Either Voinovich Is Lying or His Spokesman Is...

Last week, over at the Ham Sandwich for Senate blog, I wrote this:

Courtesy of Ohio Rangers for Huckabee:

"We're going to have to raise more money in this country. Did you hear me? We're going to have to increase taxes in order to do the job," Sen. Voinovich said. "Anyone that tells you that's not the case isn't being truthful with you. They're not being intellectually honest with you."

At least he's being honest these days on tax issues...but he ought to change his party affiliation because Republicans believe in lower taxes and smaller government.

UPDATE: Voinovich is now back-peddling (Openers):

So, honestly: Does Voinovich think we need to raise taxes?

No, insists his spokesman, Chris Paulitz. The tax hike talk yesterday was a way to get people's attention so they would "realize the crisis we're in," Paulitz said.

It worked. Voinovich is getting attention.

But no Voinovich-backed tax hikes?

"He is making absolutely no attempt to raise taxes," Paulitz insists. "There are no plans in the works, no bills, no nothing." And that's the honest, intellectual truth.

Maybe Voinovich ought to answer this question for himself, Chris...I'm sorry, but I can't trust a staffer on this one. Your loyalty to your boss is admirable and I certainly understand that you are trying to dig him out of a hole, but the senator put himself there and he needs to craft a statement that we can believe. So far, I don't... Why? Voinvocih VOTED to raise taxes on individuals who make $31,850/year. His record shows that either the spokesman is lying or ill-informed as to the record of his boss. Seriously, we aren't going to forget this stuff...

The update in the post above is from today...

I am having a hard time reconciling Voinovich's statement with Paulitz's statement with Voinovich's VOTES... I don't know how Paulitz can say that Voinovich doesn't want to raise taxes with a straight face while knowing the whole time that he has already voted to raise taxes. Nice try, Chris, but I'm not buying it...and furthermore, I don't think it is appropriate for you to lie on behalf of your boss so he can "play" at being a conservative.