ROD GRAMS: BEST MUDSLINGER IN THE NORTHEAST

10/28/2006

ST. PAUL (10/27/06) – Rod Grams’ campaign for Congress in Minnesota’s 8th District is being called one of the nastiest races that Northeast Minnesota has seen in years. In the last two weeks, major newspapers have discredited Grams campaign and labeled the former senator a mudslinger.

Last Wednesday, the Cloquet Pine Journal made this observation about Grams: “Rod Grams wins the honor of best mudslinger in the northeast. He’s attacked Jim Oberstar’s 30-year service record, his reputation, his ‘travel record’ and I think he’s probably planning to dig up some dirt on Oberstar’s dog’s travel record.”

The Duluth News Tribune looked into the claim that Grams has made about Oberstar in a series of negative attacks and concluded the “claims don’t check out.” The Orr Timberjay concluded the claims are “untrue,” and the Mesabi Daily News said Grams has “played fast and loose with selective claims.”

Last week, the Grams campaign released a mailer (attached) that shows Rep. Jim Oberstar as a serial “jobs” killer, complete with made-up mug shot.

“Grams is running a campaign that is bankrupt of ideas and integrity,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez. “To portray Representative Oberstar as a serial killer goes beyond all sense of decency. It isn’t funny, it isn’t cute and it isn’t going to fool the voters of Northern Minnesota.”

Grams campaign is rapidly losing steam. This week, FEC records showed that Grams only had $15,824 on hand. “He has no money, he has no support and he has burned up what little credibility he had with a negative and false campaign,” said Melendez.