The DNC unloads on Mitt

Under Fire for Gun Flips, Fined for Campaign Violations, and Accused of ‘Abandoning’ Massachusetts – All in One Weekend!

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The following is a statement by the Democratic National Committee: By any measure, Smooth Talking Mitt Romney had a rough weekend. An Alaska newspaper revealed that the Republican Governors Association was fined for breaking state elections laws under Romney’s leadership, the Boston Herald accused him of abandoning Massachusetts voters, and the Boston Globe highlighted his recent flip-flopping on gun control issues.

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"Smooth talking Mitt Romney’s effort to run from his record has hit a  rough patch," said Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera. "From his dismal tax raising record, to his newfound support of President Bush’s failed Iraq strategy and his waffling on gun rights, Mitt Romney seems to think that he can talk his way out of his problems with primary voters and into the Republican nomination. What Romney doesn’t understand is that voters want real leaders with strong principles, not blatant panderers who will shift in whichever way the political winds take him."

After taking heat for shifting his views on social issues like marriage and abortion, Romney is now under fire for trying to distance himself from his record on gun control. In 1994 and 2002, Romney supported the Brady Bill and the assault weapons ban, even bragging that his positions were "not going to make me the hero of the NRA." As governor, Romney signed a 2004 law making Massachusetts the first state to pass a permanent assault weapons ban. (Boston Globe, 1/14/06)

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Now, Romney is working overtime to distance himself from that record. On Friday, he trumped his newfound support for gun owners by heading to Orlando to tour one of the country’s largest gun shows with Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association. On Wednesday he told the online The Glenn and Helen Show that states should "continue to ease regulations on gun owners" and claimed "I have a gun of my own." Later, Romney was forced to admit to reporters in Orlando that he in fact did not personally own any guns. (Boston Globe, 1/14/06)

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Meanwhile, the Anchorage Daily News revealed that the RGA was fined nearly $27,000 for sending more than 120,000 illegal mailings and airing illegal television ads on behalf of the Republican gubernatorial candidate while Romney was chair. (Anchorage Daily News, 1/12/06)

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 And as if that wasn’t enough, the Boston Herald today accused Romney of abandoning Massachusetts voters, noting that "Mitt Romney (spent) much of his final year on the presidential campaign trail." Romney was away from Massachusetts all or part of 219 days in 2006, with "the overwhelming majority" of those trips being "purely political." (Boston Globe, 12/24/06; 6/21/06) Romney was even out of the state during the devastating floods in June 2006 and the Big Dig crisis in July. (Boston Globe, 6/11/06; Boston Herald, 7/13/06)

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Below are some of the other hits Romney’s smooth talking campaign got this weekend:

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 Rasmussen Poll Indicated Romney Trailed Every Democrat Who Is Considering A Run.

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 A new Rasmussen poll forecasts trouble for Romney in the crowded 2008 presidential field, indicating that he trails every Democrat who is considering a run, including Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and even former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who would garner 39 percent compared to 35 percent for Romney. Rasmussens data does show Romney is beginning to climb out of an early hole, with polls showing Americans rating him unfavorably dipped from 39 percent in December to 35 percent this month. (Boston Herald, 1/15/07)

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American for Truth President Called on Romney to Retract the Anti-Brian Camenker Web Posting.

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Americans For Truth President Peter LaBarbera expressed dismay at former Republican Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romneys public attack against Brian Camenker, the head of Mass Resistance and an American hero in the fight against the radical homosexual agenda. . Its not Camenker who is extreme but Romneys (former) gay Log Cabin Republican friends, who wouldn’t even endorse President Bush for re-election in 2004 because he favors a Marriage Protection Amendment, LaBarbera said. He urged Romney to retract the anti-Camenker web posting and apologize to the pro-family advocate, noting that Camenker has done nothing wrong in reminding the American public that Romney has flip- flopped from being a very committed pro-abortion and pro-homosexual-activist politician. (Christian Newswire,
1/13/07)

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MassResistance Released Letter Sent to Romney That Showed Social Conservatives Directly Challenged His Assertion That He Truly Opposed Homosexual Marriage.

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MassResistance has released a letter sent to former Governor W. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts in December just before he left office. The letter was signed by a diverse group of 44 pro-family and conservative leaders, including both national and influential state-level activists. It reveals a broader and more profound rejection of Romney’s pro-family claims than social conservatives have previously expressed, and directly challenges his assertion that he truly opposed homosexual marriage.

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The conservative leaders called on Romney to reverse his erroneous directives which began homosexual marriages through an executive order prior to his leaving office on Jan. 3. But Romney declined to act, though he had both authority and obligation to reverse the damage done to the institution of marriage and the rule of law. (Christian Newswire, 1/13/07)

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FL’s Leading Religious Conservatives Grilled Romney Over His Changed Positions On Gay Rights And Abortion.

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Florida’s leading religious conservatives grilled Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney on Friday over his changed positions on gay rights and abortion, suggesting the former Massachusetts governor could be a tough sell for the party’s influential right wing. . About 35 people met with Romney at the Orlando law office of state Rep. Dean Cannon, who is slated to become the leader of the Florida House in 2010. The candidate fielded tough questions for more than an hour. (Miami Herald, 1/13/07)

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Romney Left MA Governor Position With High Disapproval Rating.

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Four years after taking office, though, Romney left his post with a high disapproval rating. Critical Bay Staters contend now that Romney always had his eye on the White House and used Massachusetts as a pad from which to launch his campaign. An analysis in December by The Boston Globe said Romney spent all or part of 212 days in 2006 out of state, in many occasions flying to early primary states or stumping for Republicans across the nation. . A Nov. 17 poll by Survey USA and WBZ-TV found that 65 percent of residents disapproved of Romney’s performance, a figure that dropped to 59 percent a month later in Romney’s waning days in office. The Globe and WBZ reported 54 percent of those surveyed in October viewed Romney’s performance as unfavorable. (Salt Lake Tribune, 1/16/07)