Congresswoman Bachmann Was No-Show at Elk River Citizens League Political Forum on Saturday

Press Release

Congresswoman Bachmann was no-show at Elk River Citizens League political forum on Saturday

Challenger El Tinklenberg said Rep. Michele Bachmann should face her constituents in the Sixth Congressional District and explain her votes, particularly the 95 percent that agree with President George Bush.

Bachmann did not come to the Voters Forum sponsored by the Elk River Citizens League Saturday morning. Her scheduler said she could not come because Congress is in session, "And she will be in Washington doing her job."

Tinklenberg, who is DFL endorsed, said Bachmann was in his hometown of Blaine Friday for the rally for Republican Presidential candidate John McCain.

Not showing up Saturday in Elk River "is disrespectful to the voters", Tinklenberg said.

When contacted Monday at her office in Washington, D.C., Bachmann's Chief of Staff, Michelle Marspon, said Bachmann was not in Washington Saturday. She was in Nowthen and Lino Lakes in her district.

A representative from her office was supposed to have represented Bachmann at the Elk River forum, Marspon said...

Tinklenberg criticized Bachmann for not coming to the forum and explaining why she signed a pledge to uphold President George Bush's vetoes this session.

He said she should come to her district and explain her votes against the Transportation bill, the Children's Health Insurance bill, the new GI bill, Bio-fuels bill, the Agricultural bill and a Medicare bill that would allow doctors to be paid.

"She's voted across the board for what Bush tells her," he said.

Tinklenberg said Bachmann's claim that drilling for oil now would change the price of oil is "ridiculous."

"If we drill first, we'll drain America first," he said. "We also need to keep our oil reserves."

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