PROJECT VOTE SMART: GUTKNECHT AD MISUSES PVS NAME AND REPUTATION

Project Vote Smart has released a public statement (now available at the Walz campaign site::

RELEASE DATE:  October 18, 2006 
FOR INFORMATION:
Adelaide Kimball:  406-859-8683
 
PUBLIC STATEMENT

Gil Gutknecht, a candidate for the 1st Congressional District in Minnesota, has attacked his opponent, Timothy Walz, with misleading information and used Project Vote Smart’s name to give his accusations credibility.  This kind of negative campaign activity is precisely the sort of tactic that the Project attempts to counter with its factual database.  By using the Project’s name to give credibility to these attacks, Gil Gutknecht is cheating the public out of their need for trusted, abundant, accurate, factual information.

The Project prohibits the use of its name and programs, including the National Political Awareness Test (NPAT), in partisan political advertising.  All candidates in Minnesota have been notified of this policy in writing.  Additionally, this policy is posted prominently on the Project Vote Smart website.

This kind of behavior occurs in less that 00.05 percent of all races nationally.  It is our policy to condemn this misuse of Project Vote Smart’s name and reputation and to alert the public to any misuse of our name or programs for negative political activities.

More on this story later.