Junior Varsity Republicans fake email to scare up support at town hall meeting
A few minutes ago, Chairman Lynch issued this release:
Lynch calls on Steele and Cicione to renounce false email campaign ‘Stop using scare tactics to incite anger and block real health care reform’
PAWTUCKET – Rhode Island Democratic Party Chairman Bill Lynch called on the leaders of the local and national GOP to renounce the false email campaign being conducted on their behalf by the chair of the RI Young Republicans, in which they allege that organizers from ACORN are being bused into tonight’s town hall meeting with Congressman Langevin.
Earlier this week, RI Young Republican Chair Travis Rowley began forwarding an email which he claimed was originally sent from the organizing group ACORN that read:
Dear Members.
As you are aware in our prior email, we need your presence at Congressman James Langevin’s Town Hall Meeting at the Warwick police Station 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, Warwick, Rhode Island. We are planning on arriving early at 1:30PM to fill the hall before the radical right protestors arrive. A box lunch will be provided for those on the bus. We will meet at headquarters for those wishing to join us on the bus.
Thank you!The Acorn Team
Today, ACORN issued a statement saying they never sent such an email, and that their organization had no plans to be in attendance at tonight’s town hall meeting in Warwick. That statement reads:
An e-mail from Rhode Island Young Republicans that supposedly included an e-mail message from ACORN to our members is entirely a hoax and a fabrication. We have seen this pattern across the country, where right wing and Republican elements are attempting to stoke up their base using these entirely fabricated lies about ACORN. Around the country ACORN is engaged in the fight for quality, affordable health care, and believe it is every American’s right and privilege to voice their opinion and attend town hall meetings. But for the record:
a) ACORN has never had a plan to attend Congressman Langevin’s Town Hall meeting; and
b) The e-mail that was supposedly from ACORN to our members is a total fabrication.
“Frankly, I think it’s nauseating that the Republican Party would manufacture a fake email as a desperate attempt to excite their right wing base. No wonder Rhode Islanders don’t trust Republicans to lead, today they’ve proven themselves to be nothing more than liars who will do anything to stand in the way of reform and beat back the change American voted for last November,” Lynch said.
“I would hope that Chairmen Steele and Cicione would at least have to decency to repudiate this divisive, false and cheap stunt. To not do so would exhaust what little credibility they already have in the eyes of hard working Rhode Islanders,” Lynch said.
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