October 14, 2010

HARRISONVILLE – In August 2009, Vicky Hartzler held open door meetings to talk with 4th Congressional District people about health care reform. Ike Skelton, the 34-year Democrat incumbent, refused to have public meetings on health care, was picketed in protest by dozens of seniors at his taxpayer-funded office in Jefferson City, and later voted to pave the way for Nancy Pelosi’s passage of government-directed health care.

Only months later, Mr. Skelton’s refusal to be accountable for his legislative votes and actions erupted fully in the House chamber, during formal debate. In October 2009, under challenge in debate over a backroom deal he made for a Nancy Pelosi bill unrelated to the military, Skelton embarrassed the 4th District with an ugly and vulgar outburst at fellow Missouri Congressman Todd Akin. Skelton has not apologized to the people for his conduct, and should do so. What sparked this intemperate outburst in the presence of visitors and members, including young people? Republicans blew the whistle on Mr. Skelton’s deal with liberal Senators to force through a Pelosi bill for the gay lobbies – special law enforcement rights when bias is claimed – by attaching it to funding for troops, making our troops hostage to the liberals who run the U.S. House.

This Skelton pattern of refusing to answer for votes and decisions was on display again this summer in Nevada, Missouri, when he brushed off a citizen with comments and questions about immigration. Skelton has voted in favor of pro-illegal immigration policies, including welfare benefits and amnesty for people who broke the law to come here. The New York Times reported as follows: “As Skelton shook hands with members of the American Legion here on a recent afternoon, a man gave him an earful about illegal immigration. The congressman listened patiently for a few minutes, before trying to change the subject. ‘I am only in charge of military concerns,’ Skelton said. ‘The rest of it is out of my hands.’”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/15/us/politics/15town.html

When Republican Vicky Hartzler made it clear she would hold Skelton accountable for his votes against 4th District’s views and values, he responded again with negativity, ugliness, and stonewalling. In August 2010, Skelton rushed to television stations with false ads about his conservative Republican challenger. He quickly dug in further, and refuses to make his case and answer voter questions side by side with Hartzler in two-candidate forums around the district.

This pattern of refusing to answer to voters or colleagues is presented by Hartzler’s new ad, “Change for the Worse.” It shows Skelton refusing to be accountable to his House colleagues, his eruption at Todd Akin, and informs voters about some of Mr. Skelton’s many Nancy Pelosi votes – he votes with the ultra-liberal Speaker 95 percent of the time.

“At some point in his 34 years Ike Skelton has become a stonewalling Washington insider – both in speech and in deed,” said Hartzler press secretary Steve Walsh. “He won’t hold public meetings. He won’t answer people’s questions about his record and votes. He responds with anger and negativity when called to account for his votes and decisions. We deserve better!”

Vicky and Lowell Hartzler live near Harrisonville in Cass County, where they operate a diversified crop and livestock family farm. They are co-owners of Hartzler Equipment Company, a family business with locations in Harrisonville, Lamar, and Nevada. A former classroom teacher in Lebanon and Belton, Hartzler served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1995-2001, winning with an average 66 percent of the vote in her three election victories. In 2004, she was spokesperson for Missouri’s successful constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage, the first in the U.S.