Gov. Branstad, Hatch trade accusations of scandal, hypocrisy in new ads

CEDAR RAPIDS - Democratic Sen. Jack Hatch is ratcheting up his accusations that Gov. Terry Branstad's is the 'most scandal-ridden administration in the history of the state” in a new television ad.

Five-term Republican Branstad has his own attack ad, charging that Hatch, a property developer, lined his pockets with tax credits.

Hatch has launched a website, Branstad Wiki, http://shavethestache.com/wiki/ designed to track Branstad's scandals, mismanagement and broken promises. The campaign says it provides detailed background information on the governor's 'record of terrible decision making,” according to Hatch campaign manager Grant Woodard.

'It's been difficult to track all of the bad behavior in this administration, but we have gathered almost all of it here,” Woodard said Wednesday. 'Any Iowan who reviews the facts will conclude Terry Branstad has just been there too long.”

Employing the 'he started it” justification, Branstad defended an ad his campaign is running that claims Hatch has made millions of dollars off of tax credits.

'Well, first of all, he's got an attack ad against us,” Branstad said after speaking to Cedar Rapids Rotary West.

Branstad spokesman Tommy Schultz said it's disappointing Hatch 'has resorted to exclusively pushing nasty, negative attacks throughout the entirety of his campaign.”

The Branstad campaign has released eight positive ads, he said.

'However, if Jack Hatch thinks he can launch his wild distortions without a response exposing his liberal, out-of-touch record of personally profiting off the backs of taxpayers, he would be mistaken,” Schultz said.

Branstad called it hypocritical for Hatch to be attacking the 'great jobs we've created in southeast Iowa (while) he's made millions off of tax credits.”

He's referring to Hatch's criticism of development of a $1.4 billion fertilizer plant in Lee County being built by Orascom Construction Industries, which committed $110 million in state tax credits and $130 million in local tax breaks to the Egyptian-based conglomerate.

The Branstad response points out Hatch invested just $1,200 of his money to receive millions in tax credits.

'So it's all right if (tax credits) line his pockets and make him richer, but it's not OK if it creates good jobs in southeast Iowa,” Branstad said. 'It's hypocrisy and needs to be exposed.”

The attack ad is the type of mudslinging Iowans have come to expect from Branstad, Hatch said.

'His ads throughout this campaign have been false and misleading,” Hatch said. 'It's telling that a five-term incumbent is forced to turn to negative advertising in a campaign rather than talking about his own accomplishments.”

Branstad anticipates he and Hatch will discuss their differences further when they meet in their second debate at 7 p.m. Sept. 19 in Burlington. The debate will be carried live on C-SPAN.