Jackson Free Press

Oct. 3 statement (verbatim): Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor Barbara Blackmon today called on her opponent to agree to a televised debate focusing on jobs and Mississippi 's economy and to condemn the secret spending that has resulted in vicious negative attack ads that distort her record. "The unfair attack by Amy Tuck and her big buck backers are occurring because I have the strongest economic development message in this campaign," Blackmon said. "I have put foreword a detailed, multi-point plan to create jobs and to get the economy moving. On Amy Tuck's watch, the state has lost 44,000 jobs, and she has not spearheaded any major economic development efforts."

"My opponent has launched an advertising campaign saying Mississippi 's economy is stuck in the mud. She should know," Blackmon said. "Ms. Tuck devised a trigger mechanism to raise teachers' salaries that was so fiscally unsound, we in the Legislature had to eventually overturn it."

"As chairman of the Legislative Budget Committee, Ms. Tuck recommended and passed a budget with inflated and incorrect budget projections. Under her leadership, these bogus budget projections have brought this state to the brink of fiscal disaster."

Ms. Tuck is once again benefiting from hundreds of thousands of dollars of campaign cash from secret, big bucks backers," Blackmon said. "My message is working. According to a number of newspapers, we are ahead in the polls. Amy is in trouble because of her lack of an economic development record of her own and now she and her big bucks backers are unfairly attacking me."

In Tuck's 1999 campaign she received over $500,000 in loans which she failed to appropriately disclose. This year, she is benefiting from an advertising blitz, paid for by secret special interests who call themselves "Progress America Group." This week's TV buy placed by this secret special interests group appears to be at least $170,000 and may well total over $500,000 if it continues at this rate. Two days ago, "Progress America Group" had not filed any information with the Federal Election Commission and did not appear to be registered with the Mississippi Secretary of State, according to an internet search.

"The people of Mississippi won't stand for a Lieutenant Governor who is backed by secret, special interest contributions," said Blackmon. "It's not right and I don't think that the people of Mississippi would want a Lieutenant Governor who is bought and paid for by secret special interest groups."

"Today, I challenge my opponent to do two things: 1) condemn these vicious, unfair television ads against me, and 2) agree to a televised debate within the next ten days to discuss jobs and the economy. The best way to keep this state, and this race, out of the mud is to focus on and debate how to create jobs and get Mississippi 's economy moving again," Blackmon said.