Northup responds as energy policy exchange hits on personal assets

LOUISVILLE -- Former U.S. Rep Anne Northup (R-Louisville) says this year's race against incumbent U.S. Rep John Yarmuth (D-Louisville) for the 3rd Congressional District seat is beginning to feel like 2006 all over again.

Today, Northup responded to comments made by Yarmuth that alleged her support of increased domestic oil drilling in areas such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge may be related to her financial and campaign links to oil companies.

"It brings back very quickly the lessons of 2006," Northup told PolitickerKY.com today. "John Yarmuth has an uncanny ability to distract people from the issue at hand in order to avoid discussion of the solution."

"His desperate attempt to point at boogeyman in other places - including his personal attack on me - was so common 2 years ago and is such an insight into his thinking," said Northup.

Yarmuth upset Northup in a contentious 2006 race, after Northup had served five terms in Congress. Their rematch this year is heavily targeted by both national parties as a vulnerable U.S. House seat.

Yesterday morning, Northup held a press conference at a southwest Louisville gas station to push for increased drilling. During her remarks, she targeted Yarmuth and Congressional Democrats as responsible for hikes in gas prices.

In an afternoon conference call with reporters, Yarmuth responded by accusing Northup of pushing drilling because it would benefit oil companies to which she had financial and campaign connections.

"It's interesting that Anne is proposing again more policies that benefit the oil companies when she has taken $300,000 in campaign contributions over her career running for Congress and also owns half a million dollars in energy company stock, so this is no change in policy and more of the same," said Yarmuth yesterday.

Today, Northup said her position on drilling was not related to her personal assets, arguing she had opposed corporate interests - including banking, pharmaceutical, and energy companies - in which she had personal investments during her tenure in Congress.

"When they are wrong, I have a long, long history of going against their position on things," said Northup.

Northup also defended her financial holdings, attributing them to "hard work" by her husband, Robert "Woody" Northup.

"When Woody and I were 35, we had 6 children and no money," said Northup. "Woody started his own business with literally every resource he had, and through hard work made a success of a business that provides many good jobs today and he has been able to save and invest, as millions of Americans have."

"I don't know where our money is invested. He works with somebody who does it for us. He wouldn't know, nor would I, at any given time," said Northup.

While both candidates in the 3rd District are multi-millionaires, Northup argued her family's holdings were somewhat "different" than Yarmuth's.

"We've disclosed our assets. His assets are the same as our assets, with one difference," said Northup. "Woody actually earned all of ours. We didn't inherit them nor do we have brothers that provide us with huge amounts of dollars every year to live on. So there is a big difference: where it came from."

According to a 2006 article in the Louisville Courier-Journal, Yarmuth's personal wealth is attributable to the sale of his share of ownership in LEO - a Louisville alternative weekly newspaper - as well as earnings from two companies operated by his brothers in which he holds significant assets. He also inherited an undisclosed amount upon the death of his father.

Still, Northup said the candidates should "debate the issue" on energy policy, arguing personal assets were not "relevant" in what constituted appropriate policy.

"If Woody and I didn't have two cents to rub together, it doesn't change the value of the debate and the importance of the issue of where we get the oil and how we get it," said Northup.

"I assume John Yarmuth would agree with me on the first question, which is ‘do we need to increase supply?" said Northup. "The second question is ‘how do we best do that in a way that yields the lowest cost, highest quality oil for our economy or to be sold around the world?'"

"He and I ought to debate the issue on those terms," added Northup.

Last week, Yarmuth announced his support of legislation that would force oil companies to drill on domestic lands upon which they already hold leases. During her remarks yesterday, Northup criticized this policy as potentially creating "unprofitable" circumstances for drilling companies, given the potentially scant amounts of oil present.

Today, she continued to take a dim view of Yarmuth's proposal.

"The issue is that the world needs more oil," said Northup. "The question is ‘are we going to be a net buyer or a net seller?' The question is, ‘are we going to stay dependent on foreign countries...or are we going to drill and recover our own very plentiful oil reserves that we have set off limits?'"

"Do we need to drill more oil? Do we need to seek oil independence? Do we need for our economy to take control of our future and determine a route to our independence?" asked Northup. "I say yes, he clearly says no."

Updated: The Yarmuth campaign responded to Northup's remarks by releasing the following statement:

"There is no need to get so defensive," said Christopher Hartman, spokesman for the Yarmuth campaign. "The people of Louisville have the right to wonder why her 'plan' is identical to the talking points of big oil."