MUDSLINGING AIMED AT GOVERNOR LINDA LINGLE BEGINS
News Release from www.Lingle2012.com
HONOLULU - Governor Neil Abercrombie and Lt. Governor Brian Schatz falsely accused former Governor and candidate for the open U.S. Senate seat Linda Lingle of disrespecting President Obama in their remarks last night at a Democrat Party rally in Hilo.
Abercrombie said Governor Lingle questioned whether President Obama was born in Hawaii and Schatz said she was the only governor in America who didn't attend the 2009 National Governor's Association (NGA) meeting and dinner in the White House after President Obama was elected.
"Both of these statements are completely false," Lingle's campaign manager Bob Lee said.
"This is the kind of smear campaign we expected the other side would use to distract the public from the serious issues facing our state and nation, but we didn't expect the state's two highest elected officials would throw mud so early, especially when it's so easy to prove their statements are false and that they were purposely misleading the public," Lee added.
"Governor Lingle stood up against some in her own Party who said that President Obama was not an American citizen, by releasing a statement prior to the 2008 election that clarified he was in fact born at Kapiolani Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii (statement attached). At the time, she called the issue a distraction from the critical issues facing our nation. The same can be said today," Lee continued.
Governor Lingle's attendance at the 2009 National Governor's Association annual meeting was well documented at the time by local media, including remarks she made to fellow governors during NGA meetings, as well as meetings with the President and a formal White House dinner.
"I have included a terrific picture taken of Governor Lingle and President Obama flashing the shaka sign after the formal state dinner," Lee said.
"Both Governor Abercrombie and Lt. Governor Schatz owe Governor Lingle a public apology for blatantly misleading the public in this manner," Lee said.
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2009 Governors Conf: Lingle meets Obama and feels his 'burden'
USA Today: Lingle, Fukino: Obama birth certificate is real
Abercrombie is Hawaii's Leading Cause of Birtherism: