The Bob Corker for Senate campaign is unveiling two new ads "that highlight criticism of Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary for false and negative campaigns."

The Corker campaign is running a version of the ad that does not mention Van Hilleary in the Memphis media market, officials said.

Corker campaign manager Ben Mitchell said, “Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary have spent over the past year making false and untrue attacks against Bob Corker. Now, in the closing days of the campaign, they are playing victim in a cynical attempt to win votes. But unfortunately, Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary are continuing their false and negative campaign on television in a last ditch effort to resuscitate their failing effort But we trust the voters to see their latest ads for what they are - a hail mary in the closing days of this primary election.”

Script One:

“I’m Bob Corker and I’ve approved this message.”

Ed Bryant and Van Hilleary are making personal attacks. The nonpartisan factcheck.org called Bryant’s attack ad “false.” The Tennessean called their previous attack “ridiculous”. The truth is, Bryant and Hilleary sat by while spending skyrocketed. Then became registered lobbyists. Bob Corker controlled spending. Now property tax rates are the lowest since the 1950s. The choice? A successful businessman and mayor. Or ineffective congressman.

Documentation

The non-partisan factcheck.org called Bryant’s attack ad “false.”

“Bryant released an ad on July 26 attacking "Bob Corker's lies," but also making an unfounded attack on Corker… Unless Bryant can produce evidence that Corker actually owed income taxes for the two years when he shows he owed none, then we must judge his ad to be false.” (www.factcheck.org/ article408.htm; Devolution in Tennessee; 7/28/06).

The Tennessean called Hilleary and Bryant’s previous attacks “ridiculous.”

“Bryant's Web site is harsher, saying "hard-working Tennesseans, in our proud right-to-work state, simply deserve to know what Bob Corker has done to repeatedly earn the financial support of organized labor over the years." Both Hilleary and Bryant say the union money casts doubt on Corker's stand on right-to-work laws. That's ridiculous.” (Tennessean, 11/5/06)

The truth is, Bryant and Hilleary stood by as spending skyrocketed.

According the Heritage Foundation, nominal discretionary spending excluding Defense and Homeland Security increased from $259 billion in 1996 to $372 billion in 2002, a 43.6% increase. (The Heritage Foundation’s Federal Spending – By the Numbers, 2/6/06)

Then became registered lobbyists.

“Mr. Bryant was registered to lobby for Methodist Healthcare and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Mr. Hilleary has been registered to lobby for transportation security firm SMS Holdings Corp. and two nonprofits....” (Chattanooga Times Free Press, 6/30/06)

Script Two (Memphis only):

“I’m Bob Corker and I approve this message.”

Ed Bryant is making personal attacks. The non-partisan factcheck.org called his ad a “false” and “unfounded attack.” The Tennessean called a previous attack “ridiculous.” The truth Ed Bryant raised taxes by billions. Sat by while spending in Washington skyrocketed. As Chattanooga’s mayor, Bob Corker controlled spending. Now property tax rates are the lowest since the 1950s. The choice? A successful businessman and mayor. Or an ineffective congressman.

Documentation

The non-partisan factcheck.org called his ad “false” and “unfounded attack.”

“Bryant released an ad on July 26 attacking "Bob Corker's lies," but also making an unfounded attack on Corker… Unless Bryant can produce evidence that Corker actually owed income taxes for the two years when he shows he owed none, then we must judge his ad to be false.” (www.factcheck.org/ article408.htm; Devolution in Tennessee; 7/28/06).

The Tennessean called Bryant’s previous attacks “ridiculous.”

“Bryant's Web site is harsher, saying "hard-working Tennesseans, in our proud right-to-work state, simply deserve to know what Bob Corker has done to repeatedly earn the financial support of organized labor over the years." Both Hilleary and Bryant say the union money casts doubt on Corker's stand on right-to-work laws. That's ridiculous.” (Tennessean, 11/5/06)

The truth is, Ed Bryant raised taxes by billions.

On 2/26/97, Congressman Ed Bryant voted for a $2.7 billion dollar tax increase on air travel. (“Aviation Trust Fund Tax Reinstatement” http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1997/roll027.xml.)

The bill title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reinstate the Airport and Airway Trust Fund excise taxes, and for other purposes.

The National Taxpayers Union said “This bill, standing lone, indisputably raises taxes.” (CQ 2/25/97).

“Bryant spokesman Andrew Shulman later said a Feb. 26, 1997, airline tax cited by Mr. Corker "provided funding for essential aviation capital programs including enhancements. "But during Wednesday's debate, Mr. Hilleary, the lone Tennessee congressman voting against the 1997 provision, called it a tax boost that House leaders "snuck" through.” (Chattanooga Times Free Press, 6/22/06)

“The question involved resurrection of airline taxes that expired last year. Rep. Hilleary opposed renewal of the levies that would cost you $2.7 billion through 1998 -- unless there were offsetting spending cuts of $2.7 billion. The tax bill at issue was designed to reinstate through Sept. 30 a 10 percent tax on commercial airline tickets, a $6-per-ticket tax on international departures, a 6 1 1/2 percent tax on domestic air cargo and excise charges on non-commercial aviation fuel. These taxes would collect about $20 million per day!” (Chattanooga Times Free Press, 2/27/97, “Hilleary Tried To Save You Money”)

“In the end, Hilleary was the only one in the state's nine-member delegation to vote against the tax. He said he did not have much time to convince others to back his plan.

If in effect year-round, the tax generates about $ 5 billion for airport improvements across the country. The bill that Duncan backed, which originated in the Ways and Means Committee, is to generate about $ 2.7 billion before it expires at the end of September. (Knoxville News-Sentinel, 2/27/97 “10% airline ticket tax is renewed).

"As a conservative, I am philosophically opposed to increasing the burden on American taxpayers," Hilleary said. "This airline ticket tax bill, as it is now written, would definitely increase the tax burden. "Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform said, "It's the reimposition of a tax, and philosophically that's always a problem." Other opponents include the National Taxpayers Union, Citizens for a Sound Economy and the American Conservative Union, all staunch Republican Party supporters. (The Hill, GOP rank and file accuse leaders of marching to Clinton’s Drumbeat tax, 2/26/06)

Sat by while spending in Washington skyrocketed.

According the Heritage Foundation, nominal discretionary spending excluding Defense and Homeland Security increased from $259 billion in 1996 to $372 billion in 2002, a 43.6% increase. (The Heritage Foundation’s Federal Spending – By the Numbers, 2/6/06)