Reske Calls On Mourdock To Apologize,
Asks Brooks To Denounce His Remarks
Asks Brooks to denounce remarks Brooks should return political contributions from supporters who share Mourdock’s views on rape.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN— Scott Reske, candidate for United States Congress in Indiana’s 5th District, today called on Richard Mourdock to apologize for his remarks and called on his opponent, Susan Brooks, to personally denounce Mourdock’s views.
“Richard Mourdock’s remarks are wrong, plain and simple,” said Reske. “Unfortunately, my opponent has continued to align herself with Mourdock and others who hold these extreme views that only serve to harm women. Just today, Ms. Brooks was scheduled to appear at a fundraising event with Mourdock in Carmel. In addition, her campaign finance report is filled with contributions from supporters of the personhood amendment and life at conception legislation,
which are based upon the same concept articulated by Mourdock last night, and would take away a woman's right to choose even in cases of rape.”
Reske said Brooks continues to align herself with Mourdock and continues to take political contributions from organizations that still back him.
“Ms. Brooks also sought and received the endorsement of Right to Life, an organization that says it still firmly stands with Mourdock, even after last night’s comments,” said Reske. “If Ms. Brooks disagrees with Mourdock, she should return the political contributions she has taken from Right to Life. I also again call on her to release the survey she completed for her Right to Life endorsement because I believe voters will be shocked by what they reveal about my opponent and her intention to pursue divisive social issues if elected.”
Reske supports ethics reforms, makes pledge to voters
Opponent Brooks refuses pledge to limit lobbyist influence
PENDLETON, IN— Scott Reske, candidate for United States Congress in Indiana's 5th Congressional District, today pledged to further ethics reforms in Congress and reiterated his call for his opponent to join him in limiting the influence of lobbyists.
“Americans deserve better than the Congress they have today,” said Reske. “Both parties must work together to strengthen ethical standards. Respect for Congress is at an all-time low, and in addition to the gridlock and inability to work together, it seems as though Congress passes ethical standards only to begin immediately finding loopholes when they should be finding ways to be more responsive to voters. An example of this is the current practice of non-profits locating in the same office as lobbyists, solely for the purpose of being able to continue the lavish perks on
Congress that lobbyists are no longer allowed to provide.
“I believe the power and influence of lobbyists is a big factor in the failure of Congress to be worthy of the public's confidence,” said Reske. “To address this, and to help restore the integrity of Congress, I pledge that neither I nor any member of my family will accept meals, trips or gifts from lobbyists. These same rules will apply to my staff. I will also keep a record of all lobbyist contact made, and make that information available to the public.”
“At Monday’s 5th District debate, I made a pledge for ethical standards and asked that my opponents join me,” said Reske.
“Chard Reid joined me in taking this promise to promote ethical standards, but Susan Brooks remained silent and ignored the issue altogether.
“Perhaps Ms. Brooks is hesitant to join me in promising to abide by ethical standards because she has been a registered lobbyist in Indiana during her time at a large law firm, or perhaps she believes she should be entitled to lavish perks most Americans find offensive. Restoring the integrity of Congress is long overdue and I ask that Ms. Brooks join me in this pledge.”
Reske endorsed by Congressman Lee Hamilton
PENDLETON, IN— Scott Reske, candidate for United States Congress in Indiana’s 5th District, was endorsed today by Congressman Lee Hamilton. Hamilton emphasized the importance of electing members to Congress who have a deep understanding of national security and defense issues.
“The threats in our world are serious and we need members in Congress who understand these issues and know what’s at stake,” said Hamilton. “After getting to know Scott Reske, I believe he is the best person in this race for the job. Scott has served in combat, as well as at the Pentagon. He has the experience and background to know what our priorities should be when it comes to defense and our military.
“We should not send troops into harm's way unless vital interests are at stake, our goals and strategy are clear, and always with the support and resources needed to assure the job is done,” said Hamilton.
“Decision-makers should always be aware of how individual policies fit into a larger image of America's role in the world.”
Hamilton also said we need a 21st Century approach to military spending in Washington to ensure that we are listening to the needs our military.
“As a Marine Corps Colonel assigned to the Pentagon, I saw defense expenditures forced by Congress that were unneeded and unwanted by our military,” said Reske.
“Ensuring that our service members have the best equipment and training begins with making sure the Federal
budget is in line with the needs of the military. With defense spending accounting for half of our Federal budget, and in times of budgetary restraints, true military experience by members of Congress becomes even more important.
“We are entering a time period where both traditional capabilities and special warfare capabilities will be equally important,” said Reske.
“The military will need to be asked to be more flexible and have a broader range of capabilities. In this current economic climate there will be key decisions on the structure and equipment of our military. Congress has fewer and fewer members who have the experience to understand these issues, which is critical in making decisions concerning
our military future.”
Lee H. Hamilton is a former Congressman from Indiana and an internationally respected statesman. He is director of the Center on Congress at Indiana University, and one of the nation’s foremost experts on Congress and representative democracy. Hamilton represented Indiana in the U.S. House of Representatives, establishing himself as a leading figure on foreign policy, intelligence and national security. In the years since he left public office in 1999, he has continued
to play a leading role in public affairs. He served as vice chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, known as the 9/11 Commission. He co-chaired the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel that assessed the situation in Iraq and in 2006 made recommendations on U.S. policy there. Currently he is co-chairman of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future.
Reske calls on Brooks to return contributions from National Right to Life
PENDLETON, IN— Scott Reske, candidate for U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 5th District, today responded to his opponent, Susan Brooks, being endorsed by National Right to Life and urged her to return the organization’s political contributions and release her official positions.
Reske said the endorsement shows Brooks will focus on divisive social issues instead of focusing on jobs and the economy, and that her seeking the endorsement of this group shows she does not share the priorities of 5th District voters.
“In order to win the Right to Life endorsement, candidates must agree to promote the group's agenda, which hurts women and does nothing to improve our economy or create jobs,” said Reske.
“In the tradition of Dan Burton, Brooks is aligning herself with extreme conservatives. Voters here are concerned about jobs, the economy and our Federal budget. They are concerned about elected officials who focus on divisive social agendas that in many cases serve to harm women.
“While my opponent pledges to take away women’s access to healthcare services, such as lifesaving cancer screenings, maternity care, family planning and breast cancer coverage, I will fight to protect these important programs, and I will fight any agenda that takes focus away from improving our economy and creating jobs.
“If my opponent intends to focus on jobs and the economy and not on pursuing the organization’s divisive agenda as a member of Congress, she should immediately return the political contributions given to her by National Right to Life.
"It is also very telling that Brooks has not publicized this endorsement. She wants to say one thing in public and another in private when courting her conservative special interest groups. I ask her to release her official answers from the National Right to Life candidate questionnaire and make her positions public.
"In the tradition of two of our great Hoosier public servants, Senators Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh, both of whom were criticized by Right to Life, I will focus on solving problems in a bipartisan manner. That requires finding common ground with people and not being committed to pushing divisive agendas."
Reske: Brooks continues to align herself with divisive Washington Insiders
PENDLETON, IN— Scott Reske, candidate for U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 5th District, said today that his opponent, Susan Brooks, has again aligned herself with an extreme Washington insider.
“Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers' record in Congress mirrors the divisiveness that has become the problem in Washington,” said Reske.
“The Congresswoman’s record includes opposition to stem cell research, cutting access to cancer screenings and affordable birth control, opposition to both the Lilly Ledbetter Act and the Fair Pay Act, and authoring and supporting numerous bills to take choice away from women. She is also on the record supporting the
transformation of Medicare into a voucher plan and cutting Social Security benefits.”
Reske said Rep. McMorris Rodgers (WA-5) is part of the partisan problem in Washington, voting with her party 97 percent of the time. He said McMorris Rodgers’ record is an indication of where Brooks’ priorities will be if elected.
"Again, Brooks has aligned herself with a Washington insider whose record shows extreme partisanship and a focus on divisive social issues that do nothing to improve our economy or save Social Security and Medicare,” said Reske.
“The pattern here is especially egregious on women's issues, where Brooks stands with politicians who seek to play politics with women's healthcare. If elected, Brooks would also be part of the Washington crowd seeking to stop advancements in scientific medical research. These positions are out of line with the views of 5th District voters and
show a lack of appropriate understanding of the electorate and a lack of focus on the important issues.
“While I’ve had to chide my opponent in this race for her lack of willingness to interact with voters, she has been very eager to meet with Washington powerbrokers whenever she gets the chance. Unfortunately, I doubt these powerbrokers have the interests of Indiana’s 5th District and Hoosier families on their minds.”
Brooks’ private event Wednesday will be held at Meridian Hills Country Club in Indianapolis. This follows a closed event last week at Highland Country Club where a similar group endorsed Brooks.
Reske endorsed by NRA in 5th Congressional District
PENDLETON, IN— Scott Reske, candidate for United States Congress in Indiana's 5th Congressional District, was endorsed this week by the National Rifle Association.
Reske is one of only two non-incumbent Democratic candidates who received the NRA endorsement for the U.S. House of Representatives for the November 6 General Election.
His Republican opponent, Susan Brooks, was not endorsed.
“I’m a strong Second Amendment advocate,” said Reske. “I’m a competitive shooter, who spent 28 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and served both on active duty and in the reserves, retiring as Colonel. In addition, I have served my community as a reserve deputy sheriff for five years.”
Reske has had a consistent “A” rating with the NRA and has protected Second Amendment rights as a state legislator.
“I witnessed firsthand the need for Second Amendment rights as a Marine stationed in Los Angeles during the city-wide riots in 1992,” said Reske.
“I believe it is one of our sacred rights as Americans to be able to protect ourselves and our property,” said Reske. “I protected these freedoms serving our country overseas in the U.S. Marine Corps, and in Congress I will continue to protect these rights set forth for us in the U.S. Constitution.”
10/1/2012 Reske: Congressional inaction on 2012 Farm Bill Unacceptable
PENDLETON, IN— Candidate for U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 5th District Scott Reske today expressed disappointment in Congress’ failure to act on the 2012 Farm Bill before leaving for the pre-election recess.
“This is yet another example of Congress’ failure to put politics aside and come up with a solution,” said Reske.
The 2008 Farm Bill expired on September 30, 2012, but many of the disaster assistance programs for crops and livestock expired last year.
“This summer’s heat and drought have devastated crops and have burdened livestock and dairy farmers both here in Indiana and across the country,” said Reske. “It is unacceptable that leaders in Congress left town without bringing the Farm Bill up for a vote, especially during the worst drought in 50 years.”
Sixteen million jobs are affected by this piece of legislation.
“Not only is passage of the Farm Bill important to farming communities, but to all of us,” said Reske. “The Farm Bill helps keep farmers operating, which keeps food costs reasonable for families and reduces our reliance on imported food.”
Reske said the Farm Bill would also ensure guidelines for food safety. The United States ranks first in food security and Reske said we owe it to our families to keep it that way.
“Congress' failure by allowing the Farm Bill to expire is one reason Americans are frustrated with Congress,” said Reske. “I hear from voters every day that they want common sense leadership that produces positive results for our country. People are tired of our Congress not being able to work together on something so necessary as making sure our farmers have a safety net and our families have access to safe and affordable food.
“The 2012 Farm Bill has bipartisan support, both in Congress and in the agricultural community,
and it’s unacceptable that no action was taken.”
9/26/2012 Reske addresses Brooks' refusal to debate
PENDLETON, IN— Scott Reske, the Democratic candidate for Congress in Indiana's 5th Congressional District, has called on Republican candidate Susan Brooks to participate in a series of debates throughout the district leading up to the November 6th general election.
Reske said 5th District candidates were invited to four debates, and while he and Libertarian candidate Chard Reid agreed to participate, Brooks declined to participate in all but one event.
“On Monday, I saw Susan and urged her to reconsider and participate in a series of debates throughout the district,” said Reske. “She responded that she did not have time in her schedule for public forums.
“Any person seeking elected office should be committed to openly and honestly discussing his or her views with voters,” said Reske. “Such interaction is essential to democracy.”
Reske said that a person who avoids interacting and discussing the issues with voters as a candidate, typically follows those same patterns once elected.
“I believe Susan is hesitant to discuss her views because she knows they are out of touch with 5th District voters,” said Reske. “For example, instead of focusing on jobs and economic issues such as equal pay for women, Susan has aligned herself with a group of Washington politicians who intend to cut Social Security and Medicare, and limit women’s healthcare options, including restricting access to life-saving cancer screenings, breast cancer treatment and maternity care.
“As a military officer, business owner and elected official, I know the importance of open communication, cooperation and balance in decision-making. As a Congressman, I will be accessible and transparent about my views and actions. I understand the importance of being held accountable to voters in our democracy. Voters should be skeptical of any candidate who does not make this same commitment.
“Despite Susan’s refusal to participate in an open dialog with voters, Chard and I welcome the opportunity to participate in the proposed forums and will work to ensure voters are clear on the choices they have in this election.”
9/20/2012 Reske disappointed in Congress' failure to create for veterans
PENDLETON, IN— Scott Reske, candidate for United States Congress in Indiana's 5th Congressional District, voiced his disappointment today in Washington’s failure to pass the Veterans Jobs Corps Act, which would fund firefighter and police officer positions filled by military veterans.
“No veteran should return from service to face homelessness or unemployment,” said Reske.
“The Veterans Jobs Corps bill would fill vacant public safety positions and put our veterans back to work.”
Reske said while unemployment rates among all veterans is lower than the national average, unemployment rates among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is higher than the national average.
“The Veterans Jobs Corps bill is common sense legislation that has had bipartisan input,” said
Reske. “It would put thousands of veterans to work as firefighters and police officers in communities that need more public safety officers.”
“It is our sacred duty to care for our veterans,” said Reske. “Washington voted to spend over $200 billion to bail out banks and voted to give tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires, yet Congress has failed to pass legislation that would create jobs for our returning heroes.”
9/10/2012 Reske announces priorities for veterans and military families
PENDLETON, IN— Scott Reske, candidate for U.S. Congress in Indiana’s 5th District, was joined today by military veterans to announce his legislative priorities for veterans and military families.
“There are three things we must do to honor our veterans,” said Reske. “We must make sure our service members have the best equipment and training, ensure that while our men and women are deployed their families are supported, and we must make sure our veterans are given proper health care and are able to transition back into civilian life when they return home.”
Reske said ensuring that our service members have the best equipment and training begins with making sure the federal budget is in line with the needs of the United States military.
“As a Marine Corps colonel assigned to the Pentagon, I saw defense expenditures forced by Congress that were unneeded and unwanted by our military,” said Reske.
“With defense spending accounting for half of our federal budget, and in times of budgetary restraints, true military experience by members of Congress becomes even more important. With limited resources, every time we buy equipment for political gain that is unwanted by the Department of Defense, it puts our men and women in harm’s way.”
Reske emphasized that our service members must be taken care of while they are deployed, but also when they return home.
“Advancements in battlefield medicine have allowed soldiers to survive injuries that would previously have been fatal,” said Reske. “Therefore, modern occupational therapy, rehabilitation and other medical advancements must be part of veteran care. For instance, we are now discovering that higher rates of alcoholism, substance abuse and suicide among veterans are linked to undiagnosed Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
As your Congressman I will work to expand the resources available for research and programs that will ensure our returning veterans have the health care they deserve.”
Reske said he would support the proposed Combat PTSD Act, funding the research to better recognize and treat brain disorders, and increase funding for combat medicine and prosthetic research.
“My personal experience with the VA has been positive,” said Reske. “Many people who work for the VA are veterans themselves, and we must make sure VA hospitals have the tools needed to care for our returning veterans.”
“After healing our veterans, our next priority is the transition back into civilian life,” said Reske. Reske said while unemployment rates among all veterans is lower than the national average, unemployment rates among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is higher.
“No veteran should return from service to face homelessness or unemployment,” said Reske.
Reske said he supports the following legislation to aid veterans with their transition back to civilian life:
• Improvements to the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, which creates better access to education and will help improve job prospects.
• The Returning Hero’s tax credit, which incentivizes firms to hire unemployed veterans.
• The Wounded Warrior tax credit, which doubles the existing credit for veterans with service-connected disabilities.
• Passage of the Veterans Jobs Corps, which helps get veterans jobs as first responders.
“Veterans are highly disciplined, educated and have developed transferrable skills during their time of service,” said Reske.
“Often, the problem lies not in qualifications but in marketing. I will introduce measures that aid businesses so that they understand the skills that veterans offer and that veterans can effectively translate those skills into the private sector.
“We must not forget about the military families who have also sacrificed much while their loved ones are serving. In Indiana, the General Assembly has made significant progress in the last few years concerning veterans and military families, and as a state legislator I’ve spearheaded efforts to support military families. We need to take these common sense ideas to Washington.”
Reske authored the Military Family Relief Fund, a program that provides funds for unexpected expenses for families during a loved one’s deployment and up to one year after. In addition, Reske co-authored legislation that makes it easier for active duty military family members to transfer professional licenses between states, such as teaching and nursing licenses.
“At a time when we’ve asked our citizens to step up to serve our country, it is unconscionable that there are proposals to cut resources for veterans, such as cutting thousands of jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs and making veterans health care a voucher system,” said Reske.
“These issues concerning veterans and defense are real to me. You can rest assured that I will not support any conflict that will unnecessarily sends our sons and daughters into harm’s way. I am one of the many Americans who have made the choice to serve our country, and on my first day in Congress I will bring almost thirty years of military experience to Washington.”
Scott Reske is an Iraq War veteran and retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel, who served as a helicopter pilot while on active duty. He has served his community as state representative, a volunteer firefighter and as a reserve deputy sheriff. Reske is an experienced business owner, who lives in Pendleton with his wife, Jenny, and has three children.