Freedom's Watch fires more robocalls at Yarmuth

U.S. Rep. John YarmuthSeveral weeks after launching a first batch of robocalls against U.S. Rep John Yarmuth (D-Louisville), the conservative public policy group Freedom's Watch is again hitting Yarmuth on gas prices with a new round of calls into Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District.

The robocall buy in the Louisville-based district was described as "substantial" by a Freedom's Watch spokesperson, though specific numbers and targeted recipients of the call were not released.

The call bills itself as a "gas price alert," and charges that Yarmuth voted "five times against domestic energy production."

The entire call script is as follows:

ROBOCALL: Hi, this is a gas price alert from Freedom’s Watch.

Independence Day is Friday.

Yet one thing we don’t have is energy independence.

Gas prices are through the roof – in the last 18 months, they’ve gone up 76%.

Amazingly , over those same 18 months, Congressman John Yarmuth has voted at least 5 times against domestic energy production.

Five times.

So this Independence Day, instead of fighting for energy independence, John Yarmuth is on vacation … again.

The call then asks recipients to contact Yarmuth and ask that he support HR 3089 - legislation that would allow drilling on the outer continental shelf and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge [ANWR].

"John Yarmuth has repeatedly refused to allow for environmentally responsible energy exploration and increased domestic supply, leaving Kentucky residents at the mercy of foreign oil producers who have little or no regard for the growing budget concerns Americans are facing," said Freedom's Watch spokesman Foster Morss, in a release dispatched in conjunction with the calls.

The "vacation" in question is Congress' annual July 4 recess and "district work period," which finds members typically back home starting June 30.

Freedom's Watch criticized Yarmuth and the Democratically-controlled Congress for not continuing work on the gas price issue.

"Members of this Democrat-led Congress are currently at home for an extended Independence Day vacation instead of working to end our dangerous and costly dependence on foreign sources of energy," said Morss. "Congressman Yarmuth needs to show some leadership, get back to work, and fight for Americans’ economic welfare by supporting increased domestic supply for new jobs and lower gas prices.”

The robocall efforts are part of a nationwide campaign by Freedom's Watch to target "liberal members of Congress whose voting records do not match their rhetoric," said Morss.

In some districts, other issues are being targeted, as well. Freedom's Watch initially started in 2007 as a foreign policy-oriented group, though they have since expanded their focus.

Morss also noted his organization was running radio advertisements in some districts, though KY-3 was not yet among them.

The gas price issue has been a dominant one thus far in the 3rd District race between Yarmuth and former U.S. Rep Anne Northup (R-Louisville).

Northup has pushed for expanded domestic drilling in ANWR, among other places, as a principal solution.

Meanwhile, Yarmuth put his support behind legislation that would force oil companies to drill on federal lands upon which they already hold leases, or else face fines.