“Joining the Freedom Caucus and claiming to be for bipartisanship is like a politician criticizing Medicaid and then admitting dependence on it for their family. Oh, wait…”
Warrenton, VA - In advance of tonight’s VA-5 debate between Leslie Cockburn and Denver Riggleman, Louise Bruce, Campaign Manager of Leslie Cockburn for Congress, released the following statement:
“Virginia voters should be prepared for another night of false promises by Denver Riggleman to be ‘bipartisan’ in Congress. Riggleman’s misleading claim could not be further from the truth. Riggleman was outspoken in his opposition to Medicaid Expansion for our state, which was passed by a Republican-controlled State Senate with broad Democratic support and embraced by leaders of both parties.
“In addition, Riggleman has committed to joining the far-right Freedom Caucus if he makes it to Congress. The Freedom Caucus, one of the most partisan organizations in Washington, has led the way in sowing dysfunction and chaos in Congress, refusing to compromise and find common ground on substantive policy issues. The Freedom Caucus has held the House Republicans hostage, refusing to support compromises, and was the driving force behind shutting down the Government in 2013. The caucus has led to the way in attacking essential programs like Planned Parenthood, Medicare, and Social Security that protect Virginia workers, seniors, and vulnerable communities.
“While Denver Riggleman's false promises to promote "bipartisanship" in Congress will ring hollow in tonight’s debate, Leslie Cockburn will show her commitment to standing up for our state, working to lower prescription drug costs for seniors, provide health care we all can afford, and standing up to special interests.”
The Reality on Riggleman’s False “Bipartisanship” Promises: “Let's link our arms as Republicans, side by side. We call the progressives over ... Let's clothesline 'em for once in our frickin' lives.” (Riggleman statement at GOP VA-05 Nominating Convention, June 2nd.)
Denver pledges to join the Freedom Caucus and maintain the “pristine conservative voting record” of Congressman Tom Garrett. If that’s true, look at the record Denver Riggleman endorses.
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Rep. Tom Garrett |
Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Mark Meadows |
|
|
Health Care: Voted in favor of the American Health Care Act, which would result in 23 million Americans losing their health insurance. [H.R. 1628 5/4/17 Vote #256] |
Y |
Y |
|
Taxes: (Voted 3 times) Voted for the Republican Tax Scam, which hike taxes on middle class families while giving a huge break to the wealthiest and big corporations. [House version, committee version, final version] [H.R. 1, Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment 12/20/17 Vote #699] |
Y |
Y |
|
Internet Privacy: Voted to allow Internet Service Providers (ISP) to sell their customer’s browsing history, including medical and financial data without their permission to the highest bidder, including foreign entities. [S.J.Res. 34 4/3/17 Vote #202] |
Y |
Y |
|
Immigration: Voted to kill the discharge petition that would have allowed the House to vote on the bipartisan DREAM Act. [H.Res. 954 6/21/18 Vote #280] |
Y |
Y |
|
Women’s Health: Voted to make the Hyde Amendment permanent and eliminate abortion coverage on any private health insurance plan participating in the Affordable Care Act*. [H.R. 7 1/24/17 Vote #65] |
Y |
Y |
|
Workplace: Voted to allow employers to replace overtime pay with restricted compensatory time off. [H.R. 1180 5/2/17 Vote #244] |
Y |
Y |
|
Financial Regulations: Voted to repeal Dodd-Frank, the financial reform bill that was put in place in the wake of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression in order to protect consumers from risky financial market abuses. [H.R. 10 6/8/17 Vote #299] |
Y |
Y |
|
Budget and Disaster Relief: Voted against funding the government, avoiding a default on the national debt, and providing disaster relief funds for the victims of Hurricane Harvey. [H.R. 601 9/8/17 Vote #480] |
Did not vote |
Y |
|
Disaster Relief: For Puerto Rico and other areas. [H.R. 569 10/12/17 Vote #566] |
N |
N |
|
Budget: Voted for a budget resolution that slashes Medicaid, Medicare, and other vital government programs while cutting taxes for the wealthiest Americans. [H.Con.Res. 71 10/5/17 Vote #557] |
Y |
Y |
|
Conservation: Voted to kill a rule banning hunters in Alaska Wildlife Refuges from shooting animals from a helicopter, shooting wolf puppies at point blank range, and killing hibernating bears. [H.J.Res. 69 2/16/17 Vote #98] |
Y |
Y |
|
Corruption: Voted to kill a rule requiring oil companies to disclose payments made to foreign governments. [H.J.Res. 41 2/1/17 Vote #72] |
Y |
Y |
|
Education: Voted to gut state accountability rules guaranteeing equal opportunity for education under the Every Student Succeeds Act. [H.J.Res. 57 2/7/17 Vote #84] |
Y |
Y |
|
Education: Voted to roll back regulations ensuring that new teachers are prepared for the job. [H.J.Res. 85 2/7/17 Vote #85] |
Y |
Y |
|
Financial Security: (Voted 2 times) Voted to take power away from states helping their citizens prepare for retirement. [H.J.Res. 67 2/15/17 Vote #95] [H.J.Res. 66 2/15/17 Vote #96] |
Y |
Y |
|
Gun Violence: Voted to kill a rule keeping firearms out of the hands of people deemed mentally ill by the Social Security Administration. [H.J.Res. 40 2/2/17 Vote #77] |
Y |
Y |
|
Pollution: Voted to kill a rule protecting the drinking water, health, and environment of people in Appalachia who live near mountaintop removal mining sites. [H.J.Res. 38 2/1/17 Vote #73] |
Y |
Y |
|
Conservation: Voted to kill a rule restricting methane emissions from drilling sites on public land. [H.J.Res. 36 2/3/17 Vote #78] |
Y |
Y |
|
Privacy: Voted to allow states to expand the use of drug testing for unemployment benefits. [H.J.Res. 42 2/15/17 Vote #97] |
Y |
Y |
|
Public Lands: Voted to take the ability to manage public lands away from the communities most impacted. [H.J.Res. 44 2/7/17 Vote #83] |
Y |
Y |
|
Women’s Health: Voted to allow states to withhold Title X funds from family planning agencies (e.g. Planned Parenthood). [H.J.Res. 43 2/16/17 Vote #99] |
Y |
Y |
|
Workplace: Voted to kill a rule requiring employers to record work-related injuries and illnesses. [H.J.Res. 83 3/1/17 Vote #121] |
Y |
Y |
|
Workplace: Voted to kill a rule requiring federal contractors disclose workplace safety and labor law violations, including sexual harassment. [H.J.Res. 37 2/2/17 Vote #76] |
Y |
Y |
|
Consumer Protection: Voted to roll back an Obama era rule prohibiting companies from writing arbitration clauses preventing consumers from joining class-action lawsuits. [H.J.Res. 111 7/25/17 Vote #412] |
Y |
Did not vote |
|
National Security: Voted to strike a section of the NDAA requiring the Defense secretary to provide a report on vulnerabilities to military installations and combatant commands from climate change related effects. [H.Amdt. 179 to H.R. 2810 7/13/17 Vote #368] |
Y |
Y |
|
Coal: Voted to ease emission limits for coal-burning power plants. [H.R. 1119 3/8/18 Vote #101] |
Y |
Y |
|
Water: Voted to repeal the final rule issued by EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers titled "Clean Water Rule: Definition of "Waters of the United States'", which protects the streams, headwaters, wetlands, and other water bodies that serve as a drinking water source for 117 million Americans. [H.Amdt. 633 to H.R. 2 5/18/18 Vote #203] |
Y |
Y |
|
States’ Rights: Voted to allow anyone authorized by their state to carry a concealed handgun to also carry that concealed weapon in any other state that allows concealed carry. [H.R. 38 12/6/17 Vote #663] |
Y |
Y |
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