Chabot denounces false calls

Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Westwood, lashed out at a labor group last week for making automated phone calls to seniors in his district — including his mother and mother-in-law — that blame him for the confusing new Medicare prescription drug benefit.

Transcript of the call:

"Hello, I'm calling from Working America. Are you and your family having trouble figuring out the new Medicare prescription drug program? Call Congressman Steve Chabot. Congressman Steve Chabot received over $49,000 in contributions from the big drug companies and HMOs. Steve Chabot voted for a prescription drug program that has the drug companies and HMO industry laughing all the way to the bank and the rest of us scratching our heads. Call Congressman Chabot at (513) 684-2723 and tell him to stop working for the drug companies and start working for us."

"Not only is this just loose with the facts, but it’s wrong," Chabot said, explaining that he was one of 25 Republicans who voted against the Medicare prescription drug bill — despite pressure from President Bush and House GOP leaders to support it. The plan has been criticized for being too complicated.

Robert Fox, a spokesman for the AFL-CIO-affiliated group Working America, which is beind the calls, said the message is truthful because Chabot voted for a prescription drug plan even though he didn’t back the plan that passed.

"The call doesn’t specify a particlar bill," Fox said, adding that Chabot has accepted campaign contributions from the pharmecutical industry.

Chabot said this call is the latest in a string of automated calls from the group that are distorting his record. He said he is considering filing an election complaint against the group.

"These calls are full of distortions, inaccuracies and missinformation," Chabot said. "It’s really alarming that these secretive special interest groups feel that they can say and do anything. Next they'll be saying that I'm throwing senior citizens out of their homes and stealing candy from children."