Using a strategy right from the Karl Rove playbook, supporters of my opponents are using fear and hate to get votes. They blanket neighborhoods in the dark of night, afraid to show their faces. These slimy tactics make incorrect assumptions about Maplewood residents. They assume Maplewood residents are uninformed, comfortable with people who divide our community and tolerant of bigots. The fact is residents are deeply engaged with the affairs of our city and are fed up with this type of political nonsense!
These people who seek to divide us are too cowardly to put “paid and prepared by” on the anonymous attack literature. This small, handful of people want to focus on everything but the real issues and they attempt to change the conversation. How do these cheap attacks put more funding toward police officers or clean up our parks?
If I am fortunate enough to win this election, I can look back and honestly say that I ran an fair/legal campaign free of any negativity. I actively and respectfully engage residents in meaningful dialogue about issues, community, quality of life and priorities for Maplewood…even with those who disagree with me. I remain balanced, fair, open, sane and respectful…qualities that you want in a candidate and certainly in a city council member.
From my opponent web site:
Peter says:
October 19, 2009 at 6:27 pm
This weekend, I received a flyer from your campaign and a hate piece attacking candidate Llanas. Are you associated with this type of negative campaign? Do you condone this behavior?
Ken Smart says:
October 20, 2009 at 12:20 am
…Peter – I have not seen any hate piece attacking candidate Llanas so I cannot say whether it is a hate piece or if I condone it. I strongely endorse everyone’s First Ammendment right to free speech. If it has untruths in it, then I do not condone it.
The negative attack material is taped right above my opponent’s campaign literature using the same blue tape.
Coincidence?
October 21st, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Attaching or taping flyers to mailboxes, as Mr. Hafner’s campaign did, is also a violation of Federal law. See http://pe.usps.gov/cpim/ftp/manuals/dmm_old/D041.pdf — “no part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not bearing postage, including items or matter placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle.”
I don’t know if the folks distributing the flyers in the picture above were too lazy to walk up a driveway to the house, or were afraid of being seen distributing it.