News From John Georges

Section: Business

Dear Fellow Louisianans,
As we near the primary election I am both heartened by the momentum of support our positive campaign is gaining and saddened that one of my opponents has decided to make this race negative.

Last week, Bobby Jindal unveiled attack ads, making blatantly false statements about my record, and revealing himself to be a hypocrite - a word I never thought I'd have to apply to him. In the TV commercial Bobby is using to attack me, he says that I made the bulk of my wealth in gambling. That is not true. I have worked very hard to build my family grocery business from 60 employees to 600, and have expanded my business holdings to tugboats, concrete and real estate. For several years I owned a company that distributed video poker machines, but according to my own tax returns and as reported in The Baton Rouge Advocate last weekend, this business accounted for less than 9 percent of my income!

In the meantime, just a brief glance at Bobby's campaign finance reports show he has accepted tens of thousands of dollars from video poker interests and from lobbyists who represent casinos. The Advocate also reported last week that Bobby took $50,000 in one day from executives of a Colorado company trying to put a toxic landfill in our state!

Only today, the Advocate reported that Bobby may not appear at Thursday night's debate, which will be televised statewide, because he is needed in Washington to vote on an important issue. My question to Bobby is, why start now? His attendance record in Congress has been horrible and he has missed key votes on a number of important issues -- in fact, in Congress he is ranked 7th overall in missed votes and 432 out of 435 in effectiveness. There are only two statewide televised debates planned, and now Bobby is trying to duck the last one. In business, if an applicant doesn't show up for the interview, the applicant doesn't get a job. In public service, no elected official should run and hide from his or her constituents or opponents. If necessary, I'll fly to Washington to debate Bobby. The citizens deserve to hear from their candidates. Besides, I'm anxious to ask him in person why he is lying about me.

While listening to these lies told about me around the state, my campaign has continued to grow stronger. In the last few weeks we've picked up a number of important endorsements from clergy, educators, law enforcement and legislative leaders from around the state, which are listed below. On Monday, the New Orleans Tribune, a 141-year-old newspaper, gave me their endorsement, too. I've barely been able to keep up with the travel demands to meet the officials and community leaders who are stepping up and embracing our message of change - and our message that we need a truly independent governor without obligations to big-money interests or political party bosses. It is astonishing the amount of support we're receiving as we surge in this final week.

The primary campaign is almost over and I am increasingly confident of a place in the runoff. I'm looking forward to comparing our records - mine in public service, church leadership, education, volunteerism, and business, and his "career" in government service. (I'm still wondering how he has managed to become a multimillionaire while never holding the same job for more than three years and working for only one year outside of the public sphere.) To restore national confidence in Louisiana, we must do everything possible to rid our state of the "pay to play" mentality that has haunted us for so long. As Governor, I will stand up for the truth just as I have done this week.

If you have any questions about any ads that are running this week, please go to my website, www.georgesforgovernor.com or email me at askjohn@georgesforgovernor.com. As I say in one of my latest ads, a real leader doesn't hide, and I will not hide from answering the toughest questions.

Let's elect an independent leader who can unite this state. Vote for me, John Georges No. 7, on October 20.

Thank you,

John D. Georges