Bob Gibbs Fires Back at Zack Space

The Bob Gibbs for Congress Campaign issued the following release:

Lakeville, OH – State Senator Bob Gibbs, candidate for Congress in Ohio’s 18th Congressional District, demanded that his opponent, current Congressman Zack Space, pull down a television ad filled with purposely false and misleading statements.

“It’s only June and already Congressman Space is using his millions to lie to the electorate,” said Gibbs. “I have never voted for a pay raise in my career and Zack knows it, this is shameful.”

Gibbs points out other hypocrisies in the newest Space television ad such as Space’s record on taxes. “Zack has been busy in Congress over the last year, voting to raise over $1.4 trillion in taxes on our families.”

Space’s Record on Raising Taxes:

• Voted for thirteen separate tax increases totaling over $700 billion in the Healthcare bill – H.R. 3962, November 7, 2009
• Vote for Cap-and-Trade, $200 billion in costs to families – Equivalent to a 15% increase in personal income tax - H.R. 2454, June 26, 2009
• Voted for FY ’09 budget blueprint that would raise $694 billion in taxes – Associated Press Article, March 13, 2008

Space Received Biggest Pay Raise:

• While Law Director of Dover, OH – Space received a 77% pay increase, or more than $25,000 additional dollars per year*
• One of the largest single pay raises of any public official in Ohio history.
• Pay raise came at the same time Dover residents were facing possible increases of 5% in their water services. *
• While Space received a 77% increase, other public officials received 3%*

*New Philadelphia Times Reporter Articles, Oct. 7, 2003, November 4, 2003

Gibbs also responded to the false claims in the ad that he had not supported tax cuts for families. “I co-authored the largest tax cut in Ohio history, a 21% income tax cut for every Ohioan,” said Gibbs. “I was also a supporter of the homestead tax exemption which continues to help families in all parts of Ohio.”

“It appears that this TV ad was a major diversion from Congressman Space to try and hide the issues that he is most vulnerable on,” said Gibbs.