I know this seems hard to believe, but the Johnson campaign get's these ready-bake ads and run them here in Wisconsin without looking at them. They should have definitely looked at this one.
Not only did they attack Feingold on revenue bonds, (which they earlier insisted WASN'T government spending), but this part of the stimulus wasn't ever used, making the ad completly bogus:
In one instance, the ad says $25 million was spent on snowmaking machines and chairlifts in Vermont.
However, the $25 million was not a cash outlay. Rather, the $25 million was for the issuance of Recovery Zone Facilities Bonds, according to the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA).
And, as it happens, an official for the Mount Snow Ski Resort in West Dover, Vt., the intended recipient of the bonds, confirmed Thursday that the ski lodge passed on the opportunity. No money was spent and no bonds were issued. A VEDA official said the facilities bonds are part of the economic stimulus bill, and are tax exempt for investors.
The official said the facilities bonds are similar to industrial revenue bonds. Those kinds of bonds became an issue earlier in the campaign when it was learned that Pacur, the plastics manufacturing company run by Johnson, had received at least $4 million in government-run industrial revenue bonds in the early years of his company.
I'm sure a "pants on fire" designation is forthcoming.
The best part is the Johnson campaign's repsonse:
The Johnson campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the Vermont bonds.
Yeah. I guess there is not a lot you can say, 'cept for maybe apologizing.
Here is a little video I made about this mail piece a few days ago: