NOTE: The following email from the Dean Phillips Campaign was sent to Twin Cities media outlets June 29, 2018:
You may be noticing a dramatic shift in Congressman Erik Paulsen’s rhetoric lately, as he attempts to cast himself as a commonsense moderate despite all evidence to the contrary.
In the attached fundraising letter, in which he derides every journalist receiving this memo as a member of the “leftist mainstream media” – Mr. Paulsen also repeats several falsehoods that have become regular talking points of his and of his staff and surrogates as well.
By way of background, we thought it would be helpful for you to have the following information on his votes – which do not match his quotes – and the truth relative to his lies:
ON HEALTHCARE
QUOTE: Rep. Paulsen’s spokesperson said in a statement, “Rep. [Erik] Paulsen has long supported protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions, and he continues to do so.” (Star Tribune, June 23, 2018)
VOTES: Erik Paulsen has voted over 50 times to undermine or outright repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would’ve eliminated protections for those with pre-existing conditions – including his 2017 vote in favor of the AHCA Politifact confirmed that bill would have weaken protections for those with pre-existing conditions. And Rep. Paulsen has done nothing of substance to stop the Trump Administration from dismantling pre-existing conditions protections or raising healthcare premiums on millions of Americans.
MONEY: Erik Paulsen has taken $868,301 from insurance industry PACs over his career.
ON IMMIGRATION
QUOTE: “To Democrats in Congress: Don’t let an activist base that hates the president stand in the way of finally getting something done for the young DACA recipients you say you fight for. And to Republican leadership in the House: Have the courage to put this bill on the floor for a vote once and for all. It’s time for Congress to get this done.” (Eden Prairie News, June 25, 2018)
VOTES: Four days before this commentary was published, Erik Paulsen voted against an amendment that, “would grant permanent legal status and a path to citizenship to as many as two million so-called ‘dreamers’ who were brought illegally to the United States as children and face potential deportation under a Trump administration directive.” (Mankato Free Press, June 22, 2018). It’s not the first time; Paulsen has repeatedly voted to end protects for DACA recipients and to make Dreamers eligible for deportation.
MONEY: While he attacked Dean Phillips over mutual fund investments totaling $680, Erik Paulsen received $5,400 from Corey Lewandowski’s Great America PAC, which raises money directly from both CoreCivic and the GEO Group – the very same companies over which he attacked Dean.
ON GUN VIOLENCE
QUOTE: “Based on the tragedies that have happened recently, I recognize there are gaps that are in the system. Both sides need to be honest about that, and those gaps need to be addressed.” (Star Tribune, February 22, 2018)
VOTES: Erik Paulsen received an “A” rating and endorsement from the NRA in the most recent election for his support of their agenda, including his vote for the concealed carry reciprocity bill, a top priority for the gun lobby. Paulsen opposes closing gaps in the system by passing universal background checks on all gun purchases, despite overwhelming support from the public. He’s voted to allow those convicted of felony domestic assault and those with restraining orders for harassing or threatening behavior to own guns. And he’s voted 21 times to bloc legislation that would prevent someone on the terror watch list from owning a gun.
MONEY: Erik Paulsen has taken $21,500 from the NRA and refuses to rule out taking even more.
ON CLIMATE CHANGE
QUOTE: “I’m proud to team up with both Republicans and Democrats on ways to protect our country’s economy, security, water supply and environment(Press Release, Rep. Carlos Curbelo, May 17, 2018)
VOTES: Erik Paulsen has voted to bar the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases. To keep the feds from enforcing limits on CO2 pollution. To ban greenhouse gases from Clean Air Act rules. To allow oil drilling on America’s Outer Continental Shelf …Over the course of his career, the congressman has voted with the League of Conservation Voters just 16 percent of the time. Last year, the Defenders of Wildlife also gave him just 16 percent. He received an absolute zero rating from Clean Water Action. And a zero from EarthRights International.” (City Pages, May 22, 2018)
MONEY: Erik Paulsen has taken over $500,000 from energy and oil companies, including Koch Industries and Halliburton.
ON NET NEUTRALITY
QUOTE: “I think it would be better to put this into law and to say that you’re not allowed to block certainly and you’re not allowed to throttle people in certain lanes. That’s just my general philosophy.” (Lakeshore Weekly News, June 5, 2018)
VOTES: Erik Paulsen was not a co-sponsor of the bill to restore net neutrality rules earlier this year – and he blocked a legislative effort to preserve net neutrality rules the day before the FCC voted to repeal them.
MONEY: Erik Paulsen has taken at least $226,996 from the telecom industry over his career.
ON DEAN PHILLIPS
LIE: “Nancy Pelosi hand-picked my opponent.” (attached letter)
TRUTH: There is absolutely no basis for this claim. Dean Phillips decided to run in response to the 2016 election and Erik Paulsen’s vote for the AHCA in early 2017. He was not recruited to run, and has never spoken with Leader Pelosi.
LIE: Dean Phillips “has already pledged to flood his own vast inherited wealth into his race to supplement the $1.6 million he raised from his liberal friends so far.” (attached letter)
TRUTH: On April 14th of this year, Dean Phillips challenged Erik Paulsen to join him in signing The Minnesota Way pledge, which is an agreement to forego all PAC money and self-funding in this race. Dean Phillips is one of the only candidates in the country who doesn’t accept any special interest money or contributions from current members of Congress. All of the nearly $2 million raised in the race so far is from individuals, many of them prominent Republicans and business leaders from the 3rd District – including several who had previously supported Paulsen. Meanwhile, Erik Paulsen has taken more PAC money than all but a handful of people in Congress.
LIE: “You’d never know it from the leftist mainstream media, but the House of Representatives has been busy doing the work of the people.” (attached letter)
TRUTH: We searched and couldn’t find any evidence to back this claim up.
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Dean Phillips, candidate for Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District, highlighted his platform to unrig Washington and get money out of politics in an