Conservative lobbyist Grover Norquist blasted back at a Republican
senator on Friday for backing off his promise to oppose tax increases.
Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss said he has dumped his pledge to Norquist
about the tax increases, telling a Macon television station he “more
about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge,” referring to the
Taxpayer Protection Pledge he signed when he first ran for the Senate.
Norquist, who heads the conservative group Americans for Tax Reform,
created the pledge, which nearly every Republican member of congress has
signed.
In a statement to Newsmax, Norquist said, "Sen. Chambliss promised the
people of Georgia he would go to Washington and reform government rather
than raise taxes to pay for bigger government. He made that commitment
in writing to the people of Georgia.
"If he plans to vote for higher taxes to pay for Obama-sized government
he should address the people of Georgia and let them know that he plans
to break his promise to them."
Chambliss told 13WMAZ, that abiding by Norquist's pledge would do nothing to solve the nation's deficit problem.
He said he's willing to do what's necessary to reduce the federal debt
and help get the nation back a sound economic footing, even if that
means finding news sources of revenue.
Norquist said that as recently as last year Chambliss had made it clear,
when he joined the so-called Gang of Six looking for ways to reduce the
deficit, that he would "not vote for any plan that raised taxes."
"That was a public letter he and co-signers Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn and
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo sent to the press to explain their negotiating
position as they joined the Gang of Six in early 2011," said Norquist.
Norquist has often used the financial power of his group to help elect
Republican members to Congress. He's also used it to help defeat
candidates who won't sign his pledge or who renege on their no-tax
promise.
Asked in the interview with the CBS Affiliate station if he thought
Norquist would come after him in 2014 when he is up for re-election to
the Senate, Chambliss said yes.
But he added, "I don't worry about that because I care too much about my
country. I care a lot more about it than I do Grover Norquist."
Norquist responded, saying, "I miss his point in trying to attack me.
"Raising taxes on the people of Georgia to pay for Obama's reckless
spending is not the right thing to do for America or Georgia. We have a
problem because Washington spends too much, not because Sen. Chambliss
has failed so far to raise taxes on the hard-working men and women of
Georgia.
Norquist reminded Chambliss what happened to two people who he said
reneged on taxation promises: President George H.W. Bush, with his
famous "Read My Lips" comment, and Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, who, he
said, "withdrew because polling showed he could not win a general
election having both lied to his state and raised their taxes."
