2006 Montana Senate Debate: on Principles & Values

Conrad Burns: On Abramoff allegations: I never shortchanged my state

BURNS: There we go again - baseless allegations, drummed up in a negative campaign that started almost a year and a half ago. We’ve answered those questions. I know what negative campaigns are. What does [bringing up this issue] do for jobs in Montana? What’s it do for our learning institutions? It has nothing to do with it. Montanans have always been first in my office. I never shortchanged my state. Never. This is politics in its worst light.

TESTER: What Sen. Burns didn’t tell you is that he DID change his vote on the Marianas Island, on slave labor. And he did give a school to the richest tribe in the US. And he did give Jack Abramoff everything he wanted. You’ve cost Montana a lot.

BURNS: All baseless allegations and untruths. This is just a negative campaign and innuendo and that’s all he has to run on.

Jon Tester: Burns changed his votes due to Jack Abramoff donations

BURNS: Baseless allegations, drummed up in a negative campaign. We’ve answered those questions. Montanans have always been first in my office. These untruths are the only way to challenge your integrity.

TESTER: Several members of Congress have gone to jail because of their connections to Abramoff. Sen. Burns collected more money from Abramoff than anyone else in Congress. What Sen. Burns didn’t tell you is that he DID change his vote on the Marianas Island, on slave labor. And he did give a school to the richest tribe in the US. And he did give Abramoff everything he wanted. People in MT expect integrity and honesty. A handshake in this state means something. Your word is your bond. And Sen. Burns has had staff member after staff member go out of your office and become lobbyists, and vice versa. That’s not representing MT and that’s not right, and we need a change.

BURNS: All baseless allegations and untruths.