Cuellar: Busted Lying About Endorsements
Vince Leibowitz | Feb 08, 2006 | Comments 0
The San Antonio Express News reports that U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar was forced to retract claims he made in a debate against Ciro Rodriguez this week that he had received the endorsements of the Texas State Teachers Association and the National Education Association.
A Cuellar spokesman said the confusion stemmed from an event last month in Laredo at which local members of the TSTA and NEA honored the one-term congressman and pledged a $5,000 contribution.
“Nothing, not the banner or the press release they put out, said the endorsement was just for the Laredo chapter,” said spokesman Colin Strother.
Richard Kouri of the TSTA in Austin, which is affiliated with the NEA, said neither group has issued an endorsement in the 28th Congressional District race. And any financial contribution would have to come from the NEA political action committee, which is not scheduled to make endorsement decisions until Thursday.
Rodriguez’s campaign issued a statement within hours of the event saying that Cuellar deserved an “F” for accuracy.
While Cuellar does have the support of Laredo TSTA members, the Rodriguez camp noted that the former congressman is being backed by local chapters of the TSTA in Austin and San Antonio, as well as the local American Federation of Teachers.
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Filed Under: 2006 Texas Elections
