Archive (2007)

DCCC Ads, Cigarettes and a Speech

The DCCC has begun running radio ads and robo-calls to publicize Randy Kuhl's vote against S-CHIP. Here's the audio [wmv] of the ad. The DCCC press release says the ads will run for a week, but it doesn't include the size of the ad buy.

The ad says that S-CHIP is "funded by a 61 cent increase in the tobacco tax." It should say partially funded, because that tax increase isn't enough to pay for the entire expansion. Kuhl seems to think that this increase is a negative: one of his blog postings links to an AP article titled "Poor Smokers Would Pay for Health Bill".

Finally, Kuhl's office also posted a short video of Randy's one-minute floor speech last Wednesday. The topic is New York State drivers licenses for illegal immigrants (a topic I covered here). Kuhl made this speech during the "one minute speech" portion of the House's daily calendar. Video after the break:

Kuhl Says He's Not a Rubber Stamp

Randy Kuhl has an op-ed in today's Elmira Star-Gazette where he disputes the "rubber stamp" characterization. He claims that he's voted against the Bush administration 45 times in the last 3 months, and lists a number of bills he's supported despite the President's opposition.

All in the Family

Reader Rich sends a Finger Lakes Times clipping [pdf], which announces the appointment of a new district director for Randy Kuhl's Bath office. Unlike the Star-Gazette story, this one identifies the new director, Pete Ellis, as the son-in-law of State Senator George Winner, the man who has Randy Kuhl's old seat in the New York Senate. Winner is the head of the Investigations Committee, which is investigating "Troopergate".