No letup in new Perry ad
Posted on 08/08/2002 2:59:04 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
No letup in new Perry ad
Sanchez camp says governor feeding voters lies about laundering
08/08/2002
AUSTIN - The televised mud toss known as the Texas governor's race raged on Tuesday.
GOP Gov. Rick Perry launched a new variation on his recent advertising theme: Democratic rival Tony Sanchez is unfit to govern because drug dealers used his savings and loan to launder money.
After a Perry ad last week provoked complaints that it stretched the money-laundering point, the latest spot draws a narrow focus: a Laredo jury's 1987 verdict that newspaper reports of the money laundering at Tesoro Savings and Loan were true.
"When Tony Sanchez's hometown newspaper reported his bank was used to launder millions in drug money, Sanchez called it a lie, sued the paper and had his day in court," the Perry ad states. "The jury's verdict? The story is true."
The Sanchez campaign said the ads ignored the most significant portion of the panel's findings: In denying a libel suit filed by the thrift, the jury found that the news articles did not link the institution or the Sanchez family to criminal activity described in the stories.
"Like every financial institution is supposed to do, Tesoro filed the required transaction reports with the federal government," said Sanchez campaign manager Glenn Smith. "They reported the deposits as the law required them to do."
The newspaper stories, which did not mention the Sanchez family, reported that drug dealers had deposited $25 million cash in the Laredo thrift in the early 1980s, then had more than $7 million wired to Panama when federal authorities moved to seize the money.
Ray Sullivan, a Perry spokesman, said that the jury findings emphasized by the Sanchez campaign do not defeat the new ad's thesis.
"We are not accusing Mr. Sanchez of being a crook: We are accusing him of leadership and judgment and ethical failures," he said. "Our point in both of our ads is that he should have been suspicious and notified law enforcement when $25 million in cash stuffed in suitcases came into his savings and loan."
The 30-second spot replaces one unveiled last week that caught flak on several grounds: A federal judge cited in the Perry ad said he was quoted out of context; a law-not-yet in existence was used as a rationale for one of the ad's arguments; and Panama, where the thrift wired suspect money, was referred to as "Manuel Noriega's Panama," though the dictator had no role in the events.
Mr. Sullivan said the placement of the new commercial does not validate the criticisms of the earlier one.
"It had run its course," he said, expressing confidence that the campaign's latest offering is bulletproof. "The new ad is very straightforward and leaves no room for argument."
Mr. Smith, the Sanchez spokesman, differed.
"Once again, Mr. Perry has lied to the people of Texas," he said. "Perry needs to pull this distorted, lie-filled ad immediately."
E-mail pslover@dallasnews.com
Mr. Sanchez: Just keep counting, Babe ! hehehe
Governor Rick Perry (Left) & Tony Sanchez 
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...from the howling Dems. Funny how the press seems to downplay or overlook the fact that Sanchez started with the negative ads.
Yep ! Some folks are thinking Perry's making a mistake with this ad campaign,
but I think otherwise. Folks already voting for him will still vote for him and
adamant Sanchez folks will vote for Sanchez. He's goin' for the fence-sitters, that
always decide the elections. Folks that didn't know Sanchez was a bit tainted
know it now, and I don't think this ad campaign will backfire, imho......
PS: I hadn't paid much attention until lately, but seems I heard that Sanchez was
trying to smear Perry with a pack of lies. If that's true, I'm glad to see Perry fight
back with credible examples of Sanchez's background. (Even if it's not true, I
like this campaign!)
After a Perry ad last week provoked complaints...from the howling Dems. Funny how the press seems to downplay or overlook the fact that Sanchez started with the negative ads.
That's what I had heard, but hadn't seen the Sanchez ads. I stay mostly on
FOX News Channel for my news. They've mentioned this ad campaign recently.
And then Perry can take her to the woodshed.....remember what she said
about Bush? About Bush being "born with a silver spoon in his mouth?" I think
she got that spoon shoved....oh, nevermind, lol!
I'm not sure what you mean, FRiend. 
Why ... he's one of them! Can't you tell? < / sarcasm >
If he wants the hispanic vote, then why did he support Kirk instead of Morales for the Senate race? Perry and company need to bring that issue to the front burner.
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