Candidate Bob Casey refuses pledge to voters
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bob Casey (D-PA) vying for Pennsylvania’s US Senate seat against incumbent Senator and Taxpayer Protection Pledge signer Rick Santorum, has refused to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. The pledge commits signers to “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses … and oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates."
ATR has offered the Pledge to all candidates for federal office since 1987. To date, President George W. Bush, 47 U.S. Senators, and 223 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have signed the Pledge. Additionally, six Governors and over 1,350 state legislators have made this commitment to their constituents.
“America needs leaders who are committed to protecting the taxpayers, and pledging to protect his or her constituents from the federal government demonstrates that kind of leadership,” said Grover Norquist, president of ATR. “It’s disappointing to see that not every candidate is as dedicated to protecting taxpayers’ wallets as Rick Santorum.”
Since entering the Senate, Rick Santorum has consistently voted on the side of taxpayers with a lifetime rating of 94% on ATR’s Annual Congressional Scorecard and has received the “Hero of the Taxpayer” award eleven times.
“Senator Santorum is consistently on the side of the taxpayers while Bob Casey refuses to express his support for them,” continued Norquist. “One of the most important questions Pennsylvania voters should ask Mr. Casey, especially during this election cycle is: Why won’t you take the pledge to protect our wallets? This is the fundamental difference between Senator Santorum and his challenger.”
Copies of the Pledge are available at www.atr.org or by calling (202) 785-0266.