So, we knew the fight would be hard and long... but it's begun to really heat up now...
On MSNBC this afternoon, Andrea Mitchell asked Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) about a MoveOn-organized protest outside his Salt Lake City office, where protesters criticized Hatch for allegedly being beholden to the insurance industry because it donated a lot of money to his past campaigns.
"I'm supported by people all over the health care system," Hatch said, "including doctors, including hospitals, including insurers, including
liberal people, conservative people and moderate people. Everybody knows how much money you have to raise to run for the Senate."
Then Hatch turned his fury to MoveOn and George Soros.
"MoveOn.org is a scurrilous organization," he said. "It's funded by George Soros. He's about as left wing as you can find in this country. And they're
up to just one thing, and that is to smear good people. And frankly, they're
not gonna smear me without getting kicked in the teeth by me."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/
(This from the Deseret News.)
MoveOn.org executive director Justin Ruben responded that when Utah members of his group questioned the money Hatch took from insurance interests, "What did he do? Go on national TV and threaten to kick them in the teeth. Apparently this was easier than defending his ties to the insurance companies."
He added, "Hopefully whoever Sen. Hatch kicks in the teeth is independently wealthy, in case their claim is denied by one of the insurance companies who've been funding his campaign."
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Here's what the media advisory will say about tomorrow's event:
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MEDIA ADVISORY FOR October 16th, 2009
CONTACT: Richard Lafon, (801) 815-3870
Event Begins at Senator Hatch’s Office at 12:00 PM, October 16th, 2009
MoveOn Members Protest Sen. Hatch’s Threat To “Kick Them In The Teeth” Event Held in Response to Hatch’s Threatening Remarks Made Towards MoveOn.org On National Television
On Friday, October 16th, MoveOn.org members will gather outside of Senator Hatch’s office to protest his threat, made on the national cable television
station MSNBC, to kick MoveOn.org in the teeth. The threat was made in response to a question about a rally held on Wednesday, where MoveOn members
criticized Hatch for taking $913,614 from HMO and health insurance interests and being opposed to a public health insurance option. Insurance companies
and HMOS are spending nearly $5 million per week fighting against health care
reform, and one of their top targets is the public health insurance option—the heart of real reform crucial to lowering rising health care costs and expanding high-quality, affordable coverage to more Americans.
There are nearly 23,000 MoveOn.org members in Utah.
Senator Hatch’s remarks can be viewed at (1:30 mark):
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/
WHAT: Rally Outside of Senator Hatch’s Office
WHO: MoveOn members
WHERE: Federal Building, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT
WHEN: 12:00 PM, Friday, October 16th, 2009
*** VISUALS: Participants will be holding sets of chattering teeth***
(cold and rainy)
MoveOn.org Political Action is a political action committee powered by 5
million progressive Americans. We believe in the power of small donors and grassroots action to elect progressive leaders to office and to advance a progressive agenda. We do not accept any donations over $5,000, and the average donation to MoveOn.org Political Action is under $100.
