FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
CONTACT: Jessica Tramontana, 517-974-6302
“Get Real Pete Hoekstra” hits the airwaves, revealing the “real” Senate candidate
LANSING – Citizen watchdog group Progress Michigan is revealing the “real” Pete Hoekstra with a new ad that is hitting the airwaves on broadcast television in multiple media markets today. The ad highlights Hoekstra’s connections with Washington lobbyists and support for a radical budget plan that will “essentially end Medicare.”
“Washington Politician Pete Hoekstra is clearly out of touch with Michigan families,” said Zack Pohl, Executive Director of Progress Michigan. “In Congress, Hoekstra sided with the special interests to privatize Social Security. Now he works for Washington lobbyists, and supports a radical budget scheme that would end Medicare as we know it and cost seniors $6,400 more each year. We are committed to holding politicians like Pete Hoekstra accountable and standing up for Michigan’s middle class.”
The ad can be viewed at www.GetRealPeteHoekstra.com.
AD SCRIPT:
You remember Politician Pete Hoekstra. In Congress, Politician Pete sided with the special interests to privatize Social Security. Now, Pete Hoekstra works for Washington lobbyists, getting rich standing up for special interests. Hoekstra supports a plan to “essentially end Medicare,” costing seniors $6,400 more each year, but giving insurance companies big profits. Now he wants to be Senator Pete Hoekstra. Tell Politician Pete Hoekstra we need a senator who fights for us – not the special interests.
BACKGROUND:
- As a Member of Congress, Hoekstra supported President Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security. Hoekstra told the Grand Rapids Press, “any solution would have to include private accounts.” [Grand Rapids Press, 3/3/05]
- After leaving Congress, Hoekstra went to work for the Washington, D.C.-based law and lobbying firm Dickstein Shapiro. According to MLive, “the Holland Republican earned $473,286 from Dickstein Shapiro since January 2011.” [MLive, 6/15/12]
- At a GOP candidate forum this spring, Hoekstra said he “obviously” would have voted for Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget proposal, saying, “If I had the opportunity to vote for or against it in the House of Representatives, I obviously would’ve voted for it.” According to the Wall Street Journal, “the plan would essentially end Medicare.” The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the plan would cost typical beneficiaries $6,400 annually. [Candidate Forum, 5/8/12; Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11; New York Times, 8/11/12]
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Progress Michigan is a citizens watchdog organization that works to hold public officials accountable. Learn more at www.progressmichigan.org.