During a time of unprecedented economic hardship locally and across the country, we have found out where Vern Buchanan thinks our tax dollars should be spent...pumping up his own campaign! As the Sarasota Herald Tribune reported today, Buchanan has spent thousands on calls and mailers full of campaign rhetoric and self-promotion, and taxpayers are footing the bill.

Christine is hearing it around the district-it is time for the status quo to go. It is time for new leadership that will put the concerns of people ahead of their own interests and get things done for Floridians instead of patting themselves on the back.

From today's Sarasota Herald-Tribune:

1/28/08
You got Buchanan's call. Now you'll pay for it.
By Jeremy Wallace

To tout his position on national energy policies, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan has initiated thousands of automated telephone calls at taxpayer expense.

In the approximately 20-second call that went to Sarasota County households this month, the Longboat Key Republican says the nation needs to become less dependent on foreign oil and have tougher gas mileage standards for automakers.

"Too many working families are feeling the squeeze of high energy prices," Buchanan said. "As your congressman, I opposed tax breaks for big oil and voted to crack down on price gouging at the pump."

Those elements were part of an energy bill Buchanan voted for in early 2007 and President Bush signed into law last month.

The seven-sentence robocall cost nearly $5,000, but did not include a note that it was at taxpayer expense. Buchanan spokeswoman Sally Tibbetts said that though mail pieces require the disclosure, automated calls do not.

"We're trying to use new technology to communicate with people," she said.

A week after the call, Buchanan sent out about 100,000 direct mail pieces, mostly to Sarasota County residents, that mentioned the federal money he won for projects in the 13th District, which includes all of Sarasota, Hardee and DeSoto counties, plus most of Manatee and part of Charlotte.