The O’Malley-Brown campaign released a new radio ad today focused on Bob Ehrlich’s record as a hired gun for special interests. The newest radio ad highlights the work done by Ehrlich’s law and lobbying firm for a casino developer to put a casino at a family-friendly shopping mall in a residential community.
Since Bob Ehrlich was fired as governor in 2006 he’s earned $2.5 million representing special interests like casino developers at his Baltimore-based firm.
“This ad is about who Bob Ehrlich is really working for, and the fact that he is not on the side of Maryland families,” said Rick Abbruzzese, O’Malley-Brown Deputy Campaign Manager. “Especially in these tough economic times, Marylanders need a governor on their side, representing their interests and allowing their voices to be heard.”
While in office, Bob Ehrlich vetoed an increase in the minimum wage, cut funding for public education, and jacked up college tuition by 40%. In contrast, Governor O’Malley has made historic investments in public education, has fought to make college more affordable, and has made the tough decisions to put Maryland’s working families first.
The ad will run in the Baltimore market beginning today. The full text of the ad is available below. Click here to listen to it:
In response to Bob Ehrlich’s misleading TV attack ad and desperate attempt to score political points at a press conference this morning, O’Malley-Brown Deputy Campaign Manager Rick Abbruzzese issued the following statement:
“This is embarrassing for the failed former governor: Bob Ehrlich has spent this election season misleading voters about his failed record of increased taxes and spending, and now he’s trying to blame Governor O’Malley for the failures of his own Public Service Commission.
“Everyone knows a fee is a tax, and everyone knows it was Ehrlich’s cronies at the PSC that failed to do anything about the 72% BGE rate hike. When voters fired Ehrlich, Martin O’Malley stepped in to clean up Ehrlich’s mess and won $2 billion in rebates from the electric companies, all while Ehrlich was enriching himself to the tune of $2.5 million working for a lobbying firm representing special interests.
“Now Ehrlich is trying to play the same desperate blame game with economic statistics and betting against Maryland’s future success. Here are the facts: since January, over 33,000 jobs have been created in Maryland. It’s the best job growth in a January to August period in Maryland since 2000.”
Today the O’Malley-Brown campaign released a new web ad taking aim at Bob Ehrlich’s baffling pledge not to discuss the details of his plans for Maryland until November 3rd, the day after the general election.
In the ad, Ehrlich says, “The more detailed proposals have to wait for later in the campaign, and, quite frankly, for November 3rd.” Ehrlich made the comments on September 15th, following the release of his so-called “Roadmap for 2020.” Independent media outlets, including the Baltimore Sun and WBAL-TV, have pointed out that Ehrlich has not offered a way to pay for his new spending proposals, including a $648 million rollback of the sales tax, a $60 million increase in highway funding, and $100 million in promises to veterans and state employees.
“Bob Ehrlich has proposed a billion dollars in new spending this election season. When asked how he’d pay for it all, Ehrlich says ‘vote for me and I’ll tell you later.’ The last time Bob Ehrlich made a lot of empty promises, he went on a record-setting spending spree and left the state $1.7 billion in the red. The voters of Maryland deserve better than more empty promises from Bob Ehrlich,” said Tom Russell, O’Malley-Brown Campaign Manager.
The O’Malley-Brown campaign has accepted a number of debate invitations in a effort to make sure that Bob Ehrlich is forced to discuss his agenda for Maryland with voters.
Yesterday, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown asked Mary Kane to participate in one-on-one debates.
