Breaking: Ford Raises $1.85 Million

FORD: WE RAISE MONEY, CORKER WRITES A CHECK

NASHVILLE -- Today, U.S. Senate candidate Harold Ford announced that his campaign raised $1.85 million over the past three months, and again bested all three of his Republican opponents combined. Also today, one of his Republican opponents, Bob Corker, announced that he was writing a $1.74 million check to his own campaign. Congressman Ford made the following statement:

"Again, I want to thank my friends and supporters for their generous and continued support of our campaign. Our total for the quarter - $1.85 million - surpassed all the Republicans combined and will help us for what promises to be an incredible contest in the fall between our message of change and hope and my Republican opponent's predictable attacks and stay the course message."

In addition, Ford Campaign Senior Advisor Michael Powell said that Bob Corker today made two very important announcements:

"First, he announced he has run out of supporters. The Big Oil CEOs and Washington lobbyists who have been bankrolling his campaign are officially tapped out.

"Harold Ford Jr. has nearly doubled Bob Corker's fundraising this year. While our campaign continues to build momentum and support, Bob Corker has turned to the only supporter he has left: himself.

"Second, Bob Corker announced today he wants to make his wealth a campaign issue. He should, therefore, shoot straight with the voters of Tennessee and immediately disclose the tax returns he has been hiding. Now that he has made it plain he wants to buy a seat in the United States Senate, Tennesseans are entitled to know where the money is coming from."

199 Days

Days of Congressional Inaction on Ethics

Above is the number of days that have passed since Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to bribing Congressman.

It is also the number of days in which Congress has failed to pass an ethics reform bill that would limit private travel, ski and golf junkets, and would call for a full disclosure of expenses by lobbyists on members of Congress.

It is time for Congress to step up and pass an ethics reform bill that would do all of the above. In addition, it is time to end the pork barrel spending system as we know it and establish an independent ethics commission that would review ethics complaints against members of Congress.

I am proud Congressman Harold Ford Jr. is fighting for that reform!

Read Congressman Ford's call for reform of the House rules here!