by Andrew Walden

After inundating Hawaii’s airwaves with an anti-Djou attack ad which FactCheck.org deemed “false”, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is at it again.

In their latest ad, released Tuesday, the DCCC seeks to convince voters that, “Djou opposed a plan that protected the jobs of 2,000 Hawaii teachers and essential school staff.”  They refer to their first debunked attack ad as if it were true.  The full text of the new 30-second attack ad reads:

“First we learned that Charles Djou supported tax breaks for big corporations that export our jobs and children's future.  Now we learn that Djou opposed a plan that protected the jobs of 2,000 Hawaii teachers and essential school staff. Imagine. While Hawaii schools are struggling just to stay open, Djou supported cutting thousands of teachers --  increasing class sizes across the state.  Check Charles Djou’s troubling record on schools and jobs for yourself at DjouFacts.com.”

Digging into the references at the DCCC’s “DjouFacts” site, one discovers the DCCC is arguing that jobs for “2,000 Hawaii teachers and essential school staff” were “saved” as part of Obama’s controversial $800B “stimulus” spending bill. 

But in Hawaii the “stimulus” money was not used to increase the Hawaii DoE budget.  The State of Hawaii, in March, 2009, learned it would be receiving Federal “stabilization” funds directed at education spending.  Instead of using the money to bulk up DoE spending, Governor Lingle reduced State spending on the DoE in an amount equal to the additional federal money.  The money saved by the State was returned to the General Fund to use in plugging the State’s budget holes elsewhere in government.  Thus, zero net Hawaii Department of Education jobs were saved by “stimulus.”  The DCCC claim that “Djou supported cutting thousands of teachers -- increasing class sizes across the state” is therefore completely false.

Even a November 2, 2009 Honolulu Advertiser article cited by the DCCC points this out: 

“The department's inspector general identified three states — Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania — that have used education stimulus money to ‘free up state resources for non-education budget items.’ Hawaii was not mentioned by the department but has done the same thing as the other states….”

Even if stimulus had increased the DoE budget, it is dishonest to pick out a solitary provision of a $800B spending bill and declare that to be what Djou “opposed.”

By the same logic, if Charles Djou stopped Pueo Trucking from dumping a stinking heap of garbage--with a two dollar bill hidden in the pile--on the front yard of an elementary school, the DCCC headline would be “Djou blocks Hanabusa from donating money to school.”

Both of the DCCC’s false ads are “template” ads designed to be used against Republican candidates in other districts.  The first false ad is now being used against Pennsylvania 12th Congressional District Republican candidate Tim Burns who is leading the race in a May 18 Special Election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Rep Jack Murtha (D-PA).  The DCCC just removes Charles Djou’s picture from the ad and inserts photos of Tim Burns. 

Meanwhile the DCCC is insulting the intelligence of Hawaii voters with yet another false commercial.

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RELATED: FactCheck.org: Dems attack ad against Djou “False”

Djou response ad: 

DCCC attack ad: