Archive for August, 2008
We did it! Thanks to your hard work, I am the Republican nominee for the the U.S. House of Representatives 16th Congressional District of Florida. I am deeply humbled and honored to have this opportunity. Tara and I would like to thank all of our volunteers and supporters from across the district for their dedication and resolve.
In the coming weeks we will be doubling our efforts to continue to spread our message throughout the district of bringing new conservative leadership to Congress. Washington is broken — but America is strong. I believe we have an obligation to our children to make this country better than we found it.
Again, my deepest thanks for all of your hard work.
Sincerely,
Tom Rooney
August 27th, 2008
My brother, Tom Rooney, one of three candidates running in the Republican primary for the District 16 House race to oppose Tim Mahoney, has faced quite a dilemma as of late as to how to get his message out that he is the most qualified to represent this particular part of Florida.
Tom’s campaign, in the waning days of this primary, and in the unenviable position of running behind his opponents monetarily, finds itself unable to parry some of the attacks his challengers have levied upon him.
That being established, and being of a completely biased opinion, I hope to be of some remedy.
Like myself, Tom and the rest of our six siblings had what might be termed a comfortable upbringing. My Grandfather, of course, was the legendary Art Rooney, founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers, himself one of eleven children from a lower class Irish immigrant family who eventually settled in Pittsburgh. His story has been told many times, so I won’t retrace it here. What I will say is that the legacy of my Grandfather is rooted in something that today seems incongruous with politics, that being humility.
We may have been surrounded, as children, by what my Grandfather surely would have termed trivial luxuries, but there was always a deeper purpose instilled by him, through my Father, Patrick and my Mother, Sandy as to what life really was about. That was, service to God, to your family, and to your country in that order.
It was because of the hard work of our Grandfather, and through him, the work of our Father, that Tom was able to go to college. He then had the opportunity to attend and complete graduate school. Ultimately, he would go on to finish law school.
I write this not to list my brother’s achievements, but to show how he used those achievements to honor the values and examples that previous generations of my family exhibited to inspire our generation.
Tom could have used his educational resume and family ties to secure an endless array of high paying jobs. Instead, in his late 20’s, he joined the US Army as a JAG officer. After serving his country, he joined the Florida State Attorney’s office under now Governor Charlie Crist investigating Medicare fraud. Finally, then Governor George Bush appointed him to run the Children’s Place at Home Safe, a care center for abused and neglected children here in Palm Beach County.
My Grandfather always said, God’s gift to you is your life, your gift to God is what you do with it. When I look over how Tom has lived his life thus far, I see that he took his words to heart.
Tom and I, honestly, never liked politics. We could never understand how one person, without sitting down and getting to know the other, could arbitrarily judge that person from a distance. As much as the both of us has wanted to lash out at one of our opponents at one time or another, we always found ourselves saying to one another, “I wonder if they’re really like this outside of politics?” And we demurred. It was never worth it. In the end, dignity was what mattered.
Again, this isn’t a plea to you to vote for my brother. You alone should decide whom you believe is best to serve this district. I only wanted to let you know that my brother, Tom, is an honorable person. And I wanted to let him know that I’m proud of, not only how he has conducted himself in this race, but how he has conducted himself in life.
Chris Rooney
August 25th, 2008
Volunteer at Rooney Headquarters on Monday!
What:
Get Out the Vote
Where:
Rooney Campaign Headquarters
50 Ocean Blvd #101
Stuart, FL 34996
When:
Monday, August 25
10am - 6pm
Join Tom and Tara Rooney for the final stop of their bus tour - a Get Out the Vote Rally!!
What:
Get Out the Vote Rally
Where:
Osceola Street Cafe - Downtown Stuart
26 SW Osceola Street
Stuart, FL 34994
When:
Monday, August 25
2:30pm
Celebrate with Tom Rooney on election night!
What:
Victory Party
Where:
Rooney Campaign Headquarters
50 Ocean Blvd #101
Stuart, FL 34996
When:
Tuesday, August 26th
6:30pm
August 25th, 2008
Pro Life Advocate and founder of Ava Maria University in Naples, Florida, Tom Monaghan, also Endorses Rooney
Tom Rooney has been endorsed by leading pro life advocate and businessman Thomas Monaghan and former Florida Governor Claude Kirk.
“I believe you represent a return to Republican ideals with your pledge to lower taxes, cut frivolous spending and most importantly to protect life and traditional family values,” said Thomas Monaghan in a letter to the campaign.
With your help we can help bring new conservative leadership to Washington. Election Day is right around the corner please visit www.tomrooney.com to learn more about how you can get involved.
August 23rd, 2008
***Urgent Action Item – Only 72 Hours Left Until Victory***
Vets for Freedom PAC Supports Tom Rooney
Dear Vets for Freedom PAC members:
Vets for Freedom PAC encourages all veterans in Florida to help get out the vote efforts for Tom Rooney. Contact Tom’s campaign headquarters at (772) 463-4733 or at www.tomrooney.com. Tell them you are a veteran and want to make phone calls or walk doors to help ensure victory. Remember – only 72 hours until Election Day!
On Tuesday August 26, Floridians will take to the polls to elect those leaders who will represent each party in November’s general election. As the situation in Iraq continues to improve, the importance of having veterans in Congress who understand the fragile situation on the ground couldn’t me more clear.
Vets for Freedom PAC is proud to support Tom Rooney for United States Congress in Florida’s 16th Congressional District. Representing one of our first endorsements as an organization, Tom, a successful and highly decorated Army JAG Officer, understands that the fight we are currently undertaking in Iraq is essential to our success in the global fight against Islamic extremism. He recognizes and acknowledges the success of our current military strategy implemented by General Petraeus, and has been a steadfast source of support of all the men and women who are winning the Global War on Terror. Our country needs more people like Tom in Washington.
As the brave men and women who wear our nation’s uniform continue to serve in harm’s way, it is important that we have Members of Congress who understand and appreciate the sacrifices they make and why they make them. Vets for Freedom PAC has been proud to support Tom Rooney – now it’s time to go out and work towards victory.
Move Out and Draw Fire!
Pete Hegseth
Chairman, Vets for Freedom PAC
August 22nd, 2008
Tom Rooney held a press conference today with State Rep. William Snyder (R-Stuart) and the Palm Beach and Martin County Police Benevolent Association to discuss illegal alien criminals and gang activity.
“As a former Criminal Prosecutor under Charlie Crist nothing is more important than the safety of my family the people of South Florida,” said Tom Rooney. This is why I have pledged to crack down on illegal immigration, illegal alien criminals and gang members. Several months ago I announced a plan to require local law enforcement to report to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) all illegal aliens arrested for violent crimes and require illegal alien criminals be immediately deported as soon as they have served their time.”
Tom will also work to increase coordination between local law enforcement and federal and state agencies such as ICE, CBP, FBI and FDLE. Many of these gangs, such as MS 13 and SUR 13 are involved in drug trafficking and other organized illegal operations. Local law enforcement needs to closely work with federal partners with the resources to bring these gangs to justice.
Tom also believes we must educate our children at a young age of the dangers of these gangs and criminal organizations.
To view a video of the press conference, click HERE.
August 21st, 2008
(Stuart, FL) – Senator Connie Mack has endorsed Tom Rooney in the race for Florida’s 16th Congressional District.
“Today I am proud to enthusiastically endorse Tom Rooney in his big to become Florida’s next Republican Congressman, said Senator Mack in a letter to the campaign. “Tom Rooney will be a strong voice for Florida’s mainstream conservative principles – less government, less taxes and more freedom. I know that Tom has the courage to get Congress back on track and make Florida proud.”
“I am humbled by Senator Mack’s endorsement of my campaign,” said Tom Rooney. “As a former staff member for Senator Mack his endorsement is very important to me. We will continue to focus our campaign on the issues that face the people of the district and what I can do to help people improve their lives.”
Tom Rooney served as a Captain in the U.S. Army as a JAG Officer, taught Constitutional and Military Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point, was the CEO of Home Safe, a Palm Beach shelter for abused children, and is running for the 16th Congressional District of Florida. For more information please visit www.tomrooney.com.
August 20th, 2008
To see video, click HERE.
August 18th, 2008
Rooney for U.S. House District 16
As can be expected in a primary election, the race for the GOP nomination for the District 16 congressional seat has seen the three candidates flexing their conservative credentials. Radio ads and public statements from the candidates and their campaigns seek to portray opponents as free spenders, ideologically impure or otherwise straying from the gospel of limited government.
Gayle Harrell is a four-term state representative who brings a solid record on health care issues to the primary campaign. With Medicare gobbling up more and more of the federal budget and Medicaid threatening to cripple state budgetary flexibility, her experience and ideas about reining in costs are intriguing. She was instrumental in crafting a state statute that allows small businesses to join insurance pools to provide affordable insurance for uncovered workers.
Like her rivals, Harrell correctly noted the Republican Party’s Washington leadership betrayed its fiscal principles after taking power in 1994. We would have liked to hear more creative solutions regarding energy policy, but Harrell seems to believe we can drill our way to oil independence.
Yale University graduate Hal Valeche flew combat missions over Vietnam, served stints on two local government boards and has built a successful investment banking career in Palm Beach County. He points to that range of experience as unique among the District 16 candidates. We think his financial expertise would serve him well in addressing flaws in the nation’s banking and securities industries that led to the housing and credit crises now weighing down the economy. He said the Federal Reserve’s monetary policies have been behind two market meltdowns this decade, including the tech stock crash at the turn of the century.
We’re not sure Valeche is the right man for the moment, though. He is a self-described reformer and pointed to his willingness to be on the losing side of votes as a sign of strength. With the Republicans likely to lose seats in the House after the November elections, we’re not convinced the 16th district needs a representative who is more likely to make enemies than friends on Capitol Hill.
Tom Rooney has been to Capitol Hill before, as an aide to Sen. Connie Mack. The former JAG officer also served on the staff of then-Attorney General Charlie Crist after a stint teaching military law at West Point. We were impressed with Rooney’s allegiance to the rule of law even amid a period of hyperactive patriotism. He opposes torture as both counterproductive and morally wrong. Many of his former students are now serving in Iraq and giving him unfiltered feedback on the war’s progress. He has concluded we are “buying the Iraqis time with our blood” and that it is time to turn Iraq over to the Iraqis.
Rooney is a scion of the Pittsburgh Rooney family that owns the National Football League Steelers. Those connections and contributions haven’t hurt, as Rooney holds a sizable lead in campaign contributions despite his relative lack of political experience.
Rooney holds boilerplate GOP positions on spending and taxes, but we liked his outlook on unproductive partisanship that prevents Congress from solving problems. Charlotte County is a donor district in a donor state and as much as we join all three candidates in condemning congressional overspending, we also believe our area is long overdue for an influx of federal dollars. Roads and economic development are not waste. We don’t need a congressman tilting at windmills of principle while our taxes are funding those things in other areas.
The Sun recommends Tom Rooney in the Republican primary for the District 16 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
August 12th, 2008
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