From fromer Governor Terry Branstad’s Campaign:
IRS disclosure proves that everything the Branstad 2010 campaign said about this group was right
(URBANDALE) – IRS disclosure reports filed today confirm the 527 organization called Iowans for Responsible Government is indeed a group that was formed solely as a Democrat front group and funded entirely by the Democratic Governors Association, in a blatant attempt to derail Terry Branstad’s campaign for governor in the Republican primary.
The report, attached to this email, shows Iowans for Responsible Government raised $782,500 – all of which came from the Democratic Governors Association – and spent more than $767,000 of it on television advertisements and mailers that mischaracterized and smeared former Gov. Branstad’s record and positions.
Branstad 2010 Campaign Manager Jeff Boeyink says this group crossed a very serious line and needs to be held accountable for its actions:
We were right all along. We have reached a new low in Iowa politics.
A shadowy, out-of-state-funded group attempted to infiltrate the Republican primary for governor with distortions and smear tactics. This is wrong, and despite their best efforts, Iowa voters were smarter than this and chose Terry Branstad as the Republican nominee.
When the only contributor to this group is also Chet Culver’s largest contributor, claims that his campaign had no knowledge of what this group was doing, and were not coordinating with this group, are outrageous.
Chet Culver and his campaign owe Iowans an apology for bringing Illinois-style politics to Iowa.
In addition, Chet Culver should come clean about his, and his campaign’s, role in the creation and functioning of this deceptive front group.