Rebekah Warren says Pam Byrnes' campaign tactics in Senate race have 'crossed the line'
Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, responded today to what she characterized as "a week-long barrage of negative campaigning" from opponent Pam Byrnes.
Rebekah Warren
Warren criticized Byrnes, D-Lyndon Township, for delivering two mailers across the district — ads she says contain "distortions, hypocrisies and outright lies." The ads attack Warren for missed votes in the Legislature and for allegedly costing Michigan hundreds of millions of dollars in education funding.
In an open letter to the community posted on her website, Warren responded to each of Byrnes' seven attacks, drawing special attention to claims that she has cost Michigan federal Race to the Top funds.
“This is a blatant lie,” Warren wrote in her letter. “While I did oppose the RTTT ‘reforms,' all of them passed and were signed by the governor. Michigan’s inability to secure those funds is deeply rooted in fact that Michigan prioritized and made the wrong reforms.”
Warren said Michigan’s rushed attempts to amend education policy in the state failed to align with federal priorities, such as expanding school-level decision-making. She said the bills she opposed actually decreased the autonomy of local school districts by instituting a state-takeover policy and unilaterally increasing the amount teachers pay into their retirement programs, making local wage and benefit negotiations more restricted and difficult.
The two Democrats, who currently represent different parts of Washtenaw County in the state House, are battling for the 18th District state Senate seat in Tuesday's primary election, along with Democrat Thomas Partridge.
Pam Byrnes
Byrnes' campaign responded to Warren's open letter in a statement e-mailed to AnnArbor.com.
"We’ve run a strong and honest campaign and we’re simply not going to engage in petty politics as usual," said Byrnes' campaign manager Kent Sparks. "We stand by our record of solving problems, creating jobs in our community and delivering results for Washtenaw County."
Warren said she's committed to running a clean campaign, but felt the need to properly respond to the attacks by Byrnes.
“I have always abhorred this aspect of our politics,” Warren wrote. “Its disparaging effect on our government and our ability to realize the vision of the founders of our country is too severe. You will never see me supporting such attacks. Never. And if any of my supporters engage in such behavior, I will do everything in my power to stop it, including publicly decrying their efforts."
The latest ads from Byrnes' campaign come on the heels of similar ads that were put out by the Republican-backed Great Lakes Education Project PAC, which is supporting Byrnes and attacking Warren. Byrnes also went on the attack against Warren for a campaign finance violation last week, but it turned out she, too, had broken the law.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.
Comments
Inside MI GOP
Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 12:12 p.m.
Disclosure for Conan Smith: "I know this because Rebekah Warren is my wife." Comment: The same Election Industrial Complex which arms the candidates and interest groups with the weapons of (PANDERING & SLANDERING) with then arm them in the general election and finally, during the legislative process, which is now no better than the election process. "Fog of War" or "Fog of Campaign" who can know exactly the origin of the rounds or what was the target or intent of those firing.
Top Cat
Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 7:29 a.m.
The great news is that we are guaranteed that one of these two loses today.
H.
Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 7:16 a.m.
The invention of the blog has at least done one thing: it tells the dirty lies and truths about campaigning that has been occurring for centuries. Now that we have all seen how the sausage gets made in Lansing and Washington, do you really want to eat it? Does anyone really think either candidate will vote differently on any significant piece of legislation during their term?
The Picker
Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 6:24 a.m.
What's a robovoter to do, they both have a D behind their name? Maybe its time to think out of the box on this one. They both seem a bit bovine.
Richard C
Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 6:23 a.m.
Don't worry. After the primary these two will be the best of friends, one helping the other to defeat the Republican Candidate. Politics as usual, of no benefit to anyone.
Michigan48103
Tue, Aug 3, 2010 : 12:50 a.m.
Vote for the man, they do not say negative things about the others and Men just do a better Job, the females need to stay home and take care of their home and Husbands.
Jeremy
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 11:38 p.m.
The choice is abundantly clear. Vote for Rebekah Warren.
Sacha Pietrovich
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 11:17 p.m.
If Byrnes had any confidence that she'd win this election, she wouldn't have resorted to a petty smear campaign. Rebekah Warren has my vote!
Roadman
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 10:58 p.m.
Vote for Tom Partridge, the only candidate with the class to conduct himself as a gentleman throughout this campaign. Plus he is not a career politican like the other two bozos.
David Briegel
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 9:10 p.m.
EyeheartA2, I know you will be voting Repug!
stunhsif
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 8:59 p.m.
Clean The House of This Filth, vote either Republican or Libertarian!!!
Conan Smith
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 8:43 p.m.
I can tell you definitively that Rebekah's campaign does not use robo-calls. The staff and volunteers call people directly. It's more expensive and more time-consuming, but we have learned over the years that it is more respectful. In our campaigns, real people call voters directly, and we've made thousands of calls this year, so you've probably gotten one if you're a likely Democratic primary voter! I haven't heard the script or talked with anyone who has gotten the call, but this tactic is mean-spirited and shouldn't continue. Also, this issue is one of the major problems with campaign finance laws. Since many folk are not required to disclose who paid for the activity and many activities don't require disclosure as part of the message (e.g. robo-calls) there's no way to tell who is responsible. Almost inevitably, the "other" campaign gets blamed, even if they have no influence on the decisions. Rebekah voted this year to require disclosure during robocalls (HB 4985), but that bill is one of many important ones that now languish in the Senate.
Speechless
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 7:48 p.m.
Holy GLEP!  You'll never catch Pam Byrnes offering a MEA culpa. Michigan elections are such an education. Through Byrnes's recent mailings, I can privately vouch that Pam schools us by making the effort to charter a campaign strategy based on an intelligent design.  Total class. Are we not PAC Man?  We are DeVos!
Peregrine
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 7:39 p.m.
I got the fliers from Pam Byrnes' campaign, and I was amazed at the depths Pam Byrnes has gone. Here is a direct quote from Pam Byrnes' misleading mailing: "Rebekah Warren voted NO on the Race To The Top Funding - potentially 400 million dollars for our schools - and consequently, Michigan lost that money" [emphasis added]. Sorry Pam, there is no consequently. Despite Representative Warren's voting against those bills, they passed and were signed into law in 2009 as Public Acts 201, 203, 204, and 205. Pam Byrnes: you are DISHONEST in your NEGATIVE ads. Therefore I'm voting for Rebekah Warren.
Sophia Petrillo
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 7:38 p.m.
@Ryan J. Stanton - Thanks for the update. Did Warren say if she would "do everything in (her) power to stop it, including publicly decrying their efforts."? I would sure hope so, or her latest attack on Pam reeks of hypocrisy.
Macabre Sunset
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 7:34 p.m.
In other words, we have two politicians. Both are supported by groups that like to run nasty, misleading advertisements. Welcome to 21st Century politics, where you have to be a sleazeball to run for office.
sbc1944
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 7:19 p.m.
My vote goes to Warren.
Ryan J. Stanton
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 7:05 p.m.
@Sophia Petrillo I've heard from others who have received the same robo-call(s) and confirmed with Byrnes' staff that there is a voice prompt to press 1 in the call, which connects you to the personal cell phones of members of her campaign staff. However, Warren says she isn't behind the robo-calls and doesn't know anything about them. I guess we'll find out after the election when campaign finance reports are filed who is actually behind them.
dading dont delete me bro
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 6:58 p.m.
what line? me no see line?
Sophia Petrillo
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 6:48 p.m.
I can't believe this! Rebekah Warren is accusing Pam Byrnes of dirty politics and of crossing the line?!? Stop the presses. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. I got a nasty robo call this afternoon on Warren's behalf trying to link Pam to conservatives on the west side of the state. The call told me to push 1 to say you want these conservatives out of Ann Arbor politics. But when I pushed 1, it transfered me to the personal cell phone of Pam's legislative staff. I was so embarrassed, and felt awful that Rebekah's campaign had me harassing this young man (he was very polite). This is dirty, and Warren should be ashamed! Time to put your money where your mouth is Rebekah, and call off the dogs.
InsideTheHall
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 6:37 p.m.
Violin music please. This is politics Rebekah not a PTA bake sale!
David Briegel
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 6:10 p.m.
I am voting for Byrnes. Thank you A2.com for finally including a decent photo of Pam!
ironyinthesky2
Mon, Aug 2, 2010 : 5:29 p.m.
Wonderful. I just love candidates that have so little positive to say about themselves that they have to trash the opponent. Rebekah has my vote!