Category: The Real Erik Paulsen

Don’t be Fooled: The Truth About the Alphabet Soup at the End of Those Attack Ads

We’re sure you’ve been been seeing the mudslinging ads attacking Dean Phillips by massively distorting the fact and using quotes out of context.  There’s always “legalese” at the end of those ads.  Most people don’t know what those organizations are.

Here are the Facts

These ads are coming from people who are doing everything they can to protect Erik Paulsen’s seat in Congress.  They’re doing that to make certain they control what happens in Congress after the election be it another tax cut for the rich, attack on our health care, moving to dismantle Social Security and Medicare “because the deficit is out of hand”* and so much more.

Rep. Erik Paulsen — We find it interesting that after holding his seat since the 2008 election, Erik Paulsen has nothing positive to say about what he’s done for his constituents, which only leaves him the option of parroting the falsehoods of the PACs supporting his re-election.

CLR (Congressional Leadership Fund) — This Super PAC is the dishonest organization that released the CIA confidential security clearance application of a DFL candidate in Virginia to use for political purposes.  It was formed in 2011 and is closely aligned to House Speaker Paul Ryan.  Their purpose is to elect Republicans and do what they can to oppose the election of Democrats.

NRCC (National Republican Congressional Committee) — This is an organization that supports the election of Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives. Its leadership is made up of Republican Representatives..

Open Secrets’ Report of 2018 Expenditures:  https://www.opensecrets.org/races/election?id=MN

Washington Post post of media money reserving spots:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/r/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2018/09/16/National-Politics/Graphics/tracking912_18.pdf?tid=a_inl_manual

MPR News:  Who is Spending in Your District? (Updated daily):  https://features.mprnews.org/2018/campaign-spending/#

Open Secrets Listing of Paulsen Independent Expenditures this Cycle:  https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/other-data?cid=N00029391&cycle=2018#ind

*  There are theories out there that this tax cut (it wasn’t a rework of the tax code and benefits for average Americans go away in 5 years) has cut the income coming into the Treasury and exploding the debt. That will allow a Republican majority in Congress to do away with social service programs because they can’t be paid for — because they cut the taxes of the richest American and corporations.

 

Kroll violates federal law at Paulsen campaign event

Erik Paulsen and Bob Kroll have made it all too clear that they’ll go to extreme lengths to further their own personal political agendas, even if it means violating federal law’

Today, Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police member Bob Kroll appeared in his official capacity as a Minneapolis Police Officer to endorse Erik Paulsen at an event in Wayzata. Kroll’s appearance and endorsement directly violates the Hatch Act, which prohibits State and Local officers from using their “official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election or a nomination for office.”

“Erik Paulsen and Bob Kroll have made it all too clear that they’ll go to extreme lengths to further their own personal political agendas, even if it means violating federal law. We’ve come to expect this kind of misbehavior by Kroll, but it’s disturbing that Erik Paulsen would go along with these antics. Minnesotans in the Third District deserve a Representative in Congress who will put their interests above his own, something Erik Paulsen has shown no interest in doing.”

Kroll’s appearance today is not the first time he’s flouted Federal Law. In 2016, then-Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau ordered him to stop wearing his official uniform when partaking in political activities. But just last month, he appeared on a campaign mailer for Republican Tim Pawlenty in his MPD uniform.

ACA Sabotage Puts Women’s Health at Risk

A woman in Los Angeles protests Trump administration policies that threaten the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid, January 25, 2017. Credit: Getty/AFP/David McNew

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has helped millions of women access health insurance coverage and important services such as maternity care, cancer screenings, and prescription drugs. However, attempts to sabotage the ACA have put women’s health and well-being on the line. In addition to full-scale attempts to repeal the ACA, congressional Republicans and the Trump administration have worked to weaken the ACA in many other ways, creating uncertainty in the health care marketplace and, as a result, uncertainty for individuals and families across the country who rely on comprehensive, affordable health insurance to stay healthy and protect themselves from high premiums or unexpected health care costs. Such sabotage actions include last year’s repeal of the individual mandate and administrative actions that have expanded the availability of “junk plans,” among other things.

Sabotage has real costs. The Center for American Progress estimates that ACA sabotage through just two actions—repeal of the individual mandate and increased availability of short-term plans—will result in an additional $970 in premiums for a typical 40-year-old purchasing health insurance through the marketplace, beyond what the person would have paid absent that sabotage. For a family of four, sabotage results in an additional $3,110 in premiums. While many individuals and families who receive federal financial help to purchase insurance through the marketplace will not have to pay the full amount of these unnecessary costs, middle-class individuals and families who do not receive financial help will be responsible for the added costs. In addition to these two sabotage actions, the administration has taken a number of other steps to damage the ACA, many of which directly affect access to health care and affordability of services for women.

This column focuses on the threat that ACA sabotage actions—such as expanded availability of junk plans and administration rules that could limit access to important services and roll back protections—pose to women’s health, highlighting the particular risk for women with pre-existing conditions.

View the September 13 article Theresa Chalhoub on the Center for American Progress here.

Paulsen, super PAC teamed up to tear Phillips down with lies

To the Editor:

Here we are, about two months away from midterm election day and the voters of Minnesota’s Third District are on the edge of their seats. We are paying attention to our candidates and determining who will be the best representatives of our interests. But instead of seeing incumbent Erik Paulsen put his best foot forward, we see attack advertisements, special interest money and smear politics.

This has to end. The Congressional Leadership Fund Super PAC and Erik Paulsen have teamed up to try to tear down Dean Phillips’ reputation with lies. Is that how campaigns should run? It’s incredibly misleading and quite honestly annoying. I don’t want our candidates filling the voters’ minds with falsehoods. Let’s provide facts only, please.

Here are some facts: Dean Phillips is a business owner who is passionate about getting money out of politics, saving the environment, making health care accessible to all and much more. He is being attacked for not providing health care to his employees at Penny’s, but he does, in fact, provide for all full-time employees. Continue reading “Paulsen, super PAC teamed up to tear Phillips down with lies”

If Paulsen has nothing to hide, why is he unwilling to debate?

To the Editor:

The Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) is out of control. The Super PAC recently launched a scathing ad in their next round of attacks on behalf of Rep. Erik Paulsen against challenger Dean Phillips. The advertisement is directed towards his health care past at Penny’s Coffee. The ad was littered with false statements, insinuating that Phillips did not provide health care to his employees at Penny’s.

This is unequivocally not true.

Phillips has always provided health care to all of his full-time employees along with a $15/hour living wage. Phillips explained his small business policies at the Aug. 21 debate in St. Louis Park. This was the only debate between the two candidates that Paulsen has agreed to thus far, and it came with a price tag of $60 per person. Continue reading “If Paulsen has nothing to hide, why is he unwilling to debate?”

Erik Paulsen continues to prioritize political lip service over military service

While the Trump administration works towards exposing veterans and families to predatory lenders, the silence from Paulsen is deafening

Mick Mulvaney, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), has made a series of troubling moves that will ultimately lead to countless military veterans and their families being taken advantage of by predatory lenders. Erik Paulsen, a prodigious fundraiser of campaign cash from these types of financial institutions,, has remained silent on this issue.

“It should come as no surprise that Donald Trump and his congressional cronies, like Erik Paulsen, are allowing predatory financial institutions to take advantage of America’s veterans, these companies pay good campaign money for that opportunity,” said DFL Chairman Ken Martin. “We know America’s veterans are among the most vulnerable groups to exploitation today, and the lack of leadership from a congressman who claims he’ll ‘stand up to his party or Trump’ is startling. It looks to me like Paulsen is only standing up for the unregulated financial sector who is bankrolling his campaign.”

Dean Phillips Releases Open Letter to Congressman Erik Paulsen

Excelsior, MN – Dean Phillips offered the following open letter to Congressman Erik Paulsen today:

Congressman Paulsen:

In April of this year, I invited you to make a mutual pact to campaign the Minnesota Way, which – in addition to eliminating PAC money, self-funding and spending from outside groups – would have ensured at least two public voter forums per month.

Continue reading “Dean Phillips Releases Open Letter to Congressman Erik Paulsen”

Republican Sabotage Leads To Higher Premiums & Fewer Americans Getting The Care They Need

Trump and Republicans are continuing their health care sabotage that has already led to higher premiums and fewer Americans with access to the care they need. This November, Democrats are holding them accountable. Here’s the latest:

Democrats are holding Republicans accountable for trying to take away protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

Washington Post’s Daily 202: “Democrats are pummeling Republican candidates for governor and Senate over a pending lawsuit by 20 GOP-led states that could allow insurance companies to stop covering people with preexisting medical conditions. Underscoring how the politics of Obamacare have changed — even in red states — this issue is being highlighted more than any other right now in Democratic television commercials. Public and private polling validates that it’s an effective line of attack.” Continue reading “Republican Sabotage Leads To Higher Premiums & Fewer Americans Getting The Care They Need”

Take a closer look at Dean Phillips for CD3

To the Editor:

I recently came across Nathan Dull’s letter to the editor entitled “Paulsen is better than Phillips for CD3,” published on Aug. 31, and realized it is light on facts.

Among other things, the letter states that Paulsen does the right thing for our environment. In reality, Erik touts his image as an environmentalist (portrayed by his Boundary Waters TV ad and joining an environmental caucus), but he gets low grades on his actual voting record for climate change, according to the League of Conservation Voters. To further prove my point, the City Pages article, “Erik Paulsen Discovers that Climate Change is for Real After All” describes Paulsen’s self-serving reasons for finally changing his ‘beliefs’ about the environment.

I previously voted for Paulsen based on the recommendation of his predecessor, Jim Ramstad. And even though Erik Paulsen talks like he’s a moderate, he votes the party line 98 percent of the time (FiveThirtyEight.com). Now I know that Paulsen’s quotes don’t match his votes. He actively opposes consumer protection, funding education, environmental protection, financial sector regulation, gun control, labor rights and wages, racial equality, countering Russian interference and women’s rights (Politicsthatwork.com). Continue reading “Take a closer look at Dean Phillips for CD3”

Health Care Is On The Ballot & Voters Trust Democrats Over Republicans

Today House Republicans are meeting to prepare a bill that would delay or repeal parts of the Affordable Care Act, and House Republican leadership said health care repeal will be a priority if they keep the majority.

Health care is on the ballot in the midterm elections. While Republicans will continue their sabotage, Democrats are fighting to increase access and affordability. That is why voters trust Democrats over Republicans on health care.

House Republicans are preparing legislation to further dismantle the ACA. That bill would cost more than $50 billion over the next decade.

The Hill: “House GOP legislation that would delay or repeal certain parts of ObamaCare will cost $51.6 billion over the next decade, according to a new government analysis.” Continue reading “Health Care Is On The Ballot & Voters Trust Democrats Over Republicans”