Zeldin Demands Accountability of Bishop's Dishonest Mudslinging

PATCHOGUE, NY (10/27/2008)(readMedia)-- To the Editor:

Plain and simple, the 2008 election must be about the issues. We're facing too many challenges-from the financial crisis at home to threats from our enemies abroad-to allow my opponent to focus this election on anything else.

My opponent's literally made a career out of playing the victim. Instead of engaging me on the issues and defending his record he reverts to old form, hoping to gain reelection through fabricating pity.

As I've said so many times over the past year, my opponent and I represent two contrasting points of view on the most important issues. I am an independent Republican with Conservative values and he is a liberal Democrat.

Time and again, my opponent makes false accusations about my campaign, consistently failing to provide evidence when he resorts to petty name-calling. Most recently, my opponent sent out fundraising solicitations attacking my integrity, saying that our campaign is dishonest. It is un-American to run a campaign that doesn't focus on the facts and to expect to win office without ensuring that both sides of the story are told. More important than lying about my campaign, he's lied to the voters.

Before I continue, it is important to note that by writing that last paragraph, I am supposedly putting my professional future on Long Island in jeopardy. In conversations with my campaign chair, my opponent has threatened repercussions if don't I tone down my words.

Here are the facts: Tim Bishop was elected in 2002, in part, thanks to his pledge to oppose all tax increases for the working class. This pledge has been repeatedly broken. So much so that in 2007, he voted for a resolution paving the way for the largest tax increase in American history. This tax increase is estimated to cost $4,144 for the average family in Eastern Long Island. Over 2200 jobs are estimated to be lost at the expense of the Congressional budget resolution he supported last March.

But it doesn't stop there. He won't take responsibility for voting against troop funding. He has flip-flopped on offshore drilling. He is back tracking on his support for hiring halls for illegal aliens. Now, he suggests that he isn't a liberal Democrat-often comparing himself to John McCain and Mitt Romney in our debates-even though he votes with the liberal agenda of his party 98.9% of the time (ranking 533 out of 535 Members of Congress according to the Washington Post's list of independent voters). On the other hand, I have proven that I will always stand up for what's best for the First Congressional District, even if it puts me at odds with the party.

These actions are those of a man desperate to cling to his office. I challenge this mudslinger to back up his accusations with facts...to provide examples rather than just rhetoric. Mr. Bishop, by questioning my integrity without a basis in fact, you demonstrate everything wrong with politics on Eastern Long Island.

I am ready to bring Eastern Long Island's values back to Washington instead of the other way around.

Long Island's Future Begins Now!

Lee Zeldin

Candidate for Congress

-30-

Zeldin studied at the University at Albany, graduated from Albany Law School, and earned his commission through Army ROTC. He was a paratrooper, prosecutor and magistrate with the 82nd Airborne Division and XVIII Airborne Corps. In the summer of 2006, he was a JAG attorney deployed to Iraq. The Shirley resident served as an aide to State Senator Ken LaValle. He is currently an attorney at Raiser & Kenniff on Long Island.

For more information on Lee's campaign please visit us at www.zeldin08.com

Paid for by Lee Zeldin for Congress