Laughable New Ad from Mike Johanns

The day after Mike Johanns was found using taxpayer dollars to campaign on behalf of corrupt politicians across the country he is now running this ad:

This ad is pathetic and disrespectful to Nebraskans.

Mike Johanns talks about "making the hard decisions" but when Karl Rove asked him to waste tax payer dollars to campaign for Republicans he refused to "make the hard decisions." He even admitted to it during last night's debate with Scott Kleeb.

Mike Johanns didn't "set priorities" when he sent a USDA employee to Australia to study Mississippi Crayfish at the Surfers Paradise Resort. He certainly wasn't promoting "Nebraska values" when he sent USDA employees to Las Vegas, Orlando, and Hawaii to study nothing of value while wasting millions of taxpayer dollars.

The bottom line, Washington changed Mike Johanns and Nebraskans can't afford his brand of fiscal responsibility. In fact, the way he spends, we might have to raise taxes so Johanns can vacation to the Bahamas with George Bush and Karl Rove.

More on Johanns Scandal: "Travelgate 2"

From last night's debate via the Lincoln Journal Star (h/t NNN):

...Johanns said he believes it would be "a great idea" to ban the use of taxpayer funds by the White House for such activities.

Oh boy! A great idea? I bet when Karl Rove was handing Mike Johanns his marching orders he was voicing his concern for these unethical practices.

But Mike Johanns has already broken the law. I'm going to let him in on a secret about something called, "The Hatch Act."

The Hatch Act of 1939 is a United States federal law whose main provision is to prohibit federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity. Named after Senator Carl Hatch of New Mexico, the law was officially known as An Act to Prevent Pernicious Political Activities.

It can be as insignificant as placing a Scott Kleeb yard sign in their yard or, for example, traveling across the country to campaign for various Republican candidates at taxpayer expense.

So we know Johanns is corrupt, but just who was Mike Johanns campaigning for:

Marilyn Musgrave

John Doolittle

Richard Pombo

Heather Wilson

Rick Renzi

As mcjoan over at DailyKos found, Musgrave, Doolittle, Pombo, and Renzi are four of most corrupt Congressman in 2006.

To recap, corrupt politician Mike Johanns spent taxpayer dollars to campaign for corrupt Congressmen. Sounds like a guy I want as my U.S. Senator.

The only question now is whether the media will actually inform Nebraskans about this scandal. As Kyle Michaelis at NNN said yesterday:

...this still-erupting scandal has the potential to remake Nebraska's 2008 Senate race.

Did Mike Johanns Violate the Hatch Act?

Sure looks like it:

The White House directed officials including cabinet secretaries to appear at more than 300 events to help elect Republican candidates in 2006, according to a draft Congressional report.

The appearances were coordinated by the White House Office of Political Affairs, often at taxpayer expense, said the report by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

(snip)

“In some instances,” the draft report stated, “the White House specifically requested that travel be billed to the taxpayers to save Republican campaigns money.”

The report states that over 80% of these trips were outside Washington D.C. then names then-Secretary of Agriculture and now Nebraska Senate candidate Mike Johanns as one of the primary culprits. Johanns topped the list at second by attending 38 campaign events.

Not only is unethical and a disgusting waste of taxpayers dollars but this appears to be in violation of the U.S. Hatch Act which states that federal employees can not (amongst other things):

Campaign for or against a candidate or slate of candidates in partisan elections

Make campaign speeches

Organize or manage political rallies or meetings

---

This builds off another government report from Republican Senator Tom Coburn that unveiled alarming misuse of spending at the USDA under Mike Johanns.

In 2006 (according to CBS), 20,959 USDA employees attended 6,719 conferences worldwide including 94 in Las Vegas ($254,755), 59 in Orlando ($282,656), and 28 in Hawaii which came out to $2,000 person.

They went to the Virgin Islands to study preventing pollution in the Caribbean.

And one lucky USDA employee went halfway around the world to attend a conference in Australia at the Surfers Paradise Resort. The subject matter: Mississippi crayfish. They could’ve been studied closer to home … but the waves aren’t as good in the bayou.

Senator Coburn was quoted as saying:

"Would you ever spend that money on yourself, if, in fact, you had a tight budget and you were borrowing what money you didn’t have from your grandkids? Nobody in their right mind would do that."

What we're seeing here is a pattern of abuse. Mike Johanns has no problem wasting our tax dollars on trips to Hawaii and Mike Johanns has no problem violating a Federal law.

We can not afford to send corrupt politicians back to Washington. We can not afford to send Mike Johanns back to Washington.

Nebraska deserves a better class of Senator.

AP: Johanns "was a Democrat"

Breaking News:

Republican Mike Johanns was a Democrat when he was elected to the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners in 1982. But he switched parties, and was elected to the Lincoln City Council in 1989 and as mayor of Lincoln in 1991.

(snip)

His views a staunchly conservative. He opposes abortion, embryonic stem cell research and same-sex marriages or civil unions. He supports renewing the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, including a per-child tax credit, and an end to the so-called marriage penalty and death tax.

Gee, where have I heard that before.

Of course, the AP failed to mention that he ran for Chair of State Democratic Party and was a staunch support of abortion rights. But why would the voters need to know that?

Ask Mike Johanns a Question!

Scott Kleeb, Mike Johanns' Democratic opponent, will be debating him this Thursday and the format calls for Kleeb to ask Johanns two questions. Rather than write it themselves, the Kleeb campaign is opening the process up for you:

On Thursday, October 16th Scott Kleeb and Mike Johanns will debate at the KHAS-News Nebraska Senate Debate in Grand Island.

You can play a part.

According to the debate format Scott Kleeb will have a chance to ask Secretary Johanns questions. Scott would like you to submit a question to ask Mike Johanns by filling out the form below and hitting the "Submit" button. (Please keep your questions sort and direct.)

Click here to submit your question.

We already asked ours.

To paraphrase a famous fictional Presidential:

"Mr. Johanns, what's next?"