Anti-Reform Teachers Union Endorses Senator Murkowski

Anchorage, Alaska. October 8, 2010 — Senator Lisa Murkowski recently announced on her website that she has achieved the dubious distinction of becoming the only incumbent Republican in the U.S. Senate to win the endorsement of the nation’s largest teachers union -– the National Education Association.

With this honor, Senator Murkowski joins such political figures as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Representative Barney Frank who have also received ‘A’ ratings from the anti-reform teacher’s union.

“The NEA is so far to the left that even the Obama Administration’s education policies like expanding charter schools and teacher performance pay have come under fire from this group,” stated Miller campaign spokesman Randy DeSoto. “The fact that Lisa Murkowski received both an endorsement and an ‘A’ rating from the NEA speaks volumes about her liberal voting record.”

A story on NEA’s endorsements in the Washington Post (October 6) noted, “Critics of the union say that it stands for the status quo in education and against innovation.” The story goes on to say, “In dozens of targeted races, most of the union’s recommended candidates are Democrats. But NEA officials said they are backing selected Republicans who have supported their causes, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)….”

For the 2010 election cycle, the NEA has endorsed 316 candidates in House and Senate races. 303 of the endorsed candidates (96 percent) are Democrats; just 13 (4 percent) are Republicans.

Among the many votes that earned Senator Murkowski an ‘A’ rating from NEA was a vote to kill the popular “Opportunity Scholarship Program” in Washington, D.C., which allowed disadvantaged students to leave failing public schools and attend more academically rigorous and safer private schools.

DeSoto also stated he was curious about why the NEA would choose to back a write-in candidate over Democratic Party nominee Scott McAdams. “We certainly have our differences with Scott McAdams on the issues, but his educational credentials cannot be disputed,” said DeSoto. “Mr. McAdams has served as the president of the Alaska Association of School Boards, he’s a former member of the Sitka School Board, and he’s currently the Director of Community Schools for the Sitka School District. We can only conclude that Lisa Murkowski’s anti-reform voting record back in D.C. was more attractive to the NEA than Mr. McAdams’ hands-on experience.”

Senator claiming to “fight for Alaskans” had thousands invested in Wall Street banks and had taken thousands in Wall Street contributions when she voted for $700 billion Wall Street bailout.

Anchorage, Alaska. October 5, 2010 — Senator Lisa Murkowski had substantial and troubling conflicts of interest when she voted for the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, also known as TARP.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics (www.opensecrets.org), Murkowski’s campaign committee has received more than $217,000 in campaign contributions from Securities and Investment firms, including several that received funds from the Wall Street bailout the Senator voted for. Among these are CitiGroup, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.

All the more troubling is the very real conflict of interest that Murkowski had when she voted for the $700 billion Wall Street bailout. At the time, the Senator and her family had upwards of $335,000 invested in Wall Street banks and institutions who, in turn, received billions of dollars in bailout funds. Among them was Morgan Stanley. The information is publicly available on Murkowski’s personal financial disclosures.

“It is clear that Lisa Murkowski sold out the interests of Alaskan and American taxpayers by voting for special interests and her interests,” Miller campaign spokesman Randy DeSoto said. “At the very least, she should have recused herself from the vote. Or, she could have done the right thing for the taxpayers by voting against the bailout.”

While Murkowski has waffled on her support for TARP, Joe Miller’s opposition to the program has been steadfast and clear. The bailouts and budgets have added trillions to the national debt.

Joe Miller is the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate. Joe is a graduate of West Point and Yale Law School, a decorated combat veteran from the First Gulf War, a former state magistrate and federal magistrate judge. He and his wife Kathleen are the proud parents of eight children and live in Fairbanks where he is a practicing attorney.