Feb 18, 2016 - manager Jeff Weaver said that two months ago. ... which a partisan caller, masquerading as an independent
MEMORANDUM TO: Interested Parties FROM: Correct The Record DATE: February 18, 2016 SUBJECT: Bernie’s Dirty Tricks: The Vermont Socialist's Troubling History of Campaign Shenanigans “We’re running a clean campaign. We don’t need dirty tricks.” Bernie Sander’s campaign manager Jeff Weaver said that two months ago. This was in the midst of the Sanders campaign’s exploitation of a data breach to access Clinton voter data, and right before they began a stream of misleading endorsements. These kinds of tactics may be damning, but they are nothing new for a Bernie Sanders campaign. The irony may have been lost on Weaver at the time, but we’re here to make sure you aren’t left out. Bernie Sanders has a long history of dirty tricks – we’re talking a troubling thirty years of campaign shenanigans. Watch this video to see Bernie’s more recent dirty tricks, and see below for a brief history of Bernie’s shady campaign tactics.
A Brief History of Bernie Sanders’ Campaign Shenanigans 2016 Democratic Primary Data Breach Bernie Sanders staffers exploited a temporary glitch in the DNC’s voter database to save lists created by Hillary Clinton’s campaign. [Bloomberg, 12/18/15] LCVA & AARP Bernie Sanders’s campaign distributed mailers in Iowa that included a photo of AARP members wearing shirts with the slogan of the group’s Social Security campaign. AARP’s Iowa chapter had to clarify publicly that it is not supporting Bernie Sanders. [Newsweek, 1/28/16] Bernie Sanders’s campaign used the logo of the League of Conservation Voters on a mailer. The League of Conservation Voters later had to ask the Sanders campaign to stop using its logo. [Newsweek, 1/28/16] Nevada Culinary Union Bernie Sanders campaign operatives wore culinary union pins to gain access to Nevada culinary workers dining rooms. [Ralston Reports, 1/28/16]
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 confirmed and condemned “reports of Bernie Sanders’ campaign staffers attempting and gaining access to Employee Dining Rooms at Las Vegas Strip properties.” [The Hill, 1/28/16] 2006 Push Polls Sanders was accused of “running so-called ‘push polls,’ a tactic considered deceptive in which a partisan caller, masquerading as an independent pollster, asks a potential voter leading questions with the intention of spreading negative information about an opponent.” [U.S. News, 2/16/16] Manipulated Democratic Primary Process to Prevent Democratic Challenger Bernie Sanders worked with the Vermont Democratic Party to keep Democratic candidates off the ballot in the general election. [‘Party shuns Vermont Democrats in race; Seeks to clear way for independent in US Senate bid,’ Boston Globe, 7/13/06] Part of Backroom Political Deal? According to a UVM political scientist, Bernie Sanders made a deal with Democrats in 2006 that, in return for ensuring Progressives would not challenge Democrats for Vermont’s House seat, no Democrat would run against Sanders in the general. [Seven Days, 9/9/15] Sanders’ Democratic Primary Opponents Criticized this as a blatantly Unfair Process One of Sanders’ Democratic primary opponents called the Vermont Democratic Party’s support of Sanders in the primary “highly unethical.” [“Party shuns Vermont Democrats in race; Seeks to clear way for independent in US Senate bid,” Boston Globe, 7/13/06] One of Sanders’ Democratic primary opponents on Bernie Sanders’ collusion with the Vermont Democratic Party: “This is against the legislative intent to have the voters pick the candidates in primaries, not the political machines.” [Burlington Free Press, 9/5/06] 1990 Classified Staff as Consultants to Pay Less Taxes Accountants questioned Bernie Sanders’ practice of listing campaign staff as consultants to shift tax burdens off the campaign and onto campaign workers. [Burlington Free Press, 7/25/90]
Secret Deal with Democrats Editorials in the Vermont Times accused Sanders of “backroom shenanigans in which Sanders struck a deal to run for Vermont’s U.S. House seat with just token Democratic opposition, in exchange for opting out of a run for governor.” [U.S. News, 2/16/16] 1986 Misleading Flyer Bernie Sanders’ campaign was accused of “distributing a flyer that implied the endorsement of the Rutland Herald, and of sending a letter that suggested it had the support of the Vermont National Organization for Women.” [U.S. News, 2/16/16] Misleading Letter Bernie Sanders campaign was accused of sending a letter which created the false impression he’d been endorsed by Vermont NOW. [Solidarity Bulletin Discussion, November 1986 (Sanders Mayoral Papers, UVM)]
