TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Mike Tate, Chair, Democratic Party Of Wisconsin
DATE: Sept. 13, 1012
RE: Tommy Thompson has failed the test
One week ago Tommy Thompson’s campaign launched a divisive and personal attack against Tammy Baldwin.
It is clear that Tommy Thompson has been in Washington too long because this is the sort of divisive Washington politics that people are sick and tired of.
For six days Tommy Thompson remained silent about this divisive, personal attack his own campaign launched.
For a whole week he didn’t say one word about the fact his campaign launched this personal attack.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported: “Thompson’s campaign did not make Thompson available for an interview about Nemoir’s email.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/6/2012]
Thompson’s campaign also tried to fool people into believing they didn’t.
When his campaign was asked about the personal attack, Thompson’s campaign said it didn’t come from the campaign, when in fact it came from a Senior Advisor, Brian Nemoir, from his campaign e-mail account and signed as a Senior Advisor/Communications for Tommy Thompson.
“Darrin Schmitz, a consultant for the Thompson campaign, said Nemoir “acted on his own” when he linked to the video. He was not representing the Thompson campaign in this matter,” Schmitz said in an email.”
This was a test and Tommy Thompson failed the test.
On Tuesday, Tommy Thompson had an opportunity take personal responsibility for his divisive and misleading campaign but he refused to do so.
Thompson claimed that Nemoir had apologized, saying, “He’s apologized, I believe,” but in fact he hasn’t. Nemoir actually told the media he has no regrets about the divisive attack he launched.
“I think there are issues in this race that are extremely significant that will be generated on a day-to-day basis, and I look forward to coverage of those issues.”
In addition, when Thompson was asked on Tuesday whether his Senior Advisor, Brian Nemoir, was still with the campaign, Thompson said he was and that he was in a new role.
This was a test and Tommy Thompson failed the test.
In fact, Brian Nemoir told WisPolitics that same day, his role did not change as a result of his actions.
As WisPolitics reported on Tuesday:
“In a brief phone interview, Nemoir said he had been Thompson’s senior adviser and is now political director. The change came after the primary election and wasn’t related to the Baldwin email. He declined to comment on the email.”
Thompson needs to start telling the truth and he needs to show Brian Nemoir the door.
And just last night, Brian Nemoir sent out e-mails, negotiating debates for Tommy Thompson, from his campaign e-mail account, signed as a “Senior Advisor/Communications” for the Thompson campaign.
Instead of trying to fool the media and voters into thinking that he has taken strong and decisive action, instead of promoting Nemoir, Tommy Thompson needs to do the right thing.
Thompson needs to start telling the truth and he needs to show Brian Nemoir the door.
Today we are calling on Tommy Thompson to do the right thing and take responsibility for his divisive campaign and reject the personal attacks that are out of touch with our Wisconsin values.
It is time to hold him accountable for his record, the positions he takes and what his campaign does and says.
If Tommy Thompson is afraid of standing up to his own political handlers then what makes anyone believe he will stand up for us in Wisconsin.
