Group formed by GOP ex-NY gov Pataki pushing for health overhaul repeal targets NH Dems in ads

Ex-NY gov’s group targets NH Dems on health care

CONCORD, N.H. — An advocacy group led by former New York Gov. George Pataki has begun running television ads in New Hampshire and New York attacking Democratic supporters of the new health care reform law.

Pataki, a Republican who left office in 2006, said last month that Revere America would target about a dozen Democrats around the country. The first three are Rep. Carol Shea-Porter, who is being challenged by Republican Frank Guinta (GIHN’-tah) as she seeks a third term in New Hampshire’s 1st District, Ann McLane Kuster, who faces Republican Charlie Bass in the race for New Hampshire’s open 2nd District seat, and New York Rep. John Hall, a two-term incumbent running against Republican Nan Hayworth in the 19th District north of New York City.

The television ads claim the health care law Shea-Porter and Hall voted for and Kuster supports will raise costs and take away an individual’s right to choose his or her doctor. The group said it spent about $1 million on the New Hampshire ads and $350,000 in New York.

Kuster’s spokesman, Neil Sroka, countered that as a former six-term congressman, Bass helped create problems in the nation’s health care system.

“So it is no surprise that the out-of-state special interests who have been profiting off of this broken system are trying to send him back to Washington to prevent any real change,” Sroka said. “We can certainly improve the health care reform that was passed last year, but going back to the politicians and policies that got us to where we are today is a recipe for disaster.”

“This is a classic example of an extreme outside organization trying to mislead New Hampshire voters,” said Shea-Porter’s spokeswoman, Jamie Radice. “Just like Frank Guinta’s campaign, they hide where the money comes from and distort the facts.”

She was referring to questions that have dogged Guinta about his personal finances after he amended a disclosure form to list a previously unreported bank account holding between $250,000 and $500,000. Guinta updated the form after lending his campaign $245,000, raising questions about where the money came from. He has said it was a simple mistake.