Let MoveOn Move On

To the Editor:

And so it begins. The campaigning for the fall elections has started. MoveOn, a political organization, is sponsoring a commercial practicing “Smear with Fear” politics. The commercial’s target is the Honorable Congresswoman Nancy Johnson. For those voters unfamiliar with MoveOn, here is an excerpt from its website:

“The MoveOn family of organizations consists of two entities. MoveOn.org Civic Action, a 501(c)(4) organization, primarily focuses on education and advocacy on important national issues. And MoveOn.org Political Action, a federal political committee, primarily helps members elect candidates who reflect our values.”

I find it curious that I could not find a list of the MoveOn values at the MoveOn website. How do the MoveOn members know what candidates to support if they don’t know the MoveOn values? It maybe that MoveOn doesn’t care about values, perhaps they think it best to dictate their agenda to their membership without the need to explain the relationship between their political agenda and their values. The MoveOn website is not a balanced representation of the facts regarding the political issues. In my opinion, political credibility is rooted in a balanced presentation of the facts. MoveOn does not care about Connecticut’s Fifth District, their agenda is national. With that being said, I applaud all those who engage in the political debate. However, organizations representing themselves as “Educators of the Issues” when in fact they are really distorters of the truth, playing to voters fears in an attempt to smear political rivals rather than engage in an honest debate of the facts are despicable.

Nancy Johnson is a public servant who has faithfully and honorably represented the Fifth District. Nancy’s commitment to Newtown has earned and demands our respect. If you hate political mud-slinging the way I do, I encourage the voters of Newtown to go to the MoveOn.org website and to the Nancy Johnson attack ad. Then decide for yourself who deserves your vote. Knowledge is power!

Sincerely,

Chuck Stofko

Newtown Republican Committee Chairman

18 Chimney Swift Drive, Sandy Hook                       April 10, 2006