Nolan links Cravaack to Duluth plant closing

Posted at 2:45 PM on October 8, 2012 by Mark Zdechlik (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012: U.S. MN CD8

Eighth District DFL congressional candidate Rick Nolan said incumbent Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack did not do enough to keep a Duluth hardboard manufacturing plant open.

Nolan held a news conference today outside the gates of a Georgia-Pacific plant that began shutting down in late August. The plant employed about 160 people 141 workers. Several of them stood behind Nolan as he linked Cravaack to the closing. Nolan suggested Cravaack did not more vigorously oppose the shutdown because the Koch brothers, who are direct and indirect financial supporters of Cravaack's campaign, have an ownership interest in Georgia Pacific.

"Our Congressman Chip Cravaack has been all show," said Nolan. "He's been no go and when the working men and women in this district are looking for a champion, someone who will step up and fight for them to help keep and retain their good jobs, he's nowhere to be found."

The Cravaack campaign issued this statement in response:

"As Mayor Ness said, 'the news from Georgia Pacific is disappointing' and came as a surprise to everybody. While outside groups have been running attacks in this race on both sides for months, it's no coincidence that former congressman Nolan is speaking up now as his campaign becomes more desperate. Surely, a press conference to score political points and point fingers won't put families back to work. If Nolan was truly concerned, he would have issue with San Francisco-based CREDO SuperPAC setting up shop on Superior Street for over a year."

Comments (2)

Other than saying "Cravaack did not more vigorously oppose the shutdown because the Koch brothers, who are direct and indirect financial supporters of Cravaack's campaign, have an ownership interest in Georgia Pacific."

What proof of link? Was there contributions on key dates? Phone calls? Did Cravaack even know that Koch brothers had an financial interest in Georgia Pacific?

Posted by BJ | October 8, 2012 3:22 PM

I don't know what the proof was, but I can see no situation in which Cravaack did NOT know about the Koch bros. interest.

(Incidentally, it's "WERE there contributions...?")

Posted by Jamie | October 8, 2012 5:49 PM

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