WASHINGTON – This week, End Citizens United, a liberal Washington special interest group, launched an attack ad on Maine’s 2nd District Congressman Bruce Poliquin.

In an effort to prop up a failed Congressional candidate, the out-of-state big money special interest group makes several deceitful and inaccurate claims about Congressman Poliquin’s voting record. Most egregious is the ad continues to make false claims about Congressman Poliquin’s background. This continues the trend of Emily Cain’s out-of-state campaign apparatus making false attacks.

Below is a step by step break down of the ad’s false claims:

 On accusing Congressman Poliquin as a “Wall Street banker”:

Congressman Poliquin helped successfully manage pensions for workers, including the hard working Mainers at Bath Iron Works. Bruce has never been a banker, never been a Wall Street banker. It shows the ad is completely false.

On falsely accusing Congressman Poliquin of supporting a Medicare voucher scheme:

 Congressman Bruce Poliquin has never, ever, voted in support of a Medicare voucher program. He supported, and strongly urged, language to be included that will help protect Medicare for seniors at or near retirement. The plan Congressman Poliquin voted for would strengthen Medicare by offering future seniors guaranteed-coverage options – including traditional Medicare – regardless of pre-existing conditions or health history. All Maine seniors will have the resources they need to get the healthcare they deserve.

On falsely accusing Congressman Poliquin of boosting profits for insurance companies:

 Congressman Poliquin cares deeply about our Maine seniors, like his 88 and 86-year-old parents, and would never vote to put profits ahead of their healthcare. Congressman Poliquin voted to preserve Medicare for those at or near retirement.

On falsely accusing Congressman Poliquin of forcing seniors to pay more for drugs:

Congressman Poliquin has been working to get prescription drug prices down, not up. That’s why he strongly supported Medicare coverage for prescription drugs for our seniors.

The Poliquin for Congress campaign is calling on Maine television stations to do the right thing and put their profits behind the best interests of the State of Maine by taking down the deceitful ad and refusing the money of the out-of-state special interest.

“This attack ad is nothing more than a political trick and their deceitful ad should be removed immediately. Congressman Bruce Poliquin has always voted in the best interest of Maine seniors, like his parents, by supporting legislation that will strengthen and secure Medicare and Social Security. If this special interest group were truly committed to ending Citizens United, they would not have endorsed a candidate that flies around the country to collect checks from Wall Street donors and to woo billionaires and millionaires as Emily Cain has done.  She is literally a walking and talking example of hypocrisy,” said Michael Byerly, spokesman for the Poliquin campaign. 

The Poliquin for Congress campaign is sending a letter to Maine broadcast stations making this request.  A generic copy of the letter is below:

August 24, 2016

  To Whom It May Concern:

 I have recently been made aware that an out-of-state big money special interest group is running TV ads in Maine claiming I want to harm seniors who rely upon Social Security and Medicare.

This is ad is patently false.

 I have worked to both protect and strengthen Social Security and Medicare and to provide a guarantee of benefits for both current generations and the generations to come.

My own parents, both in their 80s, rely upon Social Security and Medicare. My mother has faced multiple medical issues over the last several years.  Medicare was there to help her.  In addition they, and thousands of other Maine seniors, rely upon their prescription medications.  I would not, and have not, taken any steps to harm life-saving medicines.

This ad continues to perpetuate 100% false claims about my job creating record.  At the top the ad indicates my work history includes banking.  That is not true and it is evidence that the big money special interests behind this ad have no interest whatsoever in the truth.  It is evidence the entire ad is false. 

I worked hard to help successfully manage pensions for hard working people, including the Maine workers at Bath Iron Works.  

As a broadcast station entrusted with a public license to operate I encourage you to do the right thing and remove these false advertisements from Maine’s airways.  They are meant only to falsely impugn my integrity and to scare Maine seniors for whom I am working hard every single day I am in Congress.

Sincerely,

 Congressman Bruce Poliquin

Maine’s 2^nd District