A recent news release and political radio ad by Rep. George Nethercutt, candidate for the U.S. Senate, said that Sen. Patty Murray led the effort to cut the president’s Coast Guard budget after Sept. 11, 2001. Now let’s look at the facts.
While Sen. Murray chaired the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, the Senate passed four bills containing and increasing Coast Guard funding.
The reality is Sen. Murray led the effort to increase the Coast Guard’s budget before and after 9/11. Each bill that went through this subcommittee while Sen. Murray was chair contained more funding for the Coast Guard than the president requested. The Senate voting records are there and are easily checked.
Contrary to Nethercutt’s claims, the House underfunded the president’s request for Coast Guard funding. The reality is that Nethercutt voted twice to underfund the president’s Coast Guard funding requests. Again, the House voting records are there and are very easily checked.
When I look at the reality of the facts, I am compelled to ask the following questions. Which of these two candidates can be trusted to protect our security? Which of these candidates can be trusted to tell the truth?
The facts in this case make the answer to these questions clear. Nethercutt is deliberately misleading voters about Sen. Murray’s voting record. Sen. Murray welcomes reviews and is understandably proud of her voting record. With Nethercutt’s weak voting record on this issue, I wonder if he would welcome scrutiny of his.
It’s time for Nethercutt to discuss the issues plainly and back up his information with nothing but the facts. That’s what Sen. Murray is doing. The people of the great state of Washington deserve better then George Nethercutt. They deserve someone who tells it like it is, and whose statements are backed up by the facts.
Mary Drott
Snohomish
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