are you complaining?”. Zoning laws must be updated, but it has to be done carefully. You have to take into consideration the people you are going to affect. I support it with the people’s involvement.

149th NYS Assembly Debate 10/24/06 (Part 1)

The NYS Farm Bureau sponsored a debate in Great Valley, NY this past Tuesday night between Assemblyman Joe Giglio, challenger Linda Witte, Warren Schmidt (representing Rep. Randy Kuhl), and Joe Meisch (representing Eric Massa). Below are my notes from the debate. The following is not fully verbatim. Due to the length of the transcription, I have divided it into three separate posts.

Reception for Mrs. Silda Spitzer

I had the opportunity to attend the reception for Mrs. Silda Spitzer, wife of Eliot Spitzer, this past Tuesday evening at Holiday Valley, Ellicottville, NY. Due to illness, Mrs. Beverly Massa, wife of Eric Massa, could not attend.

Mrs. Spitzer relayed that this was the 36th New York County that she has visited. She is inspired by going and seeing what people are doing in their communities to make things work, and what is different, unique and special in these areas.

Five Events – Two Days; New Massa Ad

I’ve attended five events in the past few days – three for Eric Massa, one for Silda Spitzer, and the debate last night with Joe Giglio, Linda Witte, and surrogates for Eric Massa and Rep. Randy Kuhl. All are energized and are running “full steam ahead” in anticipation of the election that is now less than two weeks away.

This post will cover the three Massa events. I’m writing separate posts regarding Mrs. Spitzer’s event and last night’s debate.

Clinton Spencer Debate from 10/22/06

Below are my notes from the above debate, shown on C-Span on Monday evening, 10/23/06. I missed the first 8-10 minutes of the broadcast. Transcription is not verbatim. (Note – this is a very long post.)

Here is a news account of a segment that I had missed:

Spencer, a conservative who has repeatedly accused Clinton of focusing on national ambitions and shortchanging New York concerns, startled observers when he praised Clinton’s experience and qualifications for higher office, including her years as first lady.

Mrs. Spitzer and Mrs. Massa In CattCo.

Tuesday, October 24; 5:00 pm. – 6:00 pm.

Holiday Valley – Main Chalet – Ellicottville
Reception for Silda Spitzer (Mrs. Eliot Spitzer) and Beverly Massa (Mrs. Eric Massa)
Free & Open to the Public – hors d’oevres & beverages provided

The last Massa-Kuhl Debate will be shown on (Olean area) Time-Warner Cable, channel 6, Wednesday 10/25, 7:30 pm; and Thursday, 10/26, 8:30 pm.