Jennings Campaign Calls on Buchanan to Answer Allegations

“Instead of answers, all we’ve seen are more lawsuits” 

SARASOTA, FL – August 27, 2008 – The campaign of Christine Jennings, Democratic candidate for Florida’s 13th Congressional District, issued the following statement in response to Rep. Buchanan’s ongoing failure to directly answer the lawsuits filed against him and his businesses over the past three months: 

“While Vern Buchanan and his businesses have decided to sue whistleblowers, consumer advocates and former customers who have come forward to allege systematic consumer fraud at his auto dealerships and serious campaign finance violations, Vern Buchanan himself has been disturbingly silent about these allegations,” said Jennings campaign spokesperson Melissa Smith. “Instead of answers, all we’ve seen are more lawsuits. And according to his campaign spokeswoman, Buchanan has gone on vacation for the week, continuing to deny the voters of the 13th District the explanations they deserve in these matters. 

“Vern Buchanan wants to have it both ways by portraying himself as a successful businessman, but then claiming to be only a ‘passive investor’ when his business practices are called into question, brushing aside the legitimate concerns these lawsuits have raised for many voters,” continued Smith. “This is just another chapter in Buchanan’s long history of lawsuits, questionable business practices and allegations of consumer fraud. 

“When asked by journalists from the American News Project about how he would respond to the allegations should they turn out to be true, Vern Buchanan’s response was, ‘First off, that’s going to be way after the election.’  (http://newsproject.org/node/111) The time has already long past for Vern Buchanan to give voters the answers and honesty they expect from the person who they have trusted to represent them in Washington, and they certainly shouldn’t have to wait until after the election for those answers,” concluded Smith.

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