For Immediate Release:
June 7, 2010

BLANCHE LINCOLN: SPECIAL INTERESTS' FAVORITE SENATOR Lincoln Took $1.2 Million from Big Banks, Top Recipient of Oil & Gas Money, Benefited from $3 Million in Ads from Shadowy Republican and Corporate Front Groups

North Little Rock – Sen. Blanche Lincoln took $1.2 million from Wall Street, more than $49,000 from credit card companies, benefited from more than $3 million in ads from shadowy Republican front groups, and is the top recipient of oil and gas money – including $19,000 from Gulf Coast polluter British Petroleum and $558,375 from oil & gas PACs. She continued to accept more than $40,000 from Wall Street interests as well as contributions from British Petroleum lobbyists during the runoff.

"You can't change Washington if you don't change the people you send there, and the only real choice for change in this election is Bill Halter," said Halter for Senate campaign manager Carol Butler.

A shadowy Republican front group, Americans for Job Security, spent more than $1.5 million on advertising during the primary. According to leading Arkansas political commentator John Brummett, "Why would a Republican group back her now with John Boozman waiting for November? Is it that she’s approximately as good a Republican investment as Boozman? Or is that Republicans fear the outsider message of Halter?"

Two more groups, Coalition for Arkansans Jobs and Arkansans for Common Sense - neither one of who will reveal who is funding them - are now spending more than $739,000 on ads on Sen. Lincoln's behalf during the runoff. Arkansans for Common Sense spent $350,000 on TV ads alone, in addition to massive statewide radio buys and mailers, attacking Bill Halter during the primary. The US Chamber of Commerce spent another $600,000 during the primary.