The purpose of this blog is to explain why it's time to replace Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) with Democratic candidate Judy Feder. Frank Wolf has been in office a long time, and it's time for a change. Judy Feder will bring that change. Nothing against Rep. Wolf, but it's long past time to say "Farewell Frank!"
Yesterday we asked for your last minute donations before we made out final media buy of the cycle.
Hundreds of you responded, and we surpassed our goal, raising $51,935 for our last media buy!
Thanks to your support, we’ll be able to get our message out on network TV.
But, our job is not done yet.
A last minute surge in new registrants has resulted in a total of 42,000 new voters in VA-10 this year. These voters are not attached to Frank Wolf and are highly inclined to vote for a Democratic candidate, but only if they know who I am!
We’ve planned an aggressive outreach program to these voters in the final days of the campaign but we need to raise an additional $24,487 in the next 48 hours to pay for it.
Can you help us reach the 42,000 new voters in the 10th district?
Your contribution today will help us fund a live phone call and additional outreach to new voters in the district, letting them know that Barack Obama can’t do it alone.
We need a new team in Congress committed to changing the direction of our country.
With only one week until Election Day, we need your help now, more than ever, to reach out to the new voters across the district.
Contribute today to help us reach out to 42,000 new voters and win on November 4th.
The story of Wolf campaign staffers assaulting Feder staffers has been zipping around the blogosphere. Now, it's hit the "mainstream media" as well. The Washington Post has a story on the front page of the Metro section today, in which - among other things - Frederick County Supervisor Gary Lofton (R), who pinned one Feder staffer against the wall of the Best Western Hotel, claims he was just "trying to reason with him," that he "did not see anyone get struck," and that regardless, the Feder staffers are the ones who should be "absolutely ashamed of themselves" for "getting in the congressman's face."
So, the next time there's a media scrum and reporters are sticking microphones in Frank Wolf's face, can we expect Wolf's hired hands to start assaulting the reporters? And can we expect Wolf's staffers to excuse their criminal behavior by claiming the victims "provoked" their assaults? Just want to be clear about this...
Meanwhile, the Winchester Star reports that the Wolf campaign will NOT be firing Ben Dutton, the man who struck Feder's cameraman with a cane:
Despite calls from the Feder campaign, Dutton will keep his job, Scandling said.
“We are not firing Ben Dutton,” he said. “Ben Dutton is a respected, long-time member of the Winchester community. We are not firing him.”
And, of course, the classic final line.
Wolf could not be reached for comment Monday.
Of course not!
P.S. By the way, Benjamin Dutton has been on Wolf's staff as a "part time employee" since 2001. Pretty nice gig, though - he has made $180,833 since 2001 as a part-timer. I think the part where he beats people with a cane falls into the "other duties as assigned" category. Ha.
Feder Campaign Calls for Wolf Staffer to be Fired After Assault
McLean, VA-After an incident on Friday, October 24, 2008 in Winchester, VA during which a congressional staffer of Congressman Wolf assaulted a Feder staffer, the campaign is calling for Congressional staffer Benjamin Dutton to be fired immediately.
The Feder campaign is also calling for the Wolf campaign to reveal the identity of the second man in the video who is caught on tape holding a Feder campaign staffer against the wall in a threatening manner.
The Feder campaign believes the following list of questions needs to be answered by Congressman Wolf-and not his campaign staff-publicly:
* Were you aware that the young man had been struck with a cane? Did you see the young man get struck by your staffer a second time? * What is the identity of the second man in the video who appears to be pinning one of the Feder staffers against the wall? * Why didn't you say something when you realized there was a young man being held against his will by one of your supporters/volunteers/staffers?
"This whole incident is unfortunate, and we certainly never expected that questions about Congressman Wolf's support of the McCain health care tax would lead to a violent response from the Congressman's staff," said Feder campaign manager Luke McFarland. "The staffer who is responsible for the assault should be fired immediately. And Congressman Wolf himself should give a full account of what happened, not send staffers out to explain this away for him."
For more on this story, please click here. Now, what is it called when you stand by, watch two people being assaulted by your associates, and do nothing?
Great video by the League of Conservation Voters, see here for more. This is highly applicable to John McCain, but also to Frank Wolf. Just substitute "Frank Wolf" for "John McCain" and change a few numbers around, and you've pretty much got the story. Frank Wolf PRETENDS to be for the environment and for breaking our oil addiction, but in the end he's just another Bush Republican.
That's right, Frank Wolf the supposed "moderate" just got a big, fat ZERO rating from the Human Rights Campaign, for his votes against hate crimes legislation (!!) and employment non-discrimination(!!!).
In sharp contrast, Judy Feder is committed to "defend civil rights and uphold the principles of equality" for all people - gay and straight, black and white, old and young, male and female - ALL people.
Wolf has had a history of anti-gay votes since he began serving in Congress in 1981. In its scorecard released Wednesday for the 110th Congress, the Human Rights Campaign gave Wolf a score of zero for his positions on legislation in the U.S. House.
Last year, Wolf voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and hate crimes legislation. He also voted in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004 and 2006.
He also voted in favor of a bill that would have barred gay couples from adopting in D.C. in 1999 and voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996.
Feder told the Blade that she would support ENDA, hate crimes legislation and a bill repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” She said she opposes a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and supports civil unions.
Feder said gay voters should support her because Wolf will not support any gay-friendly legislation in Congress.
“As a legislator, I will defend civil rights and uphold the principles of equality,” she said.
By the way, this isn't an isolated pattern of votes for Frank Wolf. In general, Wolf isn't just socially far right in this area. He's also consistently opposed using federal tax dollars to fund embryonic stem cell research. He's supported prohibitions on abortions at U.S. military facilities, even if they're not funded by private donations. He's strongly supported the Hyde Amendment, which rejects funding for abortion services even in cases of incest and rape.
The bottom line: Frank Wolf has moved further right on social issues as the 10th district has become more socially moderate. Let's face it, 28 years is a long time to be in Congress, especially given the huge population growth and demographic changes that have taken place during that time. Today, Frank Wolf finds himself out of touch, out of tune, and hopefully in 12 days, out of a job.
From Judy Feder:
That's right, Frank Wolf the supposed "moderate" 
