Facts

Fresh Start...More Like Failed Record

Jackson, MS- Roger Wicker's latest negative personal attack ad is full of misinformation - And here's one line voters will find hard to swallow: "Roger Wicker is a fresh start."

Unfortunately for Wicker it's more like a stale record. Wicker would like Mississippians to forget his failed 14-year record in Washington, but he can't change the facts.

Just what kind of "Fresh Start" is Wicker talking about?

During his 14 years in Congress:

Wicker has become knee deep in a corrupt Washington system called "Pay to Play." - He was even named "a poster child for an earmark moratorium" by conservative columnist Robert Novak. (Washington Post, 1/24/08)

- Wicker pocketed $17,500 in campaign contributions from Aurora Flight Sciences
and funnels $22 Million of taxpayer money to Aurora.

- Radiance Technologies' employees and PACs have lined Wicker's campaign
coffers with more than $20,000 and Wicker gets almost $8 million to Radiance
Technologies. (The Washington Post, 01/16/08 The Commercial Appeal,
06/8/08)

Wicker supported NAFTA and voted for CAFTA and trade with China costing Mississippi jobs. (Vote #443, 7/28/05, 1998 Political Courage Test, Vote #317, 7/22/98; Vote #338, 7/27/99; Vote #255, 7/19/01; Vote #228, 5/24/00; Vote #405, 7/18/00; Commercial Appeal, 6/25/97)

- Mississippi Has Lost More Than 14,000 Jobs To China: From 2001-2006,
Mississippi lost 14,300 jobs due to United States trade deficit with China.

- Mississippi state analysts calculated that NAFTA had cost Mississippi 30,000
jobs in the late 1990s (Economic Policy Institute, 10/9/07 Sun Herald,
8/18/05; Knight Ridder Tribune, 11/30/03)

Wicker has blocked better fuel efficiency standards for vehicles while gas prices have gone up (House Vote 121, HR 6, 4/20/05, House Vote 1177, HR 6, 12/18/07, Vote 132, 4/10/03)

-Wicker has also voted against cracking down on Wall Street speculators, holding big oil companies accountable, investing in renewable energy and releasing oil from strategic reserves (Senate vote 146, 6/10/08; Palm Beach Post, 6/17/08; Bloomberg, 6/15/08, Vote 209, 5/24/05; CQ Today, 5/24/05, Vote 262, 6/17/04; Associated Press, 6/17/04; Reuters, 5/18/04).

Wicker voted against a pay raise for our troops and has a long record of voting against veterans. (Vote 195, 7/31/08)

-Wicker voted against the Defense Authorization Bill that included pay raises for troops and improvements to their health care. He voted against an amendment to add $2.9 billion for veterans' health care programs to the Fiscal 2006 budget resolution. (CQ; Vote 82, 3/17/05, Senate Armed Services Committee Press Release, 5/1/08, Senate Armed Services Committee Press Release, 5/1/08)

Wicker voted against Katrina recovery funds.

-Wicker was the only member of the Mississippi delegation to oppose $465 million for levees and coastal restoration after Katrina (House of Representatives Congressional Record, Vote 51, 3/16/06)

Wicker voted against Mississippi military families, doctor and seniors when he voted against blocking cuts to doctor reimbursements.

-Wicker voted three time to block a bill to prevent cuts to doctors' reimbursements from Medicare. More than 438,000 seniors and 115,000 Tricare patients who are mostly military families and retirees, were at risk due to Wicker's vote.