from the Cole for Lt. Governor campaign
With just days left before the primary election, candidate Jason Plummer has begun a desperate smear campaign of half-truths intent on misleading voters against Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole, a Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor.
Plummer distributed a questionable mail piece this week, alleging faults by three of the candidates (Brad Cole, Matt Murphy and Don Tracy) in the crowded election field. Today, a recorded voice message, or “robo call,” is questioning Brad Cole’s position on taxes and his record as Mayor.
Cole, who signed the Code of Fair Campaign Practices, said, “It is unfortunate that some campaigns have nothing better to do than attack fellow Republicans. We’re focused on the real issues that people are concerned about, not more politics as usual from state government.”
Plummer’s attack on Cole says he “still refuses to rule out tax increases” when Cole has publicly stated that he is opposed to an increase in the income tax. The attack also states that Cole “presided over a city council that voted to raise taxes,” which conveniently omits the fact that Cole voted against the local sales tax increase (12/15/09) and refused to sign the ordinance into effect.
“At the age of 27, young Mr. Plummer appears to be starting out his political career on the wrong foot. Without any experience as an elected official and with high school and college internships as his only background, I guess this is what he thought he had to resort to at the end of this campaign,” said one person who received the robo call.
“This type of dishonesty and misrepresentation is exactly what we need to change in Springfield,” said Brad Cole.