Four Dem officeholders urged businessman Greg Fischer (D) to pull his TV ad attacking the business record of '03/'07 GOV candidate/businessman Bruce Lunsford (D). AG Jack Conway (D), LG Dan Mongiardo (D), Aud. Crit Luallen (D), and Rep. John Yarmuth (D-03) called for Fischer to "take the high road" and avoid "divisive character attacks." The letter noted that Fischer was the only one of 7 SEN candidates who refused to sign an oath agreeing to "focus on positive ideas and solutions for Kentucky. Now, your campaign has launched a personal attack against a fellow Democrat's character. By doing so, your campaign is playing right into Senator (Mitch) McConnell's (R) hands."
But at a presser, Fischer said he would continue to "tell the truth" about Lunsford's record at Vencor. Lunsford press sec. Allison Haley noted that the letter was written by "a number of influential Democrats," but if Fischer's camp chooses to ignore it, "that is their prerogative."
Citing an '01 DoJ release about the matter, "Fischer defended the accuracy of his ad in which an elderly actress hammers Lunsford, saying his company overbilled Medicare. Fischer also defended the ad's contention that company employees evicted elderly patients from nursing homes so they could be replaced with higher-paying patients. Dale Carter Cooper, the 90-year-old actress in the ad," attended Fischer's presser, "saying she volunteered for the job because she has no money and it was the only way she could help Fischer." Cooper: "The only thing I could do is raise my voice." She was introduced by Fischer aide Ken Shapero, who acknowledged Cooper was never a Vencor patient but added, "We never said she was" (Wolfson, Louisville Courier-Journal, 5/2).
Haley: "It's a shame that Greg Fischer continues to do Mitch McConnell's dirty work. Every day we're hearing from Democrats all over the state who are unhappy about his tactics" (Schreiner, AP, 5/1).
"Also appearing in support of Fischer was Jeri Stevens, who appeared in an attack ad against Lunsford" in a GOV'03 spot for then-AG Ben Chandler (D). In that sport, "Stevens told how her mother died in 1997 from abuse at a Vencor nursing home, although the Courier-Journal's analysis of the ad at the time concluded that it was "grossly misleading." Stevens "said she came forward because she admired Cooper for taking a stand" (Louisville Courier-Journal, 5/2).
"Luallen said her action is not an endorsement of Lunsford's campaign." Luallen: "I just want a Democrat to win in November and I think negative advertising among Democrats is not healthy for the party." Fischer: "The fact that we're airing them has clearly struck a raw nerve. His campaign has accused us of false and misleading advertising -- a charge we flatly deny." Fischer said voters must have information "to be able to compare the past performance and the record of each of the candidates" (Brammer/Alessi, Lexington Herald-Leader, 5/2).
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