Dino Rossi would like people to remember him as a bipartisan operator who crafted a ‘balanced budget that protected our most vulnerable, without raising taxes’ during his time in the Washington State Legislature. This is true, but only if you were to suspend the definition of the word ‘true’ and replace it with, say, ‘a complete fabrication based upon a mountain of bald-faced lies set on a foundation of malarkey.’ Here’s why:
- Three fact checks refuting this falsehood
- Rossi’s budget “did raise taxes”
- Rossi’s budget didn’t protect the vulnerable:
o It was balanced on the backs of the elderly by raising taxes on nursing homes
o It “eliminated coverage for an estimated 46,000 children in the state Medicaid program”
o It “cut prenatal care for undocumented immigrants”
o It “increased tuition at colleges and universities by 9 percent”
For Rossi’s claim that he ‘protected our most vulnerable,’ we must also suspend the meaning of the word ‘vulnerable’ to not include the elderly, sick children who can’t afford health insurance, or students. But don’t worry – something as inconvenient as the truth hasn’t deterred Dino, who last week distributed door hangers – full mailer online here – repeating this blatantly false claim:
This marks the fourth time in the past year that he’s repeated this falsehood about his record.
DCCC spokesperson Drew Godinich released the following statement:
“Voters will hold Dino Rossi responsible for lying to them about his cruel plan to raise taxes on the elderly, to slash healthcare for children, and raise tuition on Washington’s students.”