Republican U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon’s answers last year on an official questionnaire about her background have been blasted by a spokesman for her opponent for the GOP’s nomination, former U.S. Rob Simmons, as a continuation of “her troubling habit of dishonesty.”
“When average people are asked to complete a job application they understand they are expected to give honest and complete answers. Just because some of McMahon’s scandals have been front page news does not give her license to lie about them,” said Simmons campaign manager Jim Barnett.
In addition to Barnett’s statement, the Simmons campaign put out a press release Monday morning headlined: “McMahon lied on State Board of Education background questionnaire.”
A McMahon spokesman said Monday that the campaign would not respond to the Simmons camp’s statements.
Barnett’s statement came in reaction to Sunday’s Government Watch column in The Courant, which can be read by clicking here.
Sunday’s Government Watch column said that on a questionnaire that McMahon filled out for Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s office in January of 2009 — when the governor was poised to nominate her to the State Board of Education — McMahon answered “no” to five questions when it appears the answer should, or arguably should, have been “yes.” McMahon also said she had a bachelor’s degree in education when it was really in French.
McMahon, until recently the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, told the Courant last week she had already clarified the discrepancy about her degree, and had answered the other background questions “no” under the assumption that everyone already knew of her activities with WWE and its past controversies.
Here is the rest of Barnett’s statement:
“On the very few occasions during this campaign where she has actually answered questions about her record, she has continued her troubling habit of dishonesty, but as in this case, eventually the truth will catch up with her.
“This is precisely why Democrats have said that McMahon’s record makes her unelectable in a general election even against Chris Dodd who was politically crippled by his own problems with the truth. Fortunately, Republicans have a choice in Rob Simmons whose distinguished and honorable career of service is one they can be proud of.”