MacArthur Campaign: NJTV Debate Guide
PRESS RELEASE
NJTV Debate Guide
Tom MacArthur vs. Andy Kim
Watch live online at 8PM EST by clicking here.
Let’s remember that Andy Kim refused to join Tom MacArthur for a joint appearance with Michael Aron on NJTV in May, instead choosing to sit in the green room while Tom taped his segment. Andy Kim also recently refused to do an extra five minute segment with Tom on Power and Politics. You’ll see why during the NJTV debate. Andy Kim offers very little in terms of specifics on key policy issues and he evades direct questions.
Congressman MacArthur was recently endorsed by the Burlington County Times for his “bipartisanship”, “guts”, “dignity and determination”. They concluded that “a vote for Tom MacArthur is not a vote for Donald Trump. It is a vote for Tom MacArthur, who has represented a difficult and demanding district with dignity and determination. It takes guts, which is why we endorse him, again, for Congress.” You can read the entire endorsement by clicking here.
Tom has also been endorsed by New Jersey organizations that generally back Democrats like the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association, New Jersey State Fraternal Order of Police, New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association, and New Jersey State Building and Construction Trades Council. He has also been ranked among the top ten percent bipartisan members of Congress, by The Lugar Center.
Tom started the campaign off by airing this positive ad about preventing a Brick resident from being deported: “Joe and Mirna”
After the Washington Post gave Andy Kim two Pinocchios for stretching “his resume to elastic extremes”, we launched “WaPo”.
Over the past few weeks, we have been running two positive ads. “Our gem” focuses on healthcare. “Whether you like Trump, or Not” focuses on local accomplishments.
We are currently running two ads districtwide: “BCT” &“Mumia and Bill”.
On the policy front, Andy Kim has had troubles with the truth and consistency since the campaign began. Here are some highlights:
Healthcare
Andy Kim supported specific “Medicare for All” legislation before he said he didn’t.
When Andy Kim attacks Tom MacArthur for “gutting protections for people with pre-existing conditions”, it is important to understand this language was included in the “MacArthur Amendment”:
(b) NO LIMITING ACCESS TO COVERAGE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH PREEXISTING CONDITIONS.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed as permitting health insurance issuers to limit access to health coverage for individuals with preexisting conditions.
The bogus “age tax” attacks from Democrats have also been debunked by PolitiFact.
Tax Reform
Andy Kim advocated for repeal of Trump tax cuts, describing them as “awful”, “horrible”, and a “scam”, in addition to saying “everyone hates [it]”. Then, in an interview with the Burlington County Times, he called for the tax cuts to be extended and said he did not think they should be repealed. Then, during a News 12 appearance with Congressman MacArthur, Andy Kim refused to tell voters several times whether he supported repealing the tax cuts.
Illegal property tax break
Andy Kim claimed he was “entitled” to a property tax break on his DC condo and failed to provide documentation to back-up his claim, which was clearly false.
Kim has exaggerated his resume
The Washington Post gave him two Pinocchios for “stretching his resume to elastic extremes”.
Politico called Andy Kim a “relatively junior national security aide” in 2014.
General Petraeus confirmed that Kim essentially worked in a civilian “think-tank”, not as a senior advisor.
Andy Kim’s claims about his national security experience led a local Navy SEAL to slam him for “stolen honor”.
In Kim’s latest television ad, he talks about his time in The Situation Room, calling himself “Director, White House National Security Council”. That title is not accurate. Kim was “Director of Iraq, White House National Security Council” and records indicate that Kim was not present for meetings of the NSC as much as he implies, including those on his area of “expertise”. In fact, we have yet to find meeting minutes of a senior level NSC meeting he attended.
Kim’s Resistance Organization: Rise Stronger
Kim recently claimed that Rise Stronger was a “Facebook group” he started after 2016 election. In reality, his group filed a 990 with the IRS, had a Board of Directors, raised and spent money, organized a convention, and incorporated in Delaware.
Click here for documentation.
Campaign Finance Reform
Andy Kim has repeatedly claimed that he would not accept a “dime from corporate PACs”. However, Andy Kim is engaged in a coordinated expenditure of over $900,000 with the DCCC, which is flush with corporate PAC money. Additionally, Kim has taken thousands and thousands of dollars from other politicians who accept money from corporate PACs.
