“Gabriel Gomez joining John McCain in Washington would mean one more Republican vote against an assault weapons ban, limits on high-capacity magazines and a woman’s right to choose. Gomez would vote with McCain against asking the super-wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes, while rolling back rules on Wall Street and enacting devastating cuts to Social Security,” said Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair John Walsh. “It comes as no surprise for national GOP leaders like John McCain to flock to Massachusetts to stump for Gabriel Gomez because he’d bring the Republicans one step closer to taking control of the Senate and enacting a radical agenda that’s bad for Massachusetts.”

BACKGROUND

MCCAIN OPPOSES ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN, HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES BAN

Sen. McCain Voted Nay On The Amendment Put Forth By Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), To Re-Establish A Federal Ban On Certain Assault Weapons. “Democrats helped Senate Republicans defeat major reforms to reduce gun violence Wednesday, including bans on certain assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. An amendment, put forth by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), to re-establish a federal ban on certain assault weapons was defeated by a vote of 40-60. A near-united Republican conference voted against the measure, with just one GOP senator, Mark Kirk (Ill.), voting in its favor. [Huffington Post, 04/17/13; S.AMDT.711 to S.649, Vote 101, 04/16/13]

Sen. McCain Voted Nay On The Amendment Introduced By Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) And Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) To Limit The Size Of Magazines To 10 Rounds. “A separate amendment introduced by Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) to limit the size of magazines to 10 rounds failed with a vote of 46-54. Kirk was again the only Republican to vote for the measure. [Huffington Post, 04/17/13; S.AMDT.714 to S.649, Vote 103, 04/17/13]

MCCAIN OPPOSED THE ‘DODD-FRANK’ WALL STREET REFORM BILL

McCain Opposed “the most ambitious overhaul of financial regulation in generations.” The Washington Post reported in 2010 that Congress “gave final approval Thursday to the most ambitious overhaul of financial regulation in generations, ending more than a year of wrangling over the shape of the new rules and shifting the government’s focus to the monumental task of implementing them.” John McCain voted “no.” [Washington Post, 7/16/10; Senate Vote 208, 7/15/10]

MCCAIN SUPPORTED THE RYAN BUDGET THAT TURNS MEDICARE INTO A VOUCHER SYSTEM

McCain Voted For The Ryan Budget. In March 2013, the Senate “rejected House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget.” The Hill reported “Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) forced Senate Republicans to vote on Paul’s plan through an amendment she offered, which failed on a 40-59 vote… Ryan balances the budget over 10 years with $5.7 trillion in projected spending cuts. Democrats have criticized his plan for ‘gutting’ programs that benefit the middle class and turn Medicare into a voucher system.” [The Hill, 3/21/13; Senate Vote #46, 3/21/13]

McCain on Social Security and Medicare Reform In Ryan Budget: “Paul Ryan Has Taken Courageous Steps To Bring Issue To The Forefront.” Speaking on “Fox NewsSunday,” Sen. John McCain spoke on Democrats criticism of Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget, “They have not had a plan yet to save Social Security and Medicare, and they’ve had nearly four years to do it,” Sen. McCain said. “Paul Ryan has taken the courageous steps to bring this issue to the forefront. And under a Romney-Ryan administration, you will see it addressed. Not like this last administration – which has done nothing. They haven’t even passed a budget through the Senate of the United States of America in three years.” [The Christian Science Monitor, 8/12/12]

MCCAIN IS PRO-LIFE, HAS A PRO-LIFE VOTING RECORD, SUPPORTED THE BLUNT AMENDMENT

McCain Supported (And Cosponsored) Infamous Blunt Amendment. Planned Parenthood reported that “the two Republican Arizona senators — Jon Kyl (of “not intended to be a factual statement” fame) and John McCain — released a joint statement announcing their support (and co-sponsorship) of the Blunt amendment.” [Planned Parenthood, 3/19/12]

MCCAIN SUPPORTED THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S PUSH TO PRIVATIZE SOCIAL SECURITY

March 2008: McCain Said He Believes Private Savings Accounts Are A Part of Social Security Reform- Along Lines That President Bush Proposed.  The NY Times reported: “When Mr. Bush proposed partly privatizing Social Security in 2005, Mr. McCain supported the president, and in 2006 he voted in favor of legislation that would have moved the system in that direction. ‘I’m totally in favor of personal savings accounts,’ Mr. McCain said in an interview in March with The Wall Street Journal. “As part of Social Security reform, I believe that private savings accounts are a part of it — along the lines that President Bush proposed.” [NY Times, 7/11/08]

• 2004: McCain Said He Doesn’t See How American Can Continue to Receive Social Security Without Privatization. “Without privatization, I don’t see how you can possibly, over time, make sure that young Americans are able to receive Social Security benefits.” [C-SPAN Road to the White House, 11/18/04]

MCCAIN DOES NOT SUPPORT A MORE PROGRESSIVE TAX CODE, OPPOSED RAISING TAXES ON THE WEALTHY

McCain Voted Against The Buffet Rule In 2012.  “Democrats’ attempt to pass a Buffett Rule tax on the super wealthy failed Monday in the Senate, as Republicans blocked the measure in a sharply partisan debate. Democrats cast it as a bid for fairness that would end the circumstance in which billionaires like Warren Buffett pay a lower percentage of their income in taxes than their secretaries.” McCain voted “no” on the bill, which would have imposed a minimum tax rate on individual taxpayers whose adjusted gross income exceeds $1 million. [Huffington Post, 4/16/12; Senate Vote #65, 4/16/12]

As detailed in today’s Boston Globe, Gomez declared carried interest on his financial disclosure form in March regarding his separation agreement from Advent International. This loophole is used by the wealthiest individuals in order for them to qualify for a lower effective tax rate.

This loophole comes on the heels of last week’s Boston Globe revelation of a $281,500 federal tax deduction Gomez received on his historic Cohasset home in 2005 because he pledged not to make any changes to the exterior of the home. According to Cohasset bylaws, Gomez was prohibited from making any alterations to his house, but still claimed one of the “Dirty Dozen” tax loopholes.

“Gabriel Gomez has taken advantage of every deeply buried tax loophole he can find to lower his tax rate below the rates of hard working Massachusetts families. He claims to be a new kind of Republican, but it is clear that Gomez walks in lockstep with the Republicans in Washington who fight to protect corporate tax loopholes for the wealthy and do whatever they can to protect the wealthy from paying their fair share of taxes. The money that people like Gabriel Gomez are pocketing at the average taxpayer’s expense is outrageous, especially when this money could be used to invest in education and infrastructure. Unless Gomez starts answering questions, we are left to continue investigating what could possibly be the next loophole of the week.” said Walsh.

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Young Democrats of Massachusetts name ‘Ladies in Blue’

Senator Elizabeth Warren, Representative Ellen Story, and activist Harmony Wu
to be honored at Roosevelt After Dark fundraiser to support Emerge Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts  – The Young Democrats of Massachusetts (YDM) will present their 4th annual ‘Ladies in Blue’ awards at the Roosevelt After Dark fundraiser at Storyville on Thursday, May 16th from 8:30-11:00pm. This year’s honorees are Senator Elizabeth Warren as Woman of the Year, Representative Ellen Story as Legislator of the Year, and Dr. Harmony Wu as Activist of the Year. Half of the proceeds from the event will go towards a new scholarship for a YDM member to attend Emerge Massachusetts, a training program for women running for office.

Immediately following the Massachusetts Democratic Party’s Annual Roosevelt Awards, the Young Democrats traditionally host Roosevelt After Dark, a dessert and cocktail reception at which all are welcome. The event will also include the 4th annual ‘Ladies in Blue’ awards, which celebrate outstanding Democratic women named for their contributions to the Commonwealth. “This year YDM honors three remarkable women,” said Chair John H. Kleschinsky. “And I cannot think of a better way to honor them than with the establishment of YDM’s first scholarship program for young women interested in participating in the Emerge training program.”

For over 10 years, Emerge has recruited and trained Democratic women to run for office. Elizabeth Maynard, who is President of the Pioneer Valley chapter of YDM, graduated from Emerge in 2012. “Emerge Massachusetts is a program in which every woman leader who is considering a run for office should participate,” said Maynard. “The skills, tools, and confidence developed are invaluable resources for women with a desire to lead here in Massachusetts.” On the scholarship Emerge Executive Director, Taylor Woods-Gautier, commented, “Our goal is simple: to get more Democratic women elected. Thanks to the generosity of the Young Democrats of Massachusetts, we are thrilled to have this scholarship for young women to participate in our program.”

4th Annual ‘Ladies in Blue’ Awards at Roosevelt After Dark

Who: Young Democrats of Massachusetts, interested members of the public. All are welcome.

Where: Storyville, 90 Exeter Street, Boston, MA 02116

When: May 16th, 2013 8:30-11:00pm

Please contact Chair John H. Kleschinsky at jkleschinsky@ydma.org for ticket information.

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“Gabriel Gomez leaning on the same sham organization that helped him exploit an obscure tax scam that shaved more than $280,000 off his taxable income is like the getaway driver sticking up for the bank robber. The so-called charity Gomez hired to do his dirty work was sued by the Department of Justice for helping people just like Gomez skirt the law, and pocket hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars in the process.

“Unfortunately for Gabriel Gomez, this won’t distract from the fact that he’s refusing to answer critical questions that would reveal how much money he reaped from this scam from taxpayers, and he owes it to the people of Massachusetts to finally come clean by revealing his 2005 tax return.”

Gabriel Gomez is still refusing to answer the following questions about his more than $280,000 scam tax break:

• What was your tax rate the year you took advantage of this scam?

• How did you hear about this tax break?

• Who put you in touch with National Architectural Trust?

• Did you know that Congress and the IRS had already labeled this one of the worst tax scams in the entire country?

• Were you already prohibited from making changes to the exterior of your house?

• Do you believe Congress should make this tax scam illegal?

The Trust for Architectural Easements was sued by the Department of Justice for promoting and overvaluing easements, and helping super-wealthy individuals like Gomez secure hundred-thousand dollar tax breaks at taxpayer expense.

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And today, as multiple news reports detail Gabriel’s decision to exploit an obscure tax scam, shaving more than $280,000 off his taxable income, Gomez is refusing to tell taxpayers just how much of their money he pocketed.

“After shamefully exploiting what the IRS has called a ‘tax scam’ and fleecing taxpayers by unfairly claiming for himself a more than $280,000 scam tax break, Gabriel Gomez is refusing to answer critical questions that would reveal how much money he gained,” said Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair John Walsh. “Gabriel Gomez owes it to the people of Massachusetts to explain why he thought it was okay to exploit this scam tax break, and tell taxpayers exactly how much money he pocketed – money that could have been used for our schools, roads, universities and law enforcement,” said Chairman John Walsh

Boston Globe – Gomez stands ground on home: GOP candidate won’t release data on tax deduction

NBC Boston – The Hiller Instinct: Gomez’s house tax deduction

CBS Boston – Gabriel Gomez Defends $280,000 Tax Break On Cohasset Home

NECN – Mass. Democrats pounce on Gomez tax deduction

Associated Press – GOP Senate hopeful Gomez defends decision to take $281,000 historic tax deduction on his home

Boston Globe – Gomez took $281,500 home tax deduction

Washington Post – Gabriel Gomez’s Mitt Romney-esque problem

MSNBC (Maddow Blog) – Massachusetts’ Gomez already struggling badly

The Hill – DSCC questions Gomez on controversial tax deduction

Salon – Mass. GOP candidate has a tax return problem: Gabriel Gomez says he won’t release tax records related to a large deduction he took on his home

Politico – Reporter 1, press secretary 0

Talking Points Memo – Mass. Senate Candidate Gabriel Gomez Took Questionable Tax Break

The Atlantic – The GOP’s Great Massachusetts Senate Hope Has a Mitt Romney Problem

Think Progress – REPORT: Republican Senate Nominee Claimed $281,500 Tax Deduction Under What IRS Called A ‘Tax Scam’

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Yesterday – for the very first time in more than a year since being OPSEC’s spokesman – Gomez shockingly claimed, “I was never associated with OPSEC… I wasn’t part of OPSEC.”

FACT CHECK: Pants on Fire, according to virtually every single media report since 2012.

“No matter how hard he tries, Gabriel Gomez can’t change the fact that less than a year before launching his flailing campaign for Senate, he was a spokesman for a right-wing, secretly-funded attack group that tried to ‘swift-boat’ President Obama’s handling of the death of Osama bin Laden,” said Massachusetts Democratic Party spokeswoman Samantha Hooper. “Gabriel Gomez’s well documented record of being a spokesman for the infamous group that spent half a million dollars on attack ads against President Obama is a clear example of how he is just another extremist Republican who can’t be trusted to fight for Massachusetts.”

BACKGROUND

GOMEZ WAS THE SPOKESMEN FOR A GROUP THAT SPENT ALMOST $500,000 FALSELY ATTACKING PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR POLITICIZING THE DEATH OF BIN LADEN

Gomez Actively Spoke Up For “A Controversial Video Attacking President Obama.”  According to the Springfield Republican, ‘Before he was a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, Gabriel Gomez was active in an organization that released a controversial video attacking President Barack Obama for jeopardizing national security by releasing information related to the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden.’ [Springfield Republican, 02/15/2013]

Headline – ‘Massachusetts Senate Candidate Gabriel Gomez Was Spokesman For Controversial Anti-Obama Film’  [Springfield Republican, 02/15/2013]

OPSEC Spent Nearly $500,000 Attacking President Obama. During the 2012 election cycle, Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund spent $485,000 attacking President Obama. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/25/13]

PolitiFact Rated Claims By OPSEC “Half True,” “Mostly False,” And “False.” PolitiFact rated the accuracy of three claims made by OPSEC about President Obama.  PolitiFact criticized the group, which it noted “claims it isn’t favoring a candidate,” but added “it’s clear Obama is being targeted.” PolitiFact noted serious concerns with each of the claims it rated, calling the first “half true,” the second “mostly false,” and the last “false.” [PolitiFact, OPSEC

FACT CHECK: GOMEZ CAN’T HIDE FROM HIS RECORD

CLAIM: GOMEZ NOW SAYS “I WAS NEVER ASSOCIATED WITH OPSEC. I NEVER DONATED TO OPSEC. I WASN’T PART OF OPSEC.” 

Springfield Republican: Gomez Now Claims “I Was Never Associated With OPSEC. I Never Donated To OPSEC. I Wasn’t Part Of OPSEC.” The Springfield Republican reported on May 7th that Gomez “for the first time distanced himself from OPSEC, though he stood by its message. ‘I did two interviews for OPSEC,’ Gomez said. ‘I was never associated with OPSEC. I never donated to OPSEC. I wasn’t part of OPSEC.’” [Springfield Republican, 5/7/13]

FACT: GOMEZ WAS BILLED AS A “MEMBER” OF THE GROUP WHEN HE APPEARED ON MSNBC, AND REFERRED TO THE ATTACKS “WE WERE TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT IN THE VIDEO.”

Gomez Appeared On MSNBC As “Member” Of OPSEC; Referred To OPSEC In The 1st Person. Smerconish introduced Gomez on MSNBC saying he was “a former Navy Seal who’s a member of the OPSEC group.”  Throughout his conversation with Smerconish, Gomez referred to himself and the group in the first person, for example: “I think one of the points that we try to highlight through the video, if you look at some of the prior war time Presidents, you look at Lincoln, you look at Eisenhower, they only gave credit to the troops. That’s what we were trying to highlight in the video.” [MSNBC, August 2012]

FACT: GOMEZ WAS A “SPOKESMAN” FOR OPSEC, ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE PUBLISHED ACCOUNTS.

Bloomberg: Gomez “was a spokesman for a group called Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund.” “Democrats want to focus on another aspect of Gomez’s past. In 2012, he was a spokesman for a group called Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund, which released a 22-minute video criticizing Obama for, it asserted, politicizing the killing of Osama bin Laden in a U.S. raid.” [Bloomberg, 5/3/13]

Boston.com: Gomez “Was A Spokesman For the Conservative Group During The 2012 Presidential Election.” “Gomez, a former Navy SEAL, was a spokesman for the conservative group during the 2012 presidential election, when it accused Obama of exploiting the killing of Osama bin Laden and endangering troops for political purpose.” [Boston.com, 4/26/13]

Springfield Republican [headline]: “Massachusetts Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez was spokesman for controversial anti-Obama film” “Before he was a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, Gabriel Gomez was active in an organization that released a controversial video attacking President Barack Obama for jeopardizing national security by releasing information related to the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden.” [Springfield Republican, 2/15/13]

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“Gabriel Gomez is pretending to be ‘a new kind of Republican,’ but by refusing to sign the People’s Pledge, he isn’t acting like one.

“It’s very clear why – Gabriel Gomez was a spokesman for exactly the kind of third-party attack group the People’s Pledge would keep off the Massachusetts airwaves. As the public face for the secretly-funded special interest group, OPSEC, Gabriel Gomez defended half a million dollars worth of ‘swift boat’ attack ads against President Obama, ads whose financial backers remain entirely unknown to this day.

“If Gabriel Gomez was serious about being ‘a new kind of Republican,’ he would say NO to undisclosed, unlimited millions pouring into Massachusetts from secretly-funded attack groups, and join Ed Markey in signing the People’s Pledge,” said Walsh.

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Please purchase your Roosevelt tickets online here.

“Ed Markey has been a champion for the people of Massachusetts on critically-important issues such as fighting for gun safety, job creation and lifting the middle class. I congratulate him and Stephen Lynch who ran a strong and passionate campaign.

“Moving into the General Election, Ed Markey’s record of standing up to the gun lobby, fighting for seniors and protecting a woman’s right to choose will contrast sharply with Gabriel Gomez, who opposes sensible gun laws, supports devastating cuts to Social Security and can’t be trusted to protect a woman’s right to choose,” said Walsh.

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