U.S. Rep. Zack Space's (D-Dover) campaign accused a conservative-advocacy group Freedom's Watch of lying about Space's record on supporting offshore oil drilling. Space's campaign responded to the group's radio ads and press releases hammering Space over energy production.
Radio ads playing in Space's district accused him of voting against "domestic energy production" four times, and Freedom's Watch subsequently sent a release to reporters claiming Space was being hypocritical for saying he supported offshore drilling yet voting to maintain a moratorium on oil exploration and drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf.
However, the vote in question was for H.R. 2643, a bill to fund the Department of the Interior. Inside the bill was an amendment that would have opened offshore areas to drilling for natural gas. Space voted in favor of including the amendment, but the amendment was defeated in a roll call vote and wasn't present in the final version of H.R. 2643. Space voted for H.R. 2643 without the offshore drilling amendment.
U.S. Rep. Zack Space's (D-Dover) campaign accused a conservative-advocacy group Freedom's Watch of lying about Space's record on supporting offshore oil drilling. Space's campaign responded to the group's radio ads and press releases hammering Space over energy production.
Radio ads playing in Space's district accused him of voting against "domestic energy production" four times, and Freedom's Watch subsequently sent a release to reporters claiming Space was being hypocritical for saying he supported offshore drilling yet voting to maintain a moratorium on oil exploration and drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf.
However, the vote in question was for H.R. 2643, a bill to fund the Department of the Interior. Inside the bill was an amendment that would have opened offshore areas to drilling for natural gas. Space voted in favor of including the amendment, but the amendment was defeated in a roll call vote and wasn't present in the final version of H.R. 2643. Space voted for H.R. 2643 without the offshore drilling amendment.
Space campaign manager Dan Kelly said Freedom's Watch lied to the press.
"This is a ridiculous attempt by a shadowy outside group to distort Zack Space's record. This is more than just shoddy election year rhetoric, it's a downright lie," Kelly said.
Moreover, the campaign pointed to Space's support for offshore drilling as a co-sponsor of the "Responsible Federal Oil and Gas Lease Act," known colloquially as the "use-it or lose-it" bill that would strip oil companies of federal-land leases if they do not drill on those lands for oil and gas. The bill passed the House last week with Space voting in the majority.
Freedom's Watch spokesman Tim Pearson said Space's vote and co-sponsorship aren't enough.
"Congressman Space apparently thinks that his responsibility to Ohio motorists ended with his support for a single amendment-an amendment that wasn't even included in the final bill which he voted for anyway," Pearson said, adding that just because oil companies are leasing land doesn't mean the land will produce oil.
