Project Outsmart
October 29th, 2008 by Derrick DePledgeRepublicans have been claiming Democrats would raise taxes since, well -- forever -- but the state GOP has found new material in surveys Democratic candidates themselves have filled out for Project Vote Smart.
Project Vote Smart, a Montana-based voter education group, has what it calls a “Political Courage Test” challenging candidates to list their positions on a variety of issues. In a press release Tuesday, the group said more than 75 percent of candidates for president, Congress, governor and state legislature declined to take the test for this year’s elections.
The group said there has been a steady decline in participation and claimed campaign consultants are urging candidates to “play it safe and not answer issue questions.”
Amy Monk, a retired foreign service officer running as a Democrat against state Rep. Gene Ward, R-17th (Kalama Valley, Queen’s Gate, Hawaii Kai,), took the “Political Courage Test” in August.
Here’s how Monk, a first time candidate, answered the portion on state taxes:
State Taxes: Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category, you can use a number more than once.
Slightly Increase a) Alcohol taxes
Slightly Increase b) Cigarette taxes
Slightly Increase c) Corporate taxes
Slightly Decrease d) Gasoline taxes
Maintain Status e) Income taxes (incomes below $75,000)
Slightly Increase f) Income taxes (incomes above $75,000)
Maintain Status g) Sales taxes
Slightly Increase h) Vehicle taxes
Slightly Decrease i) Other or expanded categories
Republicans hit Monk with direct mail that likened the first-time candidate to a parrot and claimed she would follow other Democrats and raise taxes if elected. The piece included a footnote citing the Project Vote Smart survey.
Fair game? Monk didn’t think so. She not only contacted Project Vote Smart to change her answers on the survey, she also hit back with an automated telephone call to voters.
Here’s the script of her robo call:
Aloha. This is Amy Monk and I'm running for the state House. I will not raise taxes and publicly stated so at the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board’s candidate forum. My husband and I are retirees living on a fixed income, and we share your difficulties in these tough economic times. Simply put, the flier you received was full of lies. Don't give in to negative campaign tactics. Do vote based on the truth. I humbly ask for your vote.
Fair game? Republicans don’t think so. The GOP has responded with an automated call urging voters to check out a Web site detailing the changes to Monk’s survey.
Monk told us tonight that she has taken a different view on potential tax increases after the downturn in the financial markets in September. She said she has been telling voters in campaign appearances that she would not vote to raise taxes. She acknowledged she changed her survey answers after the Republican direct mail piece, but said Republicans were misrepresenting her position.
“We saw this and we thought immediately that this was a misrepresentation of what I’ve been saying,” Monk said. “We were a little bit upset about this piece because we thought, `A-ha, a negative hit piece.’”
Adam Deguire, the executive director of the state GOP, is not buying her explanation.
“It's unfortunate that Amy Monk says anything to get elected. She deliberately changed her answers on a candidate questionnaire in hopes that she could deceive voters about her plans to raise our taxes,” he said in an e-mail. “Even more shameful is her automated message in which she blatantly lies about her answers. The people of Hawaii Kai deserve better, and I'm confident they will re-elect Gene Ward.”
Ironically, Project Vote Smart set up the “Political Courage Test” to give voters information on where candidates stand on issues and to counter deceptive campaigning.
From the group’s mission:
All of us realize that the mudslinging tactics once associated only with the crudest kinds of local politics now characterize virtually all campaigns and have stripped us of the most crucial component in our struggle to self-govern: access to abundant, accurate and relevant information about those who govern us and those who wish to replace those who do.
*Update: Project Vote Smart released this public statement today:
The Hawaii Republican Party has used Project Vote Smart's name and program to give credibility to a negative attack against Amy Monk who is running for the Hawaii's State House 17th District seat. This kind of negative campaign activity is precisely the sort of tactic that the Project attempts to counter with its factual database. By using the Project's name to give credibility to these attacks, the Hawaii Republican Party is cheating the public out of their need for trusted, abundant, accurate, factual information.
The Project prohibits the use of its name and programs, including the Political Courage Test, in partisan activity. All candidates in Hawaii have been notified of this policy in writing. Additionally, this policy is posted prominently on the Project Vote Smart website.
This kind of behavior occurs in less than 00.05 percent of all races nationally. It is our policy to condemn the misuse of Project Vote Smart's name and reputation and to alert the public to any misuse of our name or programs for negative partisan activities.
October 30th, 2008 at 9:09 am
just another repub hipocrisy, full of lies and deception.
October 30th, 2008 at 9:30 am
This is all the've got? Bo-ring.
October 30th, 2008 at 10:16 am
No, its the truth and if you can't handle it, get out of the kitchen.
Its about time someone set the record straight!
October 30th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Republicans must be really worried about losing even more ground this year if they have to resort to these kinds of tactics. It's sad when the local party follows the national party playbook of misinformation. Karl Rove would be proud.
October 30th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Instead of negative campaigning, why doesn't the Republican Party give us a reason to vote for Gene Ward? I assume there isn't any.
Hey truth, how's about stating the record straight about our gov? Wait, maybe straight is the wrong word.....
October 30th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Here's what Amy Monk said at the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board about not raising taxes:
"I would look very closely before we increase any other taxes."
"I would look very closely" didn't sound like a "no" to me... I was there and heard her speak. What she said at NB was consistent with how she answered questions on survey.
It is sad that a career diplomat would deliberately change her answers in this fashion. She evidently thought no one would notice that she had deliberately changed her position in the survey, making it appear that was her position from the beginning. She did NOT say she changed her position due to the economic situation in her phone message.
Is this the same way you acted Amy when you represented us overseas for 20+years? You are better than that, Amy. What you did was not worth what you lost by doing it.
The individuals who commented here are obviously avoiding facing the facts by just being snide and juvenile. You who are hiding behind these phony monikers, why not be out front and give your real names and what your position is with any group or cause?
October 30th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
it's sad when people go and mud sling. neither party should do this and the public should not buy into such fear tactics.
October 30th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
while i no agree with the Republican Party doing that, that is wrong making those kind attacks, i gotta scratch my ass and ask, how come this Monk lady is changing her answers for?
and interesting get fixed income, yet retired Diplomats, living in Hawaii Kai. must be pretty good pension if you ask me and I doubt they feeling the pinch like the people working two plus jobs just for try and pay rent.
and if you ask me some more, she probably the less of the two evils cause what does Gene Ward accomplish other that being preachy?
got to love politics uh?
October 30th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I attended the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board Candidates Forum held on September 30, 2008. Perhaps Adrienne King, Republican Party Chair of District 17, Gene Ward campaign supporter and a Hawaii spokesperson for McCain/Palin campaign, stopped listening during the audience question and answer period. Both candidates were asked whether they supported an increase in taxes, such as alcohol, gas, etc.
Amy Monk stated, “In tough economic times, you should not be raising taxes. It’s a time when people need all the cash they have to cover expenses, to pay for gasoline, and to meet their everyday needs. And so I do not believe in raising taxes at this time.”
Amy Monk is a person of unquestionable integrity and sincerely held beliefs. The fact that she has modified her position on taxes as a result of recent economic upheavals, and not been afraid to acknowledge the change in position only strengthens my belief that she is the better person to represent Hawaii Kai. I want a representative who keeps her finger on the pulse of her constituents and can be flexible when needed.
Amy has run a positive campaign and not stooped to negative campaigning as done by the Republican Party, Adrienne King and Gene Ward. Shame on you, Adrienne King, for casting false innuendos about Amy’s diplomatic career. And shame on you Gene Ward. I had thought you to be an honorable candidate who would not stoop to innuendo, outright dishonesty or smear.
I have confidence that the voters of Hawaii Kai will reject Gene Ward and the Republican Party’s mudslinging tactics.
October 30th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Is this the same Adrienne King who just published a hatchet job on Obama in the other daily newspaper?
October 31st, 2008 at 8:51 am
It's about time we get some body else OTHER than Gene Ward for District 17 who can get a House bill passed (resolutions don't count)! 70 bills presented/introduced by Gene and none passed? What's wrong with this picture?
Do you have school kids? Ask Gene how much $$ has he battled successfully for our district's schools and gotten?
To me, boasting about increasing the boat wash water pressure at the Maunalua Bay boat ramp in Hawaii Kai is embarrassing to put on your list of achievements!
I know who I'm voting for and it's not Gene Ward!
From a District 17 concerned citizen who does not care what party is in power but wants people who can do the job!
Vote for Amy Monk! We need new ideas and some one who will get off their butt and actually do the work instead of just yaking about it!
October 31st, 2008 at 9:06 am
I'm new here to the island but am a permanent resident now. Got a very negative flyer from the Republican party who's backing Gene Ward. This group printed outright lies about Amy Monk! Too bad the Ward campaign group has to hide under the skirts of another group to do their dirty work on passing out misinformation and lies!
Heard both Gene and Amy speak at the last Hawaii Kai board meeting a couple weeks ago. Yeah, Gene is so proud of his work on increasing the water pressure on the Maunalua Bay boat ramp's boat wash water pressure!
Wow, how dumb is that? Gene should get a job at DLNR and don't waste our time sitting on the District 17's house seat?
Give it up man! When I saw how long Gene Ward has been at this and the amount of work he has actually done for us, I've come to the conclusion that even volunteers can do a better job than he has.
October 31st, 2008 at 9:18 am
Mr. Fabulous, I see that subtlety is your strong point.
The Repubs also used the same tactic in HD47 against Jessica Wooley.
I also find it amusing when people challenge others to post their real name and if they don't, then they are "hiding" something. Oh, come on.
This is a blog, for chrissakes. I mean, how can anyone know if the person posting their "real" name is, indeed, that person?
I could come in here as Barack Obama and who would know otherwise? It's a blog, folks. Take it for what it is.
October 31st, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Oh come on people. Look at this picture and realize that there is something wrong. You people can't see it yet?Amy Monk can answer to her wrong doings. All Gene Ward does at the capitol is act like the old ass he is and tell the people what to do. It is time we finally make that difference.
Look at Obama, the man was once on crack! He is now a changed man with true beliefs and change we can believe in. Let Monk have that chance to create change for her district. I mean sure, we (the people form the poor ends of the islands) may sometimes dislike the richies of hawaii kai but we can come together in these times and show that together we can empathize for one other to work through it all. Gas prices are going down but what about your food and utility cost. Let the world love!
October 31st, 2008 at 3:07 pm
[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onThe Notebook | The Notebook blog, honoluluadvertiser.com …Here’s a quick excerptI will not raise taxes and publicly stated so at the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board’s candidate forum. My husband and I are retirees living on a fixed income, and we share your difficulties in these tough economic times. … [...]
November 1st, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Interesting that the Republicans are hammering at Dems for filling out the votesmart.org test while at the same time, their candidates avoiding answering the questions.
What's worse? Answering the questions so voters can get a sense of where you are at on the issues or avoiding the questionnaire altogether?
November 1st, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Bottom line is that Monk got caught with the fact she would raise taxes. Its black and white. If she is so afraid, why did she contact Project Vote Smart to CHANGE her answers? Was she hiding something? She even acknoleged she changed it after the GOP put out the hit piece on her. Shame on you Amy you got caught!
November 1st, 2008 at 6:06 pm
If you ask for free or subsidized services then realize that it has to be paid for by the State of Hawaii so where do you think the money would come from?
Out of thin air maybe?
Nope, it comes from the collected tax money! Guess what, if you like more then we have to pay more, right?
Don't care which party line it is, taxes will be raised! If you don't like that, then going the opposite way means services will get cut! Can't have it both ways!
The delay of paying for this stuff is the games our elected officials can and will play! Which way do you like it? Being told there will be increases to those who can afford it? or would you like income tax preparation time surprises?
I would want a straight shooter to represent me in the House and guess who I think that is?
Right IMHO, it's Amy Monk!