The Weekender (10/2/20)
Welcome to the Democratic Governors Association’s Friday newsletter, The Weekender.
Let’s get started.
Washington: Gov. Jay Inslee’s campaign launched its first TV ad, highlighting Gov. Inslee’s accomplishments and character. As governor, he has increased access to health care, improved education, and protected working families. The ad also addresses the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit Washington state first. Gov. Inslee has seen the strength and resilience of Washingtonians in the fight against COVID-19, and he knows that Washingtonians will get through this crisis together and rebuild the economy upon the progress he’s made over the past eight years.
Missouri: A Stronger Missouri, an independent organization backed by the DGA, released a new TV ad, “Failed.” The COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging Missouri, and Gov. Mike Parson has failed the state on health care. Parson let 100,000 children lose their health care, and opposed Medicaid expansion, which Missourians voted to implement over Parson’s objections. Medicaid expansion would help 250,000 Missourians afford health care and save struggling rural hospitals. Time is running out – Missourians can’t afford another failure from Mike Parson.
Back To Back Fact Checks Prove Parson Allies Lying About Galloway
One month out from the election, Gov. Mike Parson’s allies are spewing lies about Nicole Galloway in a desperate attempt to stop her momentum. A fact check from KMBC found that claims about Galloway in the latest attack ad from Parson’s PAC Uniting Missouri are unequivocally false.
Uniting Missouri’s latest attack ad claims Galloway violated ethics laws by failing to disclose that her husband was a lobbyist for a company that received state tax credits. Galloway did in fact file this information with the Missouri Ethics Commission, and provided copies of the forms to KMBC.
Nine Missouri stations removed the original version of the Uniting Missouri ad because of the false and misleading claims about Galloway.
This is the second time Uniting Missouri has been caught lying to Missourians. Earlier this month, a KMOV fact check found that nearly every claim in a previous Uniting Missouri ad about Galloway was either false or misleading.
It’s not Galloway that should be concerned about ethics – it’s Parson. Parson just can’t escape allegations of rampant corruption benefiting well-connected Jefferson City insiders. Not only have his allies continuously lied in campaign ads, but his administration was the subject of an investigation, led by members of his own party, into his rollout of the state’s medical marijuana program. While other Missourians tried and failed to navigate the complex application process for a medical marijuana license, a lobbyist connected to Parson received special treatment for more than a dozen clients involved in the medical marijuana industry.
Dan Feltes Vows to End Gov. Chris Sununu’s Trumpian Corrupt No-Bid Contract System
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, like his mentor Donald Trump, has used his position to award tax breaks and contracts to his donors and political allies.
Granite Staters have had enough of Sununu’s corruption. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Dan Feltes, alongside End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller, announced he would end no-bid contracts in state government if elected governor.
Sununu has given hundreds of thousands of dollars in state contracts to his political allies with no oversight and no competitive bids. Using funds meant for COVID-19 relief in the state, Sununu awarded the Capital Hotel Company, owned by his friend Steve Duprey (former NH Republican Party Chairman and longtime GOP donor), a $453,599 contract. Sununu also awarded two contracts to Convenient MD totalling nearly $1.5 million after their cofounder hosted a political fundraiser for the governor.
Feltes also called on Sununu to release his tax returns in light of the revelation that President Trump has evaded taxes for years.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Bloomberg Television, talking about the need for federal aid to states and New Jersey’s historic millionaire’s tax.
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak on Vegas PBS, honoring the 60 people who were killed in a mass shooting in Las Vegas three years ago and discussing how Nevadans came together after.
“Any efforts to throw out ballots or refuse a peaceful transfer of power are nothing less than an assault on American democracy. There is absolutely no excuse for promoting the intimidation or harassment of voters. These are all blatant attempts to deny our constituents the right to have their voices heard, as guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution, and to know the will of the people will be carried out.”
- Govs. Jay Inslee, Gavin Newsom, John Carney, JB Pritzker, Gretchen Whitmer, Tim Walz, Steve Sisolak, Phil Murphy, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Kate Brown, Ralph Northam, and Tony Evers in a joint statement vowing to protect democracy and count every ballot cast in the general election.
“Life goes on.”
Who said it? Send your answer to press@dga.net and we’ll reveal the answer in the next Weekender!
If you guessed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last week, you were right! Gov. DeSantis said students who throw potential superspreader parties on college campuses during the pandemic should not be reprimanded because “that’s what college kids do.”