Former Iowa Christian Alliance Director Joe Earle Joins Romney For President

Thursday, Mar 22, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kevin Madden (857) 288-6400

Boston, MA – Governor Mitt Romney today announced that Joe Earle, immediate past Director of Outreach with the Iowa Christian Alliance, has joined his campaign for President. Earle will provide insight and advice to Governor Romney as he works to build grassroots support across Iowa.

"I am very pleased to welcome Joe Earle to my Iowa campaign team," said Governor Romney. "As my campaign gathers momentum, Joe will help to communicate my optimistic vision for the future to voters who agree that our nation's strength rests on a set of firm, unwavering principles."

With today's announcement, Joe Earle said, "Governor Romney has an impressive record on the issues that matter most to conservative Christian voters. Whether leading the fight for traditional marriage, implementing abstinence education programs or standing strong on Life, Governor Romney has shown the integrity and leadership necessary to move our nation forward."

Background On Joe Earle:

From January 2005 Through This Month, Joe Earle Directed The Iowa Christian Alliance's Outreach Efforts. A veteran of Iowa politics, Earle has worked for the Iowa Republican Party, Vander Plaats for Governor in 2002, and in the leadership of the Iowa College Republicans from 2000 to 2003. In 2004, he served as the Iowa Coalitions Director for the Bush-Cheney 2004 re-election effort. Earle earned an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Northern Iowa and is currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity at Faith Baptist Theological Seminary in Ankeny, Iowa.

South Florida Leaders Endorse Governor Mitt Romney

Thursday, Mar 22, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kevin Madden (857) 288-6400

Boston, MA – Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced that Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Bruno A. Barreiro and City of Miramar Vice-Mayor Troy R. Samuels have endorsed his candidacy for President of the United States.

"I am proud to have the support of Chairman Barreiro and Vice-Mayor Samuels. They are both respected and accomplished leaders in South Florida," said Governor Romney. "Our country faces a new generation of challenges that requires innovative, bold solutions. Chairman Barreiro and Vice-Mayor Samuels understand that we need to bring real change to Washington. I am honored they have joined the strong team we have built in Florida."

Chairman Barreiro and Vice-Mayor Samuels join a growing list of South Florida leaders endorsing Governor Romney, including Al Cardenas, former Chairman of the Florida Republican Party and a Chair of the Romney for President Florida Steering Committee, and State Representative Anitere Flores, a Co-Chair of the Romney for President Florida Steering Committee.

Background On South Florida Leaders:

Bruno A. Barreiro Is The Chairman Of The Miami-Dade County Board Of Commissioners. Chairman Barreiro has served as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner since 1998. His Commission district includes portions of the Cities of Miami and Miami Beach, as well as the communities of Little Havana, Downtown, and South Beach. Elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1992, Chairman Barreiro represented District 107 until his election to the County Commission. Professionally, Chairman Barreiro is the President of BABJ Investment Corporation.

Troy R. Samuels Is The Vice-Mayor Of The City Of Miramar. Vice-Mayor Samuels currently works for Deerwood Estates, Inc., a residential home builder, where he is the financial controller and the general contractor of record. Vice Mayor Samuels was elected to the Miramar City Commission in 2005, and this past year he was appointed by his peers on the city commission to serve as vice mayor of the city. He represents the City of Miramar on the Broward League of Cities where he is the sitting co-chair of the Endorsement Committee. Vice-Mayor Samuels has also served for the last two years as a Florida delegate to the National League of Cities' Congressional City Conference in Washington D.C.

Policy Briefing: Protecting American Workers

Thursday, Mar 22, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Kevin Madden (857) 288 - 6390

Governor Romney's Initiative To Protect American Workers:

Governor Romney Believes Hard Working Americans Have The Right To Not Pay Union Dues If They Do Not Belong To A Union. A bill working its way through the Iowa Legislature would allow public employee unions to charge union fees to nonunion workers.

- Governor Romney Believes This Legislation Is Bad Policy. Employees - whether in the private sector or the public sector - have a right to choose whether to contribute to a union. This bill would force tens of thousands of school teachers and city, county and state government employees to pay union dues, even if they don't want to belong to the union.

- Governor Romney Believes A Worker Should Have The Right To Choose Whether To Join A Union. Governor Romney opposes legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that would allow labor unions to organize businesses by taking away workers' rights to a secret ballot election to determine unionization. This kind of legislation would open the door to union coercion, intimidation, and badgering by allowing unions to collect cards from workers in lieu of a secret ballot election.

Governor Romney Believes The Resources Of The Federal Government Should Not Be Used To Solicit Or Collect Dues For Politicized Organizations. As President, Governor Romney will work to overturn existing federal policy that permits automatic paycheck deduction for federal employees' union dues.

Governor Romney Knows That With A Democratic Congress Beholden To Labor Unions, A National Right To Work Law Will Never Pass. Therefore, This Is An Issue That Is Being Dealt With On A State-By-State Basis. Governor Romney Encourages State Legislatures To Take The Lead And Support Right To Work Laws In Their States. Currently 22 states have Right to Work laws and many of them have seen exponential economic growth. Many states without Right to Work laws are struggling economically. Flexible labor laws allow states to attract trade and industry to their cities and towns and because of this, good, high paying jobs follow.

Governor Romney's Record On Union Paychecks:

In 2003, Governor Romney Challenged A Program Allowing "State Employees To Contribute 50 Cents A Week From Their Paychecks Into Union Political Action Committees, Saying The System Unfairly Favors Unions That Support Democrats." ("Romney Wants To Stop State Employees PAC Contribution," The Associated Press, 8/5/03)

- The Boston Globe: "In a letter delivered yesterday to the director of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, Romney's chief legal counsel challenged the voluntary payroll deduction, which is used by about 12.5 percent of the state's eligible employees. Administration officials say the program raises $435,000 per year for state employee union PACs, many of which opposed Romney in 2002." (Joanna Weiss, "Romney Fights Union On PAC Contribution," The Boston Globe, 8/5/03)

The Massachusetts Office Of Campaign And Political Finance Ruled That Unions Cannot Solicit Automatic Payroll Deductions On State Property Or Through State Workers. "The State Office of Campaign and Political Finance has rebuffed Governor Mitt Romney's effort to ban automatic payroll deductions from state workers' paychecks for unions' political action committees. But in a partial victory for the governor, the office also ruled that the unions cannot solicit those deductions on state property or through state workers and must reimburse the state for costs associated with collecting the money." (Rick Klein, "Mixed Response In Union Ruling Restrictions Given For PAC Deductions," The Boston Globe, 9/12/03)

- Boston Herald: "Hats off to Gov. Mitt Romney for calling a spade a spade and putting a stop to public employee unions' improper use of state resources for political purposes. OCPF should have put a stop to this flouting of state law long ago. But then again, no politician until Romney had the guts to ask them to." (Editorial, "Closing A PAC Loophole," Boston Herald, 9/14/03)