NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday March 4, 2008

Bee should apologize for negative attack on Giffords

Democrats today condemned the baseless negative attack launched by Republicans against Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords – the first in the race for Arizona’s 8th district.

“It’s disgraceful that nine months before the election, Republicans are already launching attacks against Congresswoman Giffords, who has done nothing but work tirelessly and effectively for her constituents. Last year she was in the district all the time and held hundreds of public forums,” said Emily Bittner, spokeswoman for the Arizona Democratic Party.

Furthermore, Congresswoman Giffords’ public record on domestic violence is impressive. She is a member of the Sexual Assault Violence Elimination (SAVE) Taskforce and the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues and has taken the following legislative action during her first term in Congress:

  • Cosponsored the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies (CARE) Act of 2007 (H.R. 464) Requires hospitals to provide emergency assistance to all victims of sexual assault.

  • Cosponsored the Compassionate Care for Servicewomen Act (H.R. 2064) Requires emergency assistance to victims of sexual assault at all military health care treatment facilities.

  • Submitted an earmark request last year for Catholic Community Services of Arizona for Renovation and Construction of Domestic Violence Shelters, $1,000,000 was requested to construct and renovate domestic crisis shelters in Sierra Vista and Douglas, Arizona, the sole domestic violence shelters in Cochise County.

  • Signed a letter in March 16, 2007 to leadership asking that they fully fund the Violence Against Women Act.

  • Signed a letter on January 24, 2008 to Defense Secretary Robert Gates voicing concern about the DoD’s efforts to protect Americans employed by government contractors in Iraq from violent crime and to ensure the needs of victims are met in light of allegations made by Jamie Leigh Jones, a Halliburton employee, that she was assaulted and gang raped by fellow employees while in Iraq.

  • Voted for legislation (H.R. 2764) that provides $400 million for grants and programs under the Violence Against Women Act. The funding will support projects designed to encourage police to make arrests in domestic violence cases, and to provide funding to prosecute cases involving violence against women.

“We expect a vigorous and dignified debate on the issues and on the candidates’ abilities to fight for Southern Arizona. But the GOP statement is a random, inaccurate and personal attack—demonstrating an ugly political tone that most Americans are tired of. Tim Bee should apologize and condemn the statements of his state party in the strongest terms.”

In a press release from March 3, Arizona GOP executive director Sean McCaffrey said: “Has Congresswoman Giffords done anything for domestic violence victims recently? Highly doubtful. She has been spending more time in Texas than in her district. President Bee actually has his finger on the pulse of his district, she’s quickly losing touch.” (http://azgop.org/News/Read.aspx?ID=7253)

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