WASHINGTON – As of July 10, 2001, Mark Warner still has not signed Americans for Tax Reform\’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Warner, the Virginia Democratic Party\’s nominee for Governor, has not responded to repeated attempts by Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) to obtain a response regarding the Pledge.
ATR has sent the Warner campaign copies of the Pledge and explanatory material seven times since early June, on June 2, June 19, July 3, July 5, July 6, July 9, and July 10. Each time, ATR mailed and faxed the Pledge to the campaign, and called to verify that these materials were received.
ATR will continue to send Mark Warner Pledge materials until the general election in November, or until the Warner campaign contacts ATR in writing with a decision either confirming or denying our request that Warner sign the Pledge.
Mark Earley, Warner\’s Republican opponent for the Governor\’s seat, signed the Governors\’ version of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge on June 27, 2001. Mark Earley also signed the Pledge as Attorney General of Virginia on October 22, 1997.
ATR\’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge commits a sitting and/or candidate for Governor to "oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes." At present, nine Governors, 1118 state legislators, 210 Members of the U.S. House, 37 U.S. Senators, and President George W. Bush have signed the Pledge. ATR publishes a list of Pledge-signers at www.atr.org, and through other national channels.
"Signing the Pledge is important because taxpayers need protection from the tax-and-spend whims of politicians," said Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform. "Government bureaucracy, if left to grow and interfere unfettered in the lives of Americans, threatens the very foundations of individual liberty. Signing the Pledge, on the other hand, constitutes a strong statement of purpose; Pledge-signers acknowledge that government is too large, and too intrusive in the lives of Americans already," Norquist concluded.