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Issues/News>
SL TRIB: Chaffetz Slams Cannon's Voting Record
June 16, 2008
3rd District GOP primary race
Chaffetz slams Cannon's voting record in debate
They tussled over issues ahead of the June 24 vote;
challenger: GOP needs 'house cleaning'
By Robert Gehrke
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 06/16/2008 12:04:04 AM MDT
Third District challenger Jason Chaffetz was on the
offensive again Sunday, attacking Rep. Chris Cannon's
voting record and attempting to draw distinctions between
the two Republicans' views.
“If we want different results we're going to have to
elect different people,” Chaffetz said. “If you like the
status quo, vote for Chris Cannon.”
“We agree entirely except the status quo. I am a change
factor. I am making a difference in Washington, D.C.,”
Cannon retorted during the televised debate on KUTV's "Take
Two" leading up to the June 24 Republican primary.
Chaffetz criticized Cannon for voting in favor of the No
Child Left Behind education bill, increased federal
spending, the Medicare prescription drug benefit and
allowing EnergySolutions to import radioactive waste from
Italy - all issues Chaffetz said he opposes.
Cannon said the decision of whether to allow
EnergySolutions to import about 20,000 tons of radioactive
waste from Italy should be up to the state. About 1,600
tons of waste would ultimately be buried in Utah.
“The state has the right, the authority, the
responsibility to govern that, and all I said is we should
stay out of that and let the state control its own destiny
in that regard,” Cannon said.
Actually, the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission is
considering whether to grant EnergySolutions a license to
import the radioactive waste.
“I'm totally opposed to importing waste,” Chaffetz said.
“I would vote to keep the waste out of Utah, absolutely.”
Cannon said that the No Child Left Behind bill was a
good bill that was poorly implemented and that he voted for
the Medicare prescription drug benefit because he supported
the expansion of health savings accounts, which was
packaged with the drug benefit.
Chaffetz said he would have voted against both bills and
would fight to approve health savings accounts independent
of the drug benefit.
The candidates also returned to their predominant themes
in the campaign.
Cannon again said that if he wanted to change Congress,
Chaffetz should run against Rep. Jim Matheson, a Democrat,
who represents the 2nd District, where Chaffetz lives. The
Constitution does not require a House member to live in the
district he or she represents.
Chaffetz said he ran against Cannon partly because he's
easier to beat but also because “we have to do some house
cleaning with Republicans.”
Chaffetz, as he has in the past, slammed Cannon for his
2006 vote for what Chaffetz said was the largest budget and
largest deficit in history.
In fact, Congress passed the largest budget last week, a
$3.1 trillion package setting funding targets for the 2009
budget year. Cannon voted against that budget, and the 2008
budget. Deficits peaked in 2004 and have been smaller
since, according to the Office of Management and Budget,
although Cannon also voted for that 2004 budget.
Chaffetz also hammered Cannon on his stance on illegal
immigration. Cannon said he believes immigrants should have
to pay a penalty for their illegal acts and remain in the
country. Chaffetz supports a “pathway to deportation,” that
would allow immigrants to stay in the country for some
unspecified period of time, then be returned to their
homeland.
(Tip of the day: Jason's last name is pronounced "Chay-fits")
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