(INDIANAPOLIS)— Republican 5th District Congressional candidate Dr. John McGoff questioned the continued misuse of taxpayer dollars by Rep. Dan Burton on Friday, bringing up more questions prompted by an article on the front page of the Indianapolis Star.

"The Indianapolis Star pointed out that in 2007, Dan Burton used nearly $200,000 of taxpayer money to essentially send out campaign-like mail pieces,” said McGoff. “But that $200,000 is just the tip of the iceberg. What were production costs for the pieces? How much did he spend on the taxpayer funded mail from earlier this year? How much did he spend on the numerous radio ads he ran at taxpayer expense in the last year? Why do we continually have to foot the bill for his campaign?”

McGoff also noted that the franked mail isn’t the only area where Burton has apparently misspent taxpayer money.

“This is a guy who has really lost touch with Republican values and the concerns of 5th District citizens. Last August, my campaign pointed out that Dan Burton leases a Cadillac at taxpayer expense for over $700 a month,” said McGoff. “He claims to be fiscally conservative, but he continues to waste our money in his own office. He shows little regard for how he spends money because he’s not the one paying for it.”

McGoff was also not surprised that Burton refused to comment.

“He has a history of stonewalling when he is asked tough questions about his conduct in office,” said McGoff. “Whether it’s not answering questions about why he missed 19 votes in a week, why he missed a hearing about the travesty at Walter Reed Army Hospital, or whether or not he met with Roger Clemens, Dan Burton’s initial response is always to ignore the problem. He thinks he’s above the standards the rest of us live by, and he thinks he’s above having to explain himself. It’s arrogance, plain and simple.”

McGoff said he would also support a bill currently in the House sponsored by Rep. Jeff Flake to require the cost of taxpayer-funded mass mailings sent out by Congressmen to be printed on the piece for taxpayers to see.
To read the original Indianapolis Star article, click here

(INDIANAPOLIS) The campaign of Republican John McGoff, candidate for Congress in Indiana's 5th District, began running its first radio ads of the primary election on Monday. The ads highlight a number of missed committee hearings and floor votes on War on Terror issues by Rep. Dan Burton.

"Missing in action," begins the ad. "In one year, Congressman Dan Burton missed 32 important committee meetings dealing with the War on Terror. Is this what you want from your congressman?"


The ad goes on to mention specific meetings and votes missed by Burton. It also highlights the extensive military background of McGoff, who currently serves as a Colonel in the Air National Guard and flew military missions into Iraq and Afghanistan in 2006.


"We really think this is an important issue to highlight," said Trevor Foughty, campaign manager and spokesman for McGoff. "On the one hand, you have a guy who is still actively serving his country in the military; a guy who spent time away from his family to go into Iraq and help wounded troops. And on the other hand, you have a career politician who skipped a hearing on poor conditions Walter Reed--where some of those wounded troops end up going--because he has 'a new lady' and the flight was too early for him."


The ad, officially titled "Change", will air on radio stations around the district for the remainder of the week.


Audio for the radio ad can be found by clicking here.

For a complete list of comittee hearings and votes referenced in the ad, click here.

(INDIANAPOLIS) Republican John McGoff, candidate for Congress in Indiana's 5th District, issued the following statement regarding the 5th anniversary of the Iraq War and the absenteeism of Rep. Dan Burton on issues regarding Iraq:


"As a 25-year veteran of the military who spent time in Iraq in 2006, as an ongoing participant in military operations directly dealing with the War in Iraq, and as an American, I am proud of what we have accomplished in the last five years. In that time we have seen the fall of a dictator, the democratization of a nation, and have not seen a single attack on American soil.


"There have been bumps in the road along the way, but our course has shown progress. We have al-Qaeda in Iraq on the run, bringing us ever closer to a serious debate on when and how we can begin to scale down the number of troops in the Middle East.


"While I continue to be proud of our men and women fighting overseas, I have been disappointed in the behavior of our 5th District Congressman. Actions speak louder than words, and his action—or lack thereof—on important military issues is disconcerting to me as an American, a constituent, and as a veteran.


"In 2003, the first year of combat operations in Iraq, Rep. Burton missed more than 30 committee hearings dealing with defense and military issues, many of them regarding Iraq. Among them were a meeting in February to consider how America’s actions could create conditions for a new Middle East; a meeting in March just before the onset of the war to request that the President turn over documents regarding Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction; a meeting in May on the status of U.S. efforts to deliver assistance to postwar Iraq; and a meeting in October on the efforts to restore peace, freedom and security to the people of Iraq. And this was just in the first year.


"More recently, his behavior has not changed. In June 2006, he missed Roll Call Vote No. 288, a resolution to oppose the notion that we would set arbitrary timelines for withdrawing troops for Iraq.


"In March 2007, despite the national outrage over the substandard conditions at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, he skipped a meeting that addressed those problems, saying to the Indianapolis Star, 'I’ve got this new lady I want to have some life with.'


"At this critical point in the war, we need leaders in Washington who not only will be there for the big votes, but who have the military experience necessary to help make the right calls. Over the last five years, our soldiers in Iraq have displayed a determination and resolve that all Americans can be proud of. They deserve leadership in Congress who will do the same."


For a complete list of comittee hearings and votes referenced in the speech, click here.