Smith Reacts to Casey Fisker Fiasco

Member Group : News Releases

For Immediate Release
Contact: Megan Piwowar, Communications Director
412-265-4632 or [email protected]

SMITH REACTS TO BOB CASEY’S FISKER FIASCO

Philadelphia — Tom Smith, candidate for United States Senate, today joined Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus, Delaware Gubernatorial Candidate Jeff Cragg, and Delaware Lt. Gubernatorial Candidate Sher Valenzuela today to highlight the taxpayer dollars and jobs lost when "stimulus" recipient and electric car manufacturer Fisker moved their operations and production facilities to Finland.

"The Fisker disaster is yet another stark and troubling reminder of the colossal failure of the so-called ‘stimulus’ supported by Senator Casey," said Smith. "Senator Casey promised us his 800 billion dollar stimulus would create jobs and be good for Pennsylvania – unfortunately, he failed to inform us that those taxpayer dollars would be creating jobs overseas. Instead of creating American jobs, Casey’s massive failed stimulus has helped to balloon the debt to nearly $16 trillion, while millions of Americans remain unable to fine work."

"As someone who has built a business and created jobs, I understand that the free-market, not massive and mismanaged government programs are the key to growing our economy and creating jobs."

BACKGROUND:

Bob Casey Voted for the "Stimulus" Claiming it Would be Good for Pennsylvania

Casey Voted For The "Stimulus" Bill. (H.R. 1, CQ Vote #64: Adopted 60-38; R 3-38; D 55-0; I 2-0, 2/13/09, Casey Voted Yea)

Casey Said The Stimulus Would Be "Good For Pennsylvania." "Mr. Casey, a Democrat, told about 165 business leaders who attended a breakfast hosted by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry at the Woodlands Inn and Resort that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will help get the economy out of the ditch, create jobs and aid those hardest hit by the recession. He said the act is good news for Northeast Pennsylvania, the entire state and country." (Denise Allabaugh, "Stimulus Plan Defended," The Times-Tribune, 3/17/09)

Casey Said The "Stimulus" Was A "Positive Step Forward For Our Country." CASEY: "The passage of the American Recovery And Reinvestments Act was a positive step forward for our country. It made investments in areas we had not invested in in a long time and it also will help us recovery- to get our economy out of the ditch and get us moving in the right direction to create jobs and to create economic opportunity." (Senator Bob Casey, "Five Months Of Accomplishments And Goals For The Future," www.youtube.com, Accessed 9/7/11)

Casey Said We Need To Make Sure We Are "Investing In The Future." CASEY: "But we also have to make sure that we are investing in the future and there’s no better place to start than investing in our children." (Senator Bob Casey, "Five Months Of Accomplishments And Goals For The Future," www.youtube.com, Accessed 9/7/11)

Fisker Automotive was Awarded Millions in "Stimulus" Dollars Before Laying Off Workers and Moving Overseas

In 2009, The Department Of Energy Granted Fisker A $529 Million Loan Guarantee, $359 Million Of Which Was To Go Toward Reviving The Former GM Boxwood Plant In Wilmington, Delaware. (Press Release, "Vice President Biden Announces Reopening of Former GM Boxwood Plant," Office Of The Vice President, 10/27/09)

In February 2012, Fisker Halted Work At Its Delaware Plant And Laid Off More Than 60 Workers After It Failed To Meet Production And Sales Milestones Promised In Its Loan Agreement. "Fisker Automotive, developer of luxury electric cars, halted work at a former GM plant in Delaware and laid off 26 workers there because it ran out of government loan money. Fisker had failed to meet production and sales milestones it had promised in the loan agreement with the Department of Energy, so loan cash was shut off last May. Fisker went on a cash diet, and solicited private investors, while it negotiated a new timetable with the DOE. The cash shortage finally forced the layoff of 26 people at the Delaware factory, which was most of the crew working there to get the former GM plant back into service. Fisker also sped up the layoffs of 40 to 45 engineers at its Anaheim, Calif., headquarters." (James R. Healy, "Fisker, Out Of Government Money, Begins Layoffs," USA Today, 2/7/12)

Fisker Automotive Has Signaled Intentions to Cease U.S Production. "The luxury carmaker Fisker Automotive continues to signal it could ditch plans to build its next generation hybrid electric vehicle in the United States, despite the nearly $200 million in Obama administration loan money it has already received." (Matthew Mosk, "Fisker May Never Build Electric Cars In US," ABC News, 5/30/12)

Bob Casey is a Rubber-Stamp for the Obama Administration and Party Bosses

In the 11th Congress, when the stimulus was passed, Casey Voted With The Democratic Party 97 Percent Of The Time. ("The U.S. Congress Votes Database," www.washingtonpost.com, Accessed 9/29/11)

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