Issa questions whether White House pressured Ford to pull bailout ad - ...

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Issa questions whether White House pressured Ford to pull bailout ad

By Justin Sink - 09/29/11 04:48 PM ET

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said in a letter to the Ford Motor Company on Thursday that he was "deeply concerned about undue political pressure exerted by the White House." The House Oversight Committee chairman's letter comes on the heels of reports earlier this week that the company had pulled an ad critical of the auto bailout following a phone call with administration officials. Ford denied Tuesday that the ad was removed because of political pressure, saying instead that it had simply been taken out of their ad rotation as scheduled. "For those asking, the ad ran as part of a planned rotation and continues to run online. It contains the unscripted comments of a Ford owner. We supported emergency government support for our competitors and continue to support the decisions we made," Ford said in a statement posted to their Facebook page. But Daniel Howes, a conservative columnist for The Detroit News, said that the advertisement was pulled "in response to White House questions." In the ad, a man is asked why "buying American" was important to him when choosing a Ford pickup. I wasnt going to buy another car that was bailed out by our government. I was going to buy from a manufacturer thats standing on their own: win, lose or draw," he responds. "Thats what America is about, taking the chance to succeed and understanding when you fail that you gotta pick yourself up and go back to work. Ford is that company for me. The auto bailout, which primarily benefited Ford competitors Chrysler and GM, was a cornerstone of the president's stimulus plan and supported by Ford. But conservatives have been increasingly critical of the auto bailout and stimulus as a whole as unemployment continues to lag.

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In the letter to Ford, Issa asks for a full explanation of the company's decision to pull the advertisement and whether any current or former employee of the Obama administration, United Auto Workers, or Democratic Party contacted the company about the ad. Issa also asks whether the company temporarily pulled the ad from its YouTube page. "Given the close relationship between American automobile manufacturers, workers unions and the U.S. Government in the wake of a series of loans, grants, and stimulus programs, accusations of White House interference in private business matters to support its own political and policy agendas are very serious issues and warrant a full airing of the facts," Issa wrote. The White House has denied that it asked Ford to remove the ad, with White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer calling Howes's column "false."

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Issa questions whether White House pressured Ford to pull bailout ad Durbin says Democrats dont currently have the votes for Obama jobs bill Onion not backing off spoof hostage report Man arrested in step-by-step plot to blow up Capitol, Pentagon Palin: 'Herb' Cain is 'flavor of the week'

The bullies in the WH have been trying to intimidate everyone that does not agree with them or shines them in a bad light. The pity is they make themselves look even more like the crybabies we have come to known. BY DAWN on 09/29/2011 at 16:57 Will this man give it up allready. Not body care about Issa and his witch hunt on Obama. BY PARTY OF NO PLANS on 09/29/2011 at 17:02 Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said Thursday that he was "deeply concerned about undue political pressure exerted by the White House" in a letter to the Ford Motor Company Thursday, on the heels of reports earlier this week that the company had pulled an ad critical of the auto bailout following a phone call with administration officials. These man is on a serious witch hunt on President Obama. BY PARTY OF NO PLANS on 09/29/2011 at 17:03 But Daniel Howes, a conservative columnist for the Detroit News. How much is Issa paying you to lie? No more need to be said. A right wing reporter and why should we believe any thing this racist white man have to say about the black President he hates. He has not creditability what so every. BY PARTY OF NO PLANS on 09/29/2011 at 17:07 witch hunt? SNORT! Fast & FuriousProject GunwalkerSolyndraTHE LIST IS ENDLESS YOU FOOL. I cannot C-A-N-N-O-T WAIT FOR 2012! BY DERRICK LOUGH on 09/29/2011 at 17:21 What was in the ad that wasn't true? I know plenty of people with exactly the same sentiment. Bailing out GM was a bad idea and wound up looking like a giant hand-out to the UAW. GM could have and should have gone through re-organization that would have yielded a stronger company or ended the misery with a minimum of additional expense. I know that this is distasteful for the Whitehouse, but you can't exactly pin this on Obama. This was created through decades of bad decisions made by the Board of Directors of GM making unsustainable labor deals. BY BLACKFIN on 09/29/2011 at 17:44 Nawthey just told 'em they were going to get a strike from the US GOVT. united Auto Workers unionthat's allbut, it was a friendly call BY THEOUTLAWJOSIEWALES on 09/29/2011 at 18:00 The real truth Josie is just as you said. Lets see you take taxpayer money and give to the usless UAW to save their sorry azz and they inturn return a large portion to the dems for their effort!!!! Is this a great country or what. I would never buy anything GM builds,,,never. Shut the MF down and turnout the lights on your way out. BY PAUL on 09/29/2011 at 18:12 Se essentially Issa is sending Ford a letter to ask them if they lied on Tuesday. What exactly does he expect Ford to say, that they lie? Thats our tax dollars at work folks. Elect Republicans, get nothing but partisan politics.

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BY SLEDGEHAMMER on 09/29/2011 at 18:31 The power of the federal government. Next they will be telling us what we should eat and the kind of medical insurance we must purchase. BY JOE & JANE SIX PACK on 09/29/2011 at 18:50
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