Carcieri responds to attack ads

From the gov's office:

Governor Donald L. Carcieri today issued the following response to a television advertisement being run by state employee unions.  The attack ad specifically assails four state employees under the Governor’s authority:  Deputy Secretary of the Office of Health and Human Services Adelita Orefice; Deputy Chief of Staff and former Department of Administration Director Beverly Najarian; former Director of the Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals, Dr. Ellen Nelson; and former communications director Steve Kass.

“These television attack ads are designed to distract from the real problems facing this state and to smear hard working state employees who have worked to save tax dollars at the expense of the union leadership,” Governor Carcieri said. 

“In particular, the employee union leaders are trying to distract from the fact that they have so far been unwilling to help solve the state’s massive budget deficit. After 19 separate meetings, the unions have simply refused to offer any significant concessions,” the Governor continued.  “Instead, they have successfully strung the discussion process out month after month in order to avoid coming to a resolution.  Now that the fiscal year is nearly over, they have launched a barrage of television ads to distract the public and ensure that the burden of solving the state’s budget problems falls entirely on the shoulders of human service recipients and local communities.”

“Why attack these specific state employees?” the Governor asked rhetorically.  “The reason is simple.  Each and every one of them has stood up to the unions in the past and has worked to save money for Rhode Island taxpayers.” ....