Fischer, on his own turf, fires back at Lunsford

Senate candidate Greg Fischer (D-Louisville) at Dant Clayton Corporation: Politicker photo

LOUISVILLE -- Democratic Senate candidate Greg Fischer (D-Louisville) made a campaign stop at the company he runs this morning to defend himself from fresh charges leveled against him by opponent and Democratic primary frontrunner Bruce Lunsford.

Lunsford's latest ad cites 8 OSHA fines against companies Fischer headed to charge there were "unsafe working conditions" at Fischer's companies and also charges that "Fischer and his family have given thousands to Republicans like George Bush and Mitch McConnell."

Fischer took exception to both charges today at a press conference held at the Dant Clayton Corporation factory in Louisville, where Fischer has served as CEO since 2002.

"He tells half-truths to create an impression," said Fischer. "I don't think that's fair at all to bring in someone's family into a campaign. That's a new low, as far as I am concerned in Kentucky politics. I'm certainly not going to attack Bruce's past wives or his children."

"I'm the one running for public office. My wife Alex and I have given a total of 850 to Republicans our entire lifetime," Fischer said earlier in the press conference, who then addressed Lunsford directly. "We haven't given one red cent to President Bush or Mitch McConnell. Meanwhile, you've given more than $60,000 to Republicans, including at least $1000 each to Mitch McConnell and George Bush."

Fischer used the backdrop of the factory and a collection of assembled workers behind him discuss workplace safety at Dant Clayon and SerVend, a vending services company Fischer ran through the 1990s.

Again, directly addressing Lunsford - who is campaigning in eastern Kentucky today - Fischer rebutted his opponent's accusations.

"You failed to say that in each company, the safety records improved dramatically after I became involved. At Dant Clayton, under my leadership, we reduced lost workdays due to injury 85 percent in six years," said Fischer. "And in our 19 years at SerVend, we improved the safety record to be better than the industry average."

"I'm happy to compare my record of leadership at Dant Clayton with Bruce's record at Vencor. What Lunsford describes as the greatest biz success story in the history of Kentucky actually ended in bankruptcy," said Fischer, again referencing the issues his campaign has been hammering for nearly a month. "Vencor paid $104 million to settle a 1999 Justice Department charge of fraudulent billing. And the company settled a lawsuit with stockholders who claimed that Bruce kept important information from them before Vencor's bankruptcy, all the while selling his own stock."

Fischer's campaign also brought along two individuals who served as workplace trainers at either SerVend or Dant Clayton .

"The time that I was there, our safety record was better than industry average," said Elaine Gravatte, who served as team and training manager at SerVend from 1994 to the completion of Fischer's tenure there.

Paul Ohlmann, current in a similar capacity at Dant Clayton, said the company had been fined by OSHA once since Fischer took charge their in 2002.

"If you point me to a manufacturing facility that has an absolutely perfect record over 19 years, I'm not sure what they are manufacturing," said Gravatte.

Fischer also indicated he thought the attacks from Lunsford were coming because there was uncertainty late in the Democratic primary race.

"The polls show this race is tightening. About 18 percent of poll respondents say they haven't decided who they'll vote for. And we believe about another 10 percent who are polling for Lunsford do so out of name recognition only," said Fischer. "For those reasons, we think we're going in to a barn-burner come election day."

With new attack ads now facing his campaign, Fischer recalled the urging of some prominent Kentucky Democrats that he stop his earlier swings at Lunsford.

"I'm sort of wondering if we'll hear anything more from the high-profile politicians who last week thought that negative campaigning was bad for the Democratic Party," said Fischer, again addressing Lunsford. "I urge them to ask you to stop your negative campaigning."

The Lunsford campaign previously circulated a letter requesting Fischer stop his attacks on Lunsford that was signed by Congressman John Yarmuth (D-Louisville) and Lieutenant Governor Daniel Mongiardo (D-Hazard), among others.

Fischer also cited the "Oath of Honorable Campaigning" pledge circulated among Democratic Senate candidates by the Kentucky Democratic Party earlier in the campaign. Fischer was the only candidate not to sign it.

"You even signed a pledge not to be negative and now you have broken that promise when it is convenient for you," said Fischer. "Now that the race is tightening up, it looks like you don't believe that anymore. "

Lunsford's campaign dispatched a statement yesterday discussing the decision to release an attack ad.

"I apologize to any of my supporters who may be disappointed in our decision to respond to Greg Fischer's attacks in a direct fashion. We have tried hard to keep this primary campaign positive," said Lunsford in the statement. "Greg has invited a discussion of his record on several occasions, saying all candidates should be vetted. He has been attacking my character for weeks and since he shows no signs of changing course, we have no choice but to set the record straight and tell the truth about some of his hypocrisies. "

With just five days left before the primary, Fischer says his campaign will continue on the track upon which it has been moving.

"We are going to continue to talk about [Lunsford's] record," said Fischer. "What I really want to talk about now is change for Kentucky...People are more interested in jobs and health care and getting us home safely from Iraq then any kind of mudwrestling contest between Bruce Lunsford and me."

But Fischer said recent events would keep him targeting Lunsford.

"He kind of changed the rules of the game when he pulled out this latest ad with the distortions in it," said Fischer. "It's necessary that we respond to it so we set the record straight, but I'd much rather send an uplifting message to Kentuckians here that they are the focus of this campaign."

Fischer's campaign is also planning on airing out a new commercial listing recent endorsements received by the candidate from elected officials in Jefferson County. A campaign spokesperson said Fischer would also be spending the last day before the primary on a "barnstorming" tour across Kentucky in an environmentally-friendly airplane.