Clearly goes to Barbara Ann Radnofsky. We received her press release attacking Senator Hutchison for just 'rubber-stamping' the nominee to the SCOTUS. We thought, ok...that's expected from the Radnofsky campaign but then we laughed because all of the sudden there is a huge portion of the press release that reminds us KBH hates veterans.

Radnofsky has been tearing into KBH on this issue for some time now and it's hilarious to see her campaign as a pit-bull and staying on their message. Good for them. Ask Radnofsky a question about what she thinks about campaign finance reform and I'll bet you my liver in a frying pan she'll say KBH isn't taking care of our veterans. (Press release after the jump)

July 20, 2005

Kay Bailey Hutchison, within minutes of the President's naming of
Roberts, stated: "There is no higher priority facing the Senate than the task of confirming Judge Roberts to the high court...The Senate should act quickly to ensure he is in place by the first Monday in October."

This immediate rubberstamping is an abdication of her responsibility as a senator. She has abandoned her duty to advise. She calls on all
senators to abandon their duties so clearly specified in the Constitution: Article II Section 2 instructing that the President hall nominate, "and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint.... Judges of the supreme Court...."

This conduct is part of a broad pattern of our opponent's behavior in
dealing with veterans and service persons issues, recently exhibited in violation of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. Congress has the obligation to "support Armies" and "to make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces," and in turning her back on the promise of the Republican President Abraham Lincoln, in the ultimate words of his Second Innaugural: "...to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.... "

How has KBH turned her back on our service members and veterans?

Barbara Ann's campaign continues to focus on the leadership she will
bring to the Senate. She has focused on KBH's veteran-hostile record:
opposition to VA funding, support for anti-veteran legislation, and
active opposition to legislation that would have protected service
members from financial fraud and abuse. The opposition camp reacted to BAR's exposure of these facts with orchestrated visits to VA facilities, and a flip-flop in signing onto legislation that attempts to make up for shortfalls in VA funding.

Consistently Barbara Ann has advocated for service members and exposed the ineffective leadership and anti-service member bias of her opponent. Veterans' issues in Texas are long-term, critical, and they deserve careful foresight and advocacy in Washington, not votes such as the following:

KBH opposed Senator Murray's amendment to fully fund VA needs in 2006

KBH opposed Senator Akaka's amendment to fully fund VA needs in 2006

KBH opposed Senator Durbin's amendment to protect veterans and service members from usurious lending practices. Senator Durbin's amendment would have done four things:

1. Prevent unscrupulous payday lenders from using bankruptcy courts to fleece military members, veterans, and spouses of service members who die in military service. Any claims based on debt they owe that require payment of interest, fees, or other charges in excess of 36 percent would not be collectible in bankruptcy proceedings.

2. Exempt members of the armed services, veterans, and spouses of
service members who die while in military service from means test
provisions. This allows the bankruptcy judge--not an arbitrary and
inflexible formula--to determine whether a military member, a veteran, or a surviving spouse of a service member who dies while serving America deserves the protection of Chapter 7.

3. Establish a basic homestead exemption of $75,000 for service members, who cannot choose where they live.

4. Establish a federal personal property exemption, to override the
varying exemptions from state to state because service members
constantly relocate.

Barbara Ann promises Texans that she will fight to see that the promises we have made to our veterans and service members are honored in word and in deed.

Barbara Ann Radnofsky for US Senate Committee, Inc.
P O. Box 550377
Houston, TX
77055-0377