Democratic Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton denies any wrongdoing, but is lashing out at Andrew Breitbart for “misinformation” after his BigGovernment.com posted audio of a questionable voicemail message she left with a lobbyist asking for campaign cash.
“The conservative blogger, Andrew Breitbart, best known for his misinformation concerning Shirley Sherrod, is trying to mislead again,” reads a statement posted on Norton’s campaign website, referencing a past clip BigGoverment published that caused an uproar. Norton, a U.S. House delegate for Washington D.C., won the Democratic nomination for the seat Tuesday.
In the voicemail posted on BigGovernment, Norton says she’s a 20-year incumbent who is “handling the largest economic development project in the United States now,” among other projects. Then she asks for a campaign donation.
“I was, frankly, surprised to see that we don’t have a record, so far as I can tell, of your having given to me despite my long and deep work,” she says. “In fact, it’s been my major work on the committee and subcommittee. It’s been essentially in your sector,” she says in the call. “I am—I’m simply candidly calling to ask for a contribution.”
BigGovernment noted that it “raises many concerns,” including “her frequent mention of her seniority and her Chairmanship of a subcommittee.” Of the questions Big Government asks, is “where she made this call…It is, after all, illegal to solicit campaign funds on federal property.”
But Norton’s campaign says that wasn’t the case. “The call was made from campaign headquarters. Her request fully complied with legal and ethical requirements.”
Her campaign also mentioned that Norton “is a longtime supporter of public financing of campaigns, but barring that, candidates from all parties regularly raise funds in calls by first identifying who they are and what they have done.”
Breitbart did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment.