News
In The News
LINDA MCMAHON: TOO GOOD TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, HIDING BEHIND HER MONEY
LINDA MCMAHON REFUSES TO ANSWER BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT HER "SOLE QUALIFICATION" FOR PUBLIC OFFICE McMahon Is Refusing To Address A Myriad Of Questions Regarding Her Record, Frequently Attacking The Questioner Instead Rather Than Answer Questions, McMahon Attacks The Questioner. "If you've been following this five-month campaign coverage journey, it's not surprising. McMahon's camp has rarely directly addressed a question related to WWE, but typically has focused on attacking the person bringing up questions." (James Caldwell, "WWE News: Linda McMahon's Campaign Spokesman No-Sells Opponent's Big 10 Questions," pwtorch.com, 3/4/10) Rather Than Answer Questions About The Congressional Investigation Into WWE, Linda McMahon Attacks. "'Voters unfortunately have come to expect that politicians will say anything and attack on any issue, no matter how specious or invalid, in order to protect their political careers,' Patru said. 'That is part of what's wrong with politics, and it's why so many voters are gravitating toward Linda.' Asked whether McMahon considers ONDCP's failure to act a vindication of WWE's policies, Patru said, 'I think most voters understand the difference between publicity stunts and big issues that directly impact their lives -- issues like jobs, spending and debt.'" (Brian Lockhart, "WWE Steroid Investigation: A Controversy McMahon 'Doesn't Need,'"Hearst Newspapers, 3/1/10) But WWE Has Never Answered The Questions Raised By The Findings In The Congressional Investigation Into WWE. "Waxman issued his letter on Jan. 2, 2009. WWE has had over one year to, if the company so desired, craft a point-by-point rebuttal. ... If such a point-by-point rebuttal of Waxman's concerns exists, none was provided for my story." (Brian Lockhart, "WWE Responds To Steroids Probe Story," Political Capitol" Blog, blog.ctnews.com, 3/4/10) WWE Attacked Hearst Newspapers Who Refused To Simply Mimic The Company's Corporate Line, Calling Their Reporting "Questionable Journalism." "WWE welcomes any and all objective, qualified and independent scrutiny of its Talent Wellness Program, which is available in its entirety at the corporate website www.corporate.wwe.com. We invite the media to compare our program to any other steroid testing program currently in place. Until the Connecticut-based Hearst Newspapers do a thorough examination of the WWE's Talent Wellness Program, we believe readers are paying for questionable journalism." (Brian Lockhart, "WWE Responds To Steroids Probe Story," Political Capitol" Blog, blog.ctnews.com, 3/4/10) Rather Than Answer The Questions Posed Concerning The Congressional Investigation, Linda McMahon Attacked Rob Simmons' Campaign Staff Personally, Calling Them "Hacks" And Inviting Simmons To Ask The Questions Directly. "'If Rob Simmons would like to confront Linda on new issues or even re-litigate old issues, he should stop hiding behind his campaign hacks and ask Linda directly,' he said." (Brian Lockhart, "Simmons Demands Steroid Answers From McMahon," Greenwich Time, 3/3/10)
A Greenwich Time Editorial Notes That While "Linda McMahon Is Basing Her Campaign In Large Part On Her Role Running" WWE, "Her Answers Have Been, At Best, Unsatisfying." "Republican Senate candidate Linda McMahon is basing her campaign in large part on her role in running a successful worldwide business, Stamford-based WWE. ... McMahon has a thin resume on which to base a Senate campaign. ... To date, on the most troubling issue raised about her business career, her answers have been, at best, unsatisfying. She needs to do better." (Editorial, "More Questions On Steroid Abuse," The Greenwich Time, 3/1/10) Linda McMahon And WWE Refuse To Give Reporters The Same Access Congressional Investigators Had Which Led To Their Investigation's Troubling Findings. "Waxman arrived at his conclusions not after reviewing the WWE's wellness/steroids policies on its website, but after his bi-partisan staff held closed-door interviews with key WWE officials, including doctors overseeing the program, Linda McMahon, her husband Vince and daughter Stephanie. If WWE wants to make all of those same individuals available for one-on-one interviews with myself so they have the opportunity to thoroughly explain the facts and how Waxman got them wrong, as well as answer any other questions I might have, just name the time and the place. I'll work around your far-busier-than-mine schedules. If WWE is arguing it is unfair for me to report about Waxman's concerns without performing my own thorough review of the steroids program, the company needs to offer me the same opportunities as Waxman. Visiting the company's website isn't quite the same as sitting across the table from Vince McMahon." (Brian Lockhart, "WWE Responds To Steroids Probe Story," Political Capitol" Blog, blog.ctnews.com, 3/4/10) After Refusing To Answer Press Questions At A Recent Public Event, McMahon Attacked The Valley Independent Sentinel For Reporting As Much. "Linda McMahon's not ducking the press. She (or one of her handlers) said so Tuesday. In a written press release. The Republican U.S. Senate candidate issued a release blasting as 'preposterous' a report in the Valley Independent Sentinel detailing ways her stage-managed campaign has been avoiding chances for reporters to ask direct questions. (Paul Bass, "McMahon 'Reality Checks' Independent," New Haven Independent, 3/2/10) Rather Than Answering Legitimate Questions From New London Day Reporter Ted Mann About The McMahon Campaign's Failure To Provide Transparent Financial Reporting, McMahon Falsely Attacked Mann's Reporting As "Erroneous" And Baseless. "The [McMahon] campaign released a statement this morning from its attorney, Michael Toner, calling the story 'erroneous.' Well, it isn't. And Toner's statement is a vigorous demolition of a straw man, not a response to the questions that gave rise to the article." (Ted Mann, "Suplex On A Straw Man: Linda McMahon, The FEC And Disclosure," The New London Day's "News" Blog, www.theday.com, 12/11/09) When Former WWE Champion "Superstar" Billy Graham Criticized McMahon, Rather Than Answer His Charges About McMahon's Treatment Of Her Workers And WWE Programming, McMahon Launched A Personal Attack On Graham. '"Billy Graham is a source with complete and total lack of credibility,' said Ed Patru, McMahon's campaign manager." (Erika Lovely, "Wrestlers lob past at McMahon," Politico, 12/7/09) When Former WWE Champion Bruno Sammartino Criticized McMahon For WWE's Programming, Rather Than Address Sammartino's Charges, McMahon Personally Attacked Sammartino And Billy Graham. "[Linda McMahon] called Graham a 'self-confessed liar' and dismissed Sammartino as someone who has 'still got sour grapes because he didn't make as much money as the guys today are making.'" (Aaron Blake, "Linda McMahon's rise puts wrestling's dangerous history in spotlight," The Hill, 12/07/09) Although She Is Self-Financing Her Campaign To The Tune Of Tens Of Millions Of Dollars, McMahon Refused To Answer Questions About Her Finances, Including Releasing Her Tax Return. "The newspaper chain submitted a list of 16 questions -- ranging from what kind of watch do you wear to what schools do your children attend to what restaurants do you most frequently patronize -- to those running for governor and U.S. Senate. Several candidates -- notably mega-millionaire Linda McMahon -- opted not to participate." (Daniela Altimari, "The Lives Of Others," The Hartford Courant's "Capitol Watch" Blog,blogs.courant.com, 3/11/10) One Of The Questions McMahon Refused To Answer Requested Her Most Recent Tax Filing. QUESTION: "Would you provide us a photocopy of the front sheet of your most recent IRS tax filing, including income, tax deductions and taxes paid?" (Kevin Rennie, "Will Anyone Answer, 'The Bada Bing?'" "Daily Ructions" Blog, www.dailyructions.com, 3/9/10) McMahon Refused To Be Interviewed For A CNN Profile On Her Lavish Spending To Buy The Election. "We tried to interview Linda McMahon for our story on AC360° tonight, but her campaign staff repeatedly told us she was too busy." (Randi Kaye, "Cost Of Entry: 50 Million Bucks!" CNN's "AC 360" Blog, ac360.blogs.cnn.com, 3/3/10) During A Recent McMahon Event, "Inquiries From The Sole Reporter Attending The Event Were Eventually Shut Down By A Press Wrangler." "During an appearance Thursday night in front of the Seymour Town Republican Committee at the town's community center, McMahon took questions from the public - but inquiries from the sole reporter attending the event were eventually shut down by a press wrangler after McMahon's speech. ... The well-funded campaign has tried, in general, to seal off McMahon from reporters. Rather than alert the press to public events, even after repeated requests, it often posts YouTube videos after the fact and distributes the link to the media instead." (Joseph Cole, "Linda McMahon Makes Her Case In Seymour," Valley Independent Sentinel, 2/26/10) WHY? Because WWE, "Her Sole Qualification For Public Office," Is Also "McMahon's Biggest Vulnerability" That Opponents Will Use To "Make A Compelling Case Against Her To Repel Voters"
The Washington Post Notes McMahon's WWE Background Is "Her Sole Qualification For Public Office." "[S]gt. Slaughter, the '80s-era professional wrestling character ... wrestled for McMahon, whose entire business experience -- her sole qualification for public office -- has been built on the broad backs of muscle-men and -women in spandex." (Jason Horowitz, "Linda McMahon, From Co-Founder Of The WWE To U.S. Senate Candidate," The Washington Post, 2/22/10) Politico's Josh Kraushaar: "McMahon's Biggest Vulnerability As She Runs For The Senate In Connecticut Is Her Career As Chief Executive Officer Of The WWE..." "Linda McMahon's biggest vulnerability as she runs for the Senate in Connecticut is her career as chief executive officer of the WWE, an entertainment product that has featured a healthy share of violence and sexually-explicit material over the years. McMahon has played down her professional background on the campaign trail, and dismisses the criticism of the WWE, calling it family-friendly entertainment." (Josh Kraushaar, "A Smackdown Against Linda McMahon,"Politico's "The Scorecard" Blog, www.politico.com, 11/18/09) Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Focus Groups And Polling Determined That If Linda McMahon Is The Nominee, "They Found They Could Make A Compelling Case Against Her To Repel Voters." "But in December, the DSCC polled the race again and conducted several focus groups to get a sense of the direction of the race. If the Republican nominee turned out to be former Rep. Rob Simmons, the general election would have remained all about Dodd, their data showed. If former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon became the nominee, they found they could make a compelling case against her to repel voters." (Erin McPike, "Menendez Took Reins For Dem Leadership In Dodd Decision," National Journal's "Congress Daily," www.nationaljournal.com, 1/7/10) DESPITE AVOIDING QUESTIONS, LINDA MCMAHON TALKS ABOUT BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT HER RECORD Linda McMahon Claims "It's Time For A Senator Who Is Straightforward And Honest About Her Record" Linda McMahon Mailer: "It's time for a Senator who is straightforward and honest about her record..." (Linda For Senate 2010 Mailer Financed By WWE Profits)
A Stamford Advocate Editorial Notes That McMahon Refuses To Address Questions Regarding "The Sexual And Violent Nature Of WWE's Programming, As Well As Its Reputation As A Business That Turned A Blind Eye To Steroid Use..." "She had to expect that her opponents would pounce on the sexual and violent nature of WWE's programming, as well as its reputation as a business that turned a blind eye to steroid use and other activities by its wrestlers that some critics say have contributed to the deaths of a high number of them. To date, however, Ms. McMahon has not offered a suitable reckoning that will put those points to rest..." (Editorial, "WWE Rep Will Hound McMahon," The Stamford Advocate, 1/4/10)
McMahon: "If You're In Government Your Responsibility Is To The People Who've Elected You Then You Have To Maintain That Transparency." "So you have to be really careful and make sure your actions are transparent, that your negotiations are straight forward. If you're in government your responsibility is to the people who've elected you then you have to maintain that transparency." ("Q&A: Linda McMahon Talks West Hartford, Politics," West Hartford News, www.linda2010.com, 11/30/09)
