Dan Coats’ television ad ‘Judgment’ has been on the air for almost a week and campaign momentum continues to grow. Today, we’re pleased to announce the launch of the Dan Coats for Indiana Law Enforcement Coalition. Citing national security as a top issue, over 100 members of the law enforcement community including sheriffs, patrol officers and prosecutors have joined together to support Dan’s candidacy for the U.S. Senate.
In a web video available here, Wayne County Sheriff Matt Strittmatter, Co-Chair of the Law Enforcement Coalition, cites as one of his major concerns “the very real threats facing our nation from terrorists.” He adds, “As our Senator, Dan Coats will fight the extremely dangerous attempt by President Obama and the Democratic controlled Congress to transport terrorist detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United States – and house them right next door to Indiana in Thomson, Illinois. If this happens, the terrorists could have the same legal rights as you and me.”
You can watch the video here. A full transcript of Sheriff Strittmatter’s remarks are below. A full release will come later today.
Trip to Evansville
Dan visited Berry Plastics in Evansville yesterday to discuss the economy and health care. The Evansville Courier & Press reported:
[Coats] said his meeting on Wednesday with Berry Plastics executives, which
was closed to reporters, “reinforced what I’m hearing all across the state. …
They don’t want more taxes, more regulations, more Washington. They
want less of that.”
Coats noted Ellsworth’s congressional votes in favor of health care reform
and for the economic stimulus package, which the Republican candidate
said “cost nearly a trillion dollars and has not created jobs.”
…
He said if Republicans control Congress next year, they should urge President
Barack Obama to “start over on health care, take incremental steps as we can
afford them … but I don’t think the president is going to do that.”
So, again, while Dan Coats is traveling the state, listening to Hoosiers and discussing the issues in this race, incumbent Congressman Brad Ellsworth continues to duck the issues.
Transcript
SHERIFF MATT STRITTMATTER: Hi, I am Sheriff Matt Strittmatter from Wayne County and I’m proud to support Dan Coats for the United States Senate.
As a sheriff and career law enforcement professional, I’m concerned about the very real threats our facing our nation from terrorists. It is clear the Obama administration and the leaders in Congress are more concerned with protecting the rights of terrorist detainees than they are about protecting the citizens of the United States from future attacks.
As our Senator, Dan Coats will fight the extremely dangerous attempt by President Obama and the Democratic controlled Congress to transport terrorist detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United States – and house them right next door to Indiana in Thomson, Illinois. If this happens, the terrorists could have the same legal rights as you and me.
This is irresponsible, reckless and inexcusable. Enemy combatants should not have the same Constitutional rights as me and you.
Nearly 100 law enforcement personnel from across the state have joined me in supporting Dan Coats. If you’d like to add your support to the coalition, sign-up on www.coatsforindiana.com.
Keeping Hoosiers safe should never be at the mercy of an extreme and dangerous liberal ideology. I ask you to tell your Hoosier friends, families and colleagues in law enforcement to vote for Dan Coats – to protect Indiana.
[Disclosure: Pete Seat is the press secretary for the Coats for Senate campaign.]
