Lunsford camp calls McConnell ad a ‘desperate political smokescreen’

Minutes after the campaign of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) announced the launch of its first ad of the general election race, the campaign of the ad's target - Democratic nominee Bruce Lunsford, of Louisville - released a statement deriding the spot as a "ridiculous negative attack" and attempted to pin responsibility for the "energy crisis" on McConnell.

The McConnell ad, first aired Friday, attributes responsibility for Kentucky's gas tax - which adjusts according to the wholesale price of oil - to Lunsford's "lobbying" for that structure as a member of former Gov. John Y. Brown's administration in 1980
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"McConnell's ridiculous negative attack is nothing more than a desperate political smokescreen," said Lunsford's spokesperson, Allison Haley, in a statement.
While not explicitly addressing the charges of McConnell's ad beyond that sentiment, Lunsford's response threw the blame for high gas prices upon the incumbent McConnell and President Bush.

"The Bush-McConnell energy policies of the last six years have put us in this mess," Haley continued. "McConnell opposes common sense solutions that offer immediate relief to working Kentucky families struggling to make ends meet due to the current gas crisis."

In an extended message included with its release, Lunsford's camp lays out a series of McConnell's votes on energy-related policy in an attempt to display what they term as "his responsibility for the energy crisis."

"On gas prices, McConnell isn't just part of the problem, he's helped create the problem," said Haley. "After 24 years of this, we need change in Washington now."

While noting that gas prices have risen $2.50 per gallon since McConnell's fourth term began in 2002, Lunsford's release criticizes McConnell for not including a gas tax holiday among one of his own energy proposals. Senate Bill 3202 - introduced by McConnell but yet to see a vote on the floor - would open up oil exploration on the outer continental shelf and other deep sea areas, but does not include the tax holiday favored by Lunsford.

"He opposes closing the Enron Loophole, which has allowed rampant speculation by hedge funds to inflate oil prices $40 a barrel," continued Haley in the statement.
"All the while, McConnell supports more tax breaks for Big Oil while taking $650,000 of their campaign cash and using that money to cover up his awful record."

The "Enron loophole" is a provision which permits extended trading on energy markets by speculators, a practice that came under fire recently by U.S. Rep John Yarmuth (D-Louisville), among others, as contributing to higher oil prices.
Lunsford's charge over campaign contributions relates to the nearly $650,000 in funds McConnell has taken since 1989 from oil and gas interests.

In past statements, McConnell's campaign has fired back at this charge by noting the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee - which reportedly encouraged Lunsford to jump in the Senate race - has accepted oil money this election cycle. McConnell's campaign also notes the oil contributions account for 2 percent of his career campaign warchest.