A group led by the former chair of the Iowa Democratic Party is releasing an ad targeted at Congressman Jim Nussle as Nussle announced his run for governor. Gordon Fischer represents “Iowans for a Cleaner Congress” and says it’s an outgrowth of the national group “Campaign for a Cleaner Congress.” He says, “We want Jim Nussle and all of our congressional delegation to bring Iowa Values to the Congress, not the current congressional values back to Iowa.” He says Jim Nussle has taken more than 15-thousand dollars from House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s political action committee and Fischer says Nussle voted with DeLay 93-percent of the time between January 1, 2004 and March 31, 2005, and says Nussle voted to weaken House ethics rules “in a move many say served only to protect DeLay.” DeLay is under scrutiny for alleged ethics violations. Fischer says they’re calling on Nussle to back an independent investigation of DeLay. He says they also call on Nussle to give back the money he’s gotten from DeLay and “demand that Jim Nussle support a real reform plan.” While Fischer says this a new reform group, he says thus far he is the only member. Fischer says they’ll start running radio ads Wednesday across the state to send their message to Nussle. Nussle tells Radio Iowa he will not return the money. “This is the third year in a row that (Democrats) have attempted to cast aspersions on the majority leader in Washington vicariously through me,” Nussle says. “Instead of focusing on the issues that are important for Iowa’s future, they want to play politics. It’s the reason why they’re not being very successful as a party.” Nussle says Democrats are finding it difficult to find a “positive message” and have chosen instead to “attack and be personal about it.” Nussle says he’ll stay focused on a “positive message” outlining his ideas for Iowa’s future. Nussle will formally announce he’s a candidate for governor tomorrow (Wednesday). The chairman of the Iowa Republican Party, Ray Hoffmann issued a statement responding to Fischer’s comments. Hoffman’s statement says,”Following the lead of their extreme Democratic leaders like Nancy Pelosi, another left-leaning third-party group has chosen to launch distorted partisan attacks on Congressman Nussle instead of offering any ideas of their own. It’s disappointing that they have stooped to cheap media ploys while Representative Nussle and his fellow Republicans in Congress are focused on winning the war on terror, saving Social Security, reducing frivolous lawsuits, and cutting gas prices through a comprehensive energy policy. Attacks from the liberal wing of the Democratic Party show that Democrats in Iowa are out of step with mainstream Iowa values.”
