Appointed One Steve Daines for Montana FACT CHECK Web Ad Appointed One Use of: Walsh statement

on cronyism FACT Walsh was Referring to the Governor Appointing Experienced people for the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission at a PLWA Forum ! Walsh Discussed the Importance of Experienced People Being Appointed to Wildlife Commission. In 2012, at a Public Land/Water Access Association (PLWA) forum, Walsh was asked about how the Governor would make appointments for the Fish, Wildlife and Parks commission. Walsh said: I can tell you from my experience as a leader and a manager within the Department of Military Affairs whether he was an individual, my best friend or not. If he wasnt going to do the job, Im not going to put him into a position. Because that would only make me look bad, going to have to make me work, cover up or take care of issues that hes failing with. And I know that the Governor when we hear people say cronyism or its a political appointment. That, an appointment like that would only make the Governor look bad. [PLWA forum, 8/15/12] Daines Attended a Fundraiser with Speaker John Boehner Instead of Attending the Forum that Walsh Clip was Taken From ! Daines Attended Fundraiser with John Boehner Instead of Attending Forum. In 2012, when Walsh spoke at the PLWA forum and where Daines ad takes the clip from out of context, Daines was also invited to the forum but decided to attend a fundraiser with House Speaker Boehner instead. [Kim Gillan for Congress, 8/15/12] Claim: It was the Big Sky Buy Off Documents Show there was No Coordination with Harry Reid or Anyone Else Regarding Walsh Appointment Documents Dont Show Big Sky Buyoff in Bullocks Appointment of Walsh. Here's the theory -- President Barack Obama appointed Max Baucus as the U.S. Aambassador to China so that Montana Governor Steve Bullock could appoint John Walsh as a U.S. Senator, giving him a head-start in the November 2014 election. 1

A couple of batches of documents released last week by the Bullock's office show no such thing. [KXLH, 3/17/14] Bullock to Reid: Butt Out of Montana Decisions. Gov. Steve Bullock said Friday he told U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to butt out when the Nevadan tried to offer his opinion last December on the governors appointment of a new U.S. senator to replace Sen. Max Baucus. Bullock told reporters Friday that he received a call from Reid in December before it became public that President Barack Obama would appoint Baucus as U.S. ambassador to China. By state law, the Montana governor fills any Senate vacancies by appointing a replacement. Harry Reid wanted to weigh in on who I should choose, and this was before it was even public, Bullock said. And I said, Its none of your damn business. [Missoulian, 2/15/14] None of Your Damn Business: Dem Governor Rebukes Harry Reid. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock says he told Senate Majority leader Harry Reid it was none of his "damn business" when the Nevada Democrat tried to offer his opinion last December on who should fill the vacancy left by Sen. Max Baucus. [Newsmax.com, 2/14/14]

Claim: DC Insiders and Harry Reid Hand-Picked John Walsh

Republican DC Insiders and Mitch McConnell Actively Recruited Steve Daines and Fundraised for Him Before He Announced. ! McConnell Wanted Daines To Run For Senate So He Could Have Another Senate Seat In His Column. According to The Hill, Were getting urged to run for that Senate seat. Ive spoken to Sen. McConnell, and hed like to see Montana be a Senate seat in his column, Daines told The Hill during a Thursday interview in his office. Weve had a lot of encouragement from the senators to consider the race, and were giving it the serious consideration that it deserves and will come to a decision here somewhere down the road. [The Hill, 8/2/13] ! Republicans Were In Overdrive To Get Daines To Run For Senate. According to The Moderate Voice, Meanwhile, Republicans have been on overdrive to convince freshman Republican Congressman Steve Daines to give up a seemingly safe seat to make the run, and after months of resisting, he seems to finally be open. [The Moderate Voice, 8/21/13 2

! Daines Received Contributions From Senate Republican Leadership Including McConnell, John Thune And Rob Portman. The Hill reported The freshman congressman has received financial support from several senators as well: McConnell and Senate Republican Caucus Chair John Thune (S.D.) have both donated to him through their leadership political action committees (PAC). National Republican Senatorial Committee Vice Chairman Rob Portman (R-Ohio) recently held a fundraiser for Daines, the GOPs preferred choice to run for retiring Sen. Max Baucuss (D-Mont.) seat. [The Hill, 8/2/13] ! The NRSC Held Its First Fundraiser For Daines That Was Attended By Mitch McConnell. The National Republican Senatorial Committee on Wednesday will hold its first Washington fundraiser for Rep. Steve Daines, the Montana Republican running to fill the seat being vacated by longtime Democratic Sen. Max Baucus. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will be among those attending the event at NRSC headquarters on Capitol Hill. [Washington Examiner, 12/9/13] Claim: DC Lawyers & Lobbyists contributed to Walsh Vast Majority of Donations to Walsh are Montanans ! Nearly 80 Percent of Walshs Donors are Montanan. Seven-six percent of Walshs contributors are Montanan and 95 percent of Montana donors gave less than $1,000. [FEC, December 2013] Daines Received Over $700,000 from Special Interest PACs ! Daines Received Over $700,000 in PAC Money. Daines has received $711, 426 in campaign contributions from PACs alone. [FEC, 12/31/13] ! Including Receiving $10,000 from the Koch Industries. Daines received $10,000 from Koch industries. [OpenSecrets.org, accessed 3/19/14] ! Including $96,000 from Republican Leadership PACs. Daines received $96,000 from Republican Leadership PACs. [OpenSecrets.org, accessed 3/19/14] 3

Daines Accepted Hundreds of Thousands from New York Billionaire Group ! Daines Gets Nearly $200,000 from GOP Group Organized by New York Investor. Friends for an American Majority, a joint fundraising committee led by billionaire Paul Singer, of New York, collected nearly $193,000 for Daines campaign in December and another $335,000 for Republican Senate candidates in Arkansas and Alaska. The $192,600, logged on New Years Eve, the final day on Daines last finance report, is about 8 percent of the money Daines raised for all of 2013. [Billings Gazette, 2/23/14]

Claim: John Walsh voted to increase the debt ceiling

Daines Has Also Previously Voted to Increase the Debt Ceiling. ! Daines Voted to Raise the Debt Ceiling in 2013. In 2013, Daines voted for passage of the bill that would suspend the limit on government borrowing through May 18, 2013 and then automatically increase the current $16.4 trillion ceiling to accommodate additional debt accumulated through that date. [CQ; HR 325, Vote #30, 1/23/13] Daines Slammed for Lack of Leadership on Voting Against Raising the Debt Ceiling and Risking Another Shutdown.
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Daines Slammed for Taking Irresponsible Vote and Risking Financial Disaster. So last week, there was a test of political courage. Twenty-eight House Republicans joined all but two of their Democratic colleagues to do whats right for America. They passed a temporary suspension of the national debt ceiling so the country can continue to meet its obligations. U.S. Rep. Steve Daines, R-Mont., once again voted against the common-sense choice for America. [Billings Gazette, 2/16/14]