CROOKED CRAMER’S CHRONICLES – CONTRADICTING HIMSELF ON TRADE WAR – LYING TO ND – CRAMER (R-SPECIAL INTERESTS)

Welcome to Cramer’s Chronicles where, every Friday, we’ll break down the latest and greatest weekly hits about Cramer’s crooked, self-serving, extreme, and gaffe-prone behavior that puts himself and his partisan politics ahead of North Dakotans.

CRAMER CONTRADICTS HIMSELF ON TRADE WAR TIMELINE. Kevin Cramer is contradicting himself on the trade war timeline—telling one audience that negotiations with China would “take a while,” and telling another that he “expect[s] some quick action.” His political doublespeak is even more egregious when you consider his acknowledgement that markets lost due to this trade war could “be lost for years.” But North Dakotans know why he’s suddenly faking interest: he’s worried about his election chances.

That reminds us: See how much time Cramer has left until his self-imposed September trade war deadline.

CRAMER CONTINUES LYING TO ND. Cramer just can’t seem to tell North Dakotans the truth – lying, distorting, and papering over his record to hide his self-interested, unsavory agenda.

HEADLINE: POLITIFACT: KEVIN CRAMER DISTORTS RECORD ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

  • “Cramer… touted a clean record without any support for shutdowns… We took a closer look.
  • Cramer has cast votes that indirectly resulted in a shutdown.
  • We found multiple instances where Cramer indirectly helped to cause a shutdown by voting for bills that defunded Obamacare — these bills had no chance of survival in the Senate or of being signed by then-President Obama. While Cramer’s actions were not direct votes on keeping the government open, they encouraged the 2013 shutdown.
  • We rate this statement Mostly False.

FORUM’S ZALESKI: CRAMER’S “FALSE” MEDICARE AD “WORST SPOT SO FAR.”

  • The ad’s premise is false. Cramer has always wanted to mess with Medicare—cut benefits, privatize portions of the program, etc. He can’t fudge his record, although he is one of the best fudge masters in Washington, D.C.
  • The ad relies on shrewdly ambiguous weasel-words: He will protect benefits for oldies like his mom (and me) and make sure Medicare is there for younger generations, like the kids in the ad. Sounds great. Notice the distinction? The distortion? He is vague about future Medicare for people currently in the workforce (would he gut benefits?), while he preaches to oldsters who are on the program now, who vote, that he’s their Medicare evangelist. It’s not blatant deceit; it’s duplicitous half-truth.

See more:
HEADLINE: PolitiFact: Kevin Cramer distorts Heidi Heitkamp’s record on banking regulations
HEADLINE: Washington Post: N.D. Republican’s Senate campaign ‘fact-checking’ website promotes false claim on CBO estimates
HEADLINE: TPM: Kevin Cramer’s Campaign Images Shot Far From Fargo

PAPERING OVER HIS MEDICARE, SOCIAL SECURITY RECORD. Surprise, surprise: Cramer is trying to paper over his record and fake support for protecting Medicare and Social Security with a toothless resolution that takes no concrete action to protect and strengthen these vital programs. But Cramer can’t erase the dozen times he’s jeopardized these programs, and North Dakotans will see this political stunt for what it truly is: a pathetic attempt to cover up his record of not standing up for North Dakota seniors in favor of his hyper-partisan, put-special-interests-first agenda.

CRAMER (R-SPECIAL INTERESTS). Remember Harold Hamm, the out-of-state billionaire who convinced Cramer to run by promising to help him fundraise? The High Plains Reader has an in-depth look at how Hamm’s money “trails to Cramer branches like tributaries of the Missouri River.” It makes you wonder, if Hamm and his outside special interests are bankrolling Cramer’s campaign, whose interests will Cramer look out for in D.C.?

HIDING CRAMER’S HEALTH CARE AGENDA. Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, and the rest of Cramer’s D.C. bosses don’t want voters to know that they’re gunning for another shot at making health care more expensive and less accessible for North Dakotans. One political operative referred to their plans to take away health care from millions as “like fight club. […] First rule is not to talk about it.” Will Cramer finally stand with North Dakotans against this dangerous plan or continue to kowtow to the special interests funding his campaign?

#FBF: CRAMER’S DISRESPECTFUL COMMENTS ABOUT VETS. Cramer once claimed that military service is often “a result of lack of other opportunity or revenue.” And, in case you missed it, Cramer was caught using a stock photo of an “authentic Vietnam veteran” in a campaign web ad, which a local veteran called “outrageous,” saying he “shouldn’t be surprised… Cramer has a long history of using veterans as political props.”

MUST READ – Grand Forks Herald: Heitkamp: Cramer’s support of trade war policies ‘present a threat to North Dakota’.

TWEET OF THE WEEK.

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Cramer Contradicts Himself on Trade War Timeline in Week Since Dem-NPL Launches Countdown Clock

(BISMARCK, ND) – It’s been a week and a half since the ND Dem-NPL launched its countdown clock to hold Congressman Cramer accountable for punting his responsibility to stand up for North Dakotans against this disastrous trade war. Rather than offering real, lasting solutions, Cramer is contradicting himself, telling one audience that negotiations with China would “take a while,” and telling another that he “expect[s] some quick action.” What’s more, he admits that the markets lost due to this trade war could “be lost for years” and that it’s causing pain for farmers – but that isn’t stopping him from playing politics with their livelihoods.

This political doublespeak comes just one week after Cramer was accused of his interest in the trade war stemming from, not out of a desire to help North Dakotans, but because he’s worried about his election chances.

See how much time Cramer has left until his self-imposed September deadline and get the fast facts about Cramer’s trade war here.


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Cramer Sides With Out-of-State Billionaire Over ND on Gutting Social Security, Medicare

(BISMARCK, ND) – Kevin Cramer’s preference for cutting Social Security and Medicare is well-known, from calls to raise the retirement age to implementing means testing for seniors’ hard-earned benefits. It’s not surprising then, that the out-of-state special interests bankrolling Cramer’s campaign also support slashing Social Security and Medicare.

One such donor is Illinois billionaire Richard Uihlein who has poured money into Cramer’s campaign, as well as Restoration PAC, which advocates for Social Security and Medicare to be “completely restructure[d].” Oh, and those same Uihlein-backed groups have funded Cramer’s campaign, too.

“Of course Kevin Cramer agrees with the extreme agenda of his out-of-state, special interest backers, rather than looking out for North Dakota’s seniors,” said Courtney Rice, Press Secretary for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “Cramer may try to paper over his desire to privatize Social Security and slash Medicare but, come November, North Dakotans will hold him accountable for putting his political interests above their own.”

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Cramer’s Trade War: Flip Flops, Blunders, and Outright Lies

(BISMARCK, ND) – Curious about Kevin Cramer’s awkward, yet full-throated embrace of the trade war? We’ve got you covered with a roundup of his flip flops, blunders, and outright lies as he rushes to convince North Dakotans he’s on their side.

1. When it’s politically convenient, Cramer claims he’s no fan of the trade war– but, in reality, he’s been its biggest cheerleader. 
Shot:

  • Cramer: “The other big dispute that he and I have right now of course is over the use of tariffs. Which I’ve been very strong about, right at the beginning… So I’ve disagreed with him on the use of tariffs in this trade war.”

Chaser:

  • Cramer: “Some people are saying, ‘We need to get out of this trade war.’ There’s only one thing to do in a war, and that is win it. And it would be a lot easier for Donald Trump to win the trade war if the people that are supposed to be on his side would get behind him, rather than fighting with him.”

2. Cramer doesn’t have a clue as to how this trade war is affecting our pocketbooks – and doesn’t care to learn.
Shot:

  • Cramer: “Soybeans are one of those products where there’s a very high demand and a short supply. That means there will always be a pretty good price for soybeans.”

Chaser:

3. Cramer claims the administration’s $12 billion bailout is more than enough to erase his politically motivated mistake, but experts disagree. 
Shot:

  • Cramer: “I think that there’s a chance that we won’t need all $12 billion, if any of it.”

Chaser”

4. Cramer claims he wants to help farmers suffering from the trade war… except when the proposal to help comes from his political opponent.
Shot:

  • Cramer: “My office has contacted Secretary Perdue to urge him to use every tool provided to him under the Farm Bill.”

Chaser:

  • Williston Herald: “Congressman Kevin Cramer, who is in a pitched battle for North Dakota Senator with Heitkamp, said he doesn’t think such a bill [like hers] is needed.”
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Cramer Tries to Paper Over His True Record on Medicare & Social Security

(BISMARCK, ND) – We’re less than 13 weeks out from Election Day, so it’s no surprise that Kevin Cramer is trying to paper over his record and fake support for protecting Medicare and Social Security. But Cramer can’t erase the dozen-plus times he’s jeopardized these vital programs, from refusing to fully protect Medicare for folks who are 50 and under to calling for raising the retirement age and means testing for Social Security benefits.

What’s more, Cramer’s resolution on Medicare and Social Security is a toothless gesture and takes no concrete action to protect and strengthen these programs that over a hundred thousand North Dakotans rely on.

“It’s election season, so of course Kevin Cramer is trying to mislead North Dakotans about his real record,” said Courtney Rice, Press Secretary for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “But North Dakotans will see this political stunt for what it truly is: a pathetic attempt to cover up his record of not standing up for North Dakota seniors in favor of his hyper-partisan, put-special-interests-first agenda.”

Reminder: This isn’t the first time Cramer has lied to North Dakotans, hoping they won’t notice his actual record:
Zaleski, The Forum: “The [Medicare] ad’s premise is false. Cramer has always wanted to mess with Medicare—cut benefits, privatize portions of the program, etc. He can’t fudge his record, although he is one of the best fudge masters in Washington, D.C.”
HEADLINE: PolitiFact: Kevin Cramer distorts record on government shutdown.
HEADLINE: PolitiFact: Kevin Cramer distorts Heidi Heitkamp’s record on banking regulations.
HEADLINE: Washington Post: N.D. Republican’s Senate campaign ‘fact-checking’ website promotes false claim on CBO estimates.

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Cramer Reveals Why He’s Concerned About the Trade War: Election Day

(BISMARCK, ND) – It’s been known that Congressman Cramer puts politics above the interests of North Dakotans, and his latest comments are just further proof. After his trade town hall in Grafton – where Cramer was met with an avalanche of editorials and bad news about the disastrous effects of the trade war – he recounted a conversation with the president where he revealed the real reason he’s worried about the trade war: his election chances. From Mike Jacobs, of the Grand Forks Herald:

“In a brief conversation after the Grafton meeting he said that Trump has reassured him that he has farmers’ interest in mind, and that he should be patient. Cramer’s reply, he said, was, ‘Yes, Mr. President, but I have a timeline of my own.’ Election Day is 14 weeks away, and the days are passing.”

“While the trade war has cost North Dakota’s farmers hundreds of millions of dollars, Cramer is worried about the election,” said Courtney Rice, Press Secretary for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “If North Dakotans didn’t know where Cramer’s priorities were before, they know now.”

One week ago, the Dem-NPL launched a countdown clock to hold Cramer accountable for kicking his responsibility to stand up for North Dakota against the trade war down the road. See how much time he has left before his self-imposed deadline here.

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Dem-NPL Caucus Leadership Demands Stenehjem Remove North Dakota from Anti-Health Care Lawsuit

In a letter to ND AG Wayne Stenehjem, Dem-NPL leaders outline damages for hundreds of thousands of North Dakotans if critical protections are removed

(BISMARCK, ND) — Today, the leadership of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL caucussent a letter to Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem demanding he remove North Dakota as a party to a lawsuit that would remove critical protections for hundreds of thousands of North Dakotans and strip away health coverage for tens of thousands who gained coverage through the state’s Medicaid expansion.

“Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, by joining this lawsuit, is actively working to remove critical protections for over 316,000 North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions and kicking over 20,000 people off the bipartisan Medicaid expansion,” said North Dakota House Minority Leader Corey Mock. “It’s not just bad policy, but it’s a cruel and inappropriate move meant to score political points. It is Congress’ job to keep what is right and fix what is wrong with health care policy. I urge our Republican colleagues — including candidates for state and federal office — to join Democratic-NPL leaders to apply our attention and resources to find sensible, bipartisan solutions to this growing, nonpartisan problem.”

Watch the press conference here.

Text of the letter is below and can be viewed on the Dem-NPL website.

Honorable Wayne Stenehjem
North Dakota Attorney General
600 E. Boulevard Ave Dept. 125
Bismarck ND 58505

Dear Mr. Stenehjem,

We correspond with you today to formally request that you act immediately in your capacity as North Dakota Attorney General to vacate and discontinue any actions that you have taken, and are taking, to include the State of North Dakota as a plaintiff party in the lawsuit styled, Texas et. al. vs. United States et al., as pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Civil Action No. 4:18-cv-00167.

This lawsuit, which is being prosecuted principally by the Attorney General of the State of Texas, would strike down protections people now have under the law that a health insurance company cannot use people’s health insurance against them including pre-existing conditions. Furthermore, the lawsuit would end North Dakotans getting help with health insurance premiums when they cannot afford them and children being able to be on family policies until age 26.

In North Dakota, over 316,000 people with pre-existing conditions are now able to take advantage of protections extended to them by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). These people, who suffer from conditions such as cancer or diabetes, would lose the critical ACA safeguards which grant them access to affordable health care insurance coverage, if this lawsuit which you have joined, should be successful. If Judge Reed O’Connor ends up ruling in favor of the attorneys general who have brought this Texas lawsuit, the consequences will be devastating for thousands of working families.

Republican Governor Dalrymple worked to expand Medicaid in our state with bipartisan majorities. Since passed in April 2013, over 22,000 North Dakotans have gained potentially life-saving health coverage through this program made possible by the ACA. Sadly, if this lawsuit brought by attorneys general is favorably ruled upon the tens of thousands of vulnerable North Dakotans who gained coverage through the program will be left without access to health insurance of any kind.

While the Affordable Care Act is not perfect, the responsibility for fixing the ACA should be borne by members of the United States Congress, who should responsibly and quickly keep what works in the ACA – such as its protection for those suffering from pre-existing medical conditions – while finding solutions for aspects of the ACA which need to be fixed.

Put simply, this lawsuit in which you now participate is an inappropriate approach to fix what is wrong with our health care system – particularly where your lawsuit seeks to destroy protection for the thousands of North Dakotans who suffer from pre-existing medical conditions – where parties and the other proponents of the suit have no solution or alternative to protect these people who literally face life-and-death consequences from it.

For these reasons, we ask that you immediately act to remove the State of North Dakota as a party to this Texas federal court lawsuit, and that you act forthwith to use cease using resources within your office to challenge and effectively repeal North Dakota Century Code sec. 50-24.1-37, commonly referred to as Medicaid expansion.

Sincerely,

Representative Corey Mock
Minority Leader
North Dakota House of Representatives

Senator Joan Heckaman
Minority Leader
North Dakota Senate

Cramer (R-Special Interests)

(BISMARCK, ND) – In case you missed it, the High Plains Reader detailed how Harold Hamm, a “verifiable master of puppets” was a key player behind Kevin Cramer’s run for a promotion he hasn’t earned, and funneled buckets of money to Cramer and his campaign. Don’t forget, Cramer himself admitted that he decided to run because Hamm, an out-of-state billionaire, promised to help him fundraise – not out of a desire to serve North Dakotans.

High Plains Reader: Master of Puppets
By C.S. Hagen
August 1, 2018

Key Points:

  • […] Hamm and his net worth of $19.5 billion became the decision maker for Cramer accepting Hamm as his national finance chairman.
  • Hamm, with his billions in North Dakota oil profits, became Cramer’s national finance chairman in February, which was a deciding factor in Cramer’s flip-flopping stance on whether to run against Heitkamp, or not.
  • Hamm’s company, Continental Resources, is based in Oklahoma, and has also contributed $1,204,950 in campaign funds in 2018, according to Open Secrets, Center for Responsive Politics.
  • For years, Hamm’s money trails to Cramer branches like tributaries of the Missouri River. Sometimes donations are direct deposits to Cramer, at other times the funds are processed through PACs and committees. More than 50 percent of Cramer’s funds for his U.S. Senate run have come from large and primarily out-of-state contributors such as Energy Transfer Partners, the parent company of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
  • In 2018, Continental Resources has given $7,400 directly to Cramer, and Hamm has personally signed over $8,100 to Cramer in two different installments.
  • The oil magnate also donated $50,000 to the Cramer Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee, which then shoveled $155,282 to Cramer this year. Another $5,000 of Hamm’s money went to the Badlands PAC, also a committee for Cramer, which so far has sent $72,440 on to Cramer.
  • Hamm gave $33,900 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, a Republican campaign group for the Senate, which donated $80,376 directly to the Cramer Victory Fund.
  • The joint fundraising committee supplied a total of $155,000 to Cramer’s campaign, more than $72,000 to the Badlands PAC, and $65,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, according to the Open Secrets, Center for Responsive Politics.
  • Kevin Cramer is tied for the top recipient after receiving $47,000 from the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Read the full article here.

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ICYMI: PolitiFact: Cramer “Distorts Record on Government Shutdown”

(BISMARCK, ND) – Between PolitiFact’s finding that Cramer “distorts [his] record” on voting for government shutdowns to The Forum’s Jack Zaleski finding that “the premise” of Cramer’s Medicare ad “is false […] Cramer has always wanted to mess with Medicare,” Cramer just can’t seem to tell North Dakotans the truth – twisting, distorting, and lying about his record to hide his real, unsavory agenda.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Politifact: Kevin Cramer distorts record on government shutdown
By Manuela Tobias
August 6, 2018

Key Points:

  • Cramer, running to unseat Democrat Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, touted a clean record without any support for shutdowns… We took a closer look.
  • Cramer has cast votes that indirectly resulted in a shutdown.
  • We found multiple instances where Cramer indirectly helped to cause a shutdown by voting for bills that defunded Obamacare — these bills had no chance of survival in the Senate or of being signed by then-President Obama. While Cramer’s actions were not direct votes on keeping the government open, they encouraged the 2013 shutdown.
  • We rate this statement Mostly False.

Read the full article here.

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ICYMI: Zaleski Dubs Cramer’s “False” Medicare Ad “Worst Spot So Far”

(BISMARCK, ND) – This column from The Forum’s Jack Zaleski speaks for itself.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Forum:

  • Worst spot so far: Cramer. He uses his mother and two kids to assure North Dakotans he won’t mess with Medicare.
  • The ad’s premise is false. Cramer has always wanted to mess with Medicare—cut benefits, privatize portions of the program, etc. He can’t fudge his record, although he is one of the best fudge masters in Washington, D.C.
  • The ad relies on shrewdly ambiguous weasel-words: He will protect benefits for oldies like his mom (and me) and make sure Medicare is there for younger generations, like the kids in the ad. Sounds great. Notice the distinction? The distortion? He is vague about future Medicare for people currently in the workforce (would he gut benefits?), while he preaches to oldsters who are on the program now, who vote, that he’s their Medicare evangelist. It’s not blatant deceit; it’s duplicitous half-truth.
  • The fib is bad, but exploitation of mom is worse. She probably wants to help her son. It’s what moms do. But in the ad she looks painfully ill at ease. It’s uncomfortably obvious she would rather not be at center stage in a phony drama. Unconvincing ad. Kinda creepy.

Read more on Cramer’s true record on Medicare here and here.

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BREAKING: Washington GOP Elite & Cramer Still Trying to Sabotage Health Care

(BISMARCK, ND) – Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan are gunning for another shot at sabotaging North Dakotans’ health care if Kevin Cramer and others are elected to the Senate – but they want to keep it a secret from voters, with one political operative referring to their plans to take away health care from millions as “like fight club. […] First rule is not to talk about it.” That would mean North Dakotans could face higher premiums, less comprehensive coverage, an age tax, and no guarantee of coverage for pre-existing conditions.

“Health care sabotage is deeply unpopular, yet Kevin Cramer is following Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan to once again jeopardize health care – all because his out-of-state special interest donors want him to,” said Courtney Rice, Press Secretary for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “It’s high time Cramer stood with North Dakotans in protecting their care, not the special interests who bankroll his campaign.”

Reminder: Health care remains top of mind for voters. Results of a HuffPost/YouGov poll found “American voters are more likely to say they’re focused about health care than any other issue” and Kaiser Health reported that many Americans are worried “about their out-of-pocket costs increasing so high that” they won’t be able to afford care.

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Look Back: Cramer’s Repeated Disrespect of Our Military and Vets

(BISMARCK, ND) – Don’t let his TV commercials and spin fool you. Kevin Cramer’s history of disrespect for our service members and veterans is well-documented.

Here’s a look back at all the ways Cramer has disrespected our service members and veterans.

“Kevin Cramer’s comments go so far as to question the patriotism of our service men and women and veterans – and that’s unacceptable.” said Courtney Rice, Press Secretary for the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “Cramer has shown his true colors time and again when it comes to what he thinks of our service members, and that’s why North Dakotans know his ads are an election year sham.”

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