FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 25, 2018

Restoring Trust in Congressional District 22

fresno—Devin Nunes is one of Donald Trump’s most loyal allies and the one most comfortable with Trump’s brand of bald-faced lies. Nunes has made headlines by spinning a web of accusations targeting the Justice Department’s investigation of Russian involvement in Trump’s election, and now that Nunes is up for reelection the lies have come home.

Nunes lives in a dark reality, swirling with enemies, one where despite controlling every branch of government the Republican Party is still the weak and pitiable victim of a mythical “deep state.”

            “Devin Nunes first and foremost needs to be held accountable for his inattention to the Central Valley,” says Michael D. Evans, chair of the Fresno County Democratic Party, “and then for his toady-istic grandstanding on behalf of the corrupt Trump administration.”

Nunes is following his master’s vilification of the media. A few weeks ago, he sent out a glossy 40-page magazine laying out a sinister conspiracy purported against him by the Fresno Bee and his electoral challenger Andrew Janz. Of the accusations, most are false, misunderstandings of how journalism works or anger at the legal First Amendment actions of private citizens.

That expensive mailer went out too early to include the fascinating Esquire article that examined the Nunes family farm, located in Iowa and dependent on undocumented immigrant labor. Nunes was again furious and immediately sent out a round of e-mails accusing Esquire of stalking his parents, despite the reporter making a single request for an interview and leaving when turned down.

            Janz is Nunes’ Democratic opponent and so is the most focused target of Nunes’ current batch of lies. Nunes has accused Janz of trespassing on the farm of Nunes’ uncle, Gerald Nunes. In fact, the Janz campaign was filming on an adjacent farm where it had written permission from the property owner to do so. The roadside where they parked is in fact a public right of way, but the Janz film crew still agreed to move their trucks to another roadside that did not border Gerald Nunes’ land. Gerald Nunes was asked to leave by the sheriff’s deputies.

Nunes also complains that Janz is campaigning while working as a Fresno County prosecutor. Janz’s boss, District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, says this isn’t true and has thoroughly debunked this claim. The DA has had no issues with Janz and is not aware of him campaigning on county time at all.

            Nunes has lied repeatedly about the evidence against Trump’s campaign regarding Russia. He has lied about the media that reports on both his and the President’s mistakes. He has lied about his opponent, Andrew Janz, and the people of his district. All this has happened while the Congressional member has refused to face his constituents here in the Central Valley with any sort of town hall or public forum.

            “The time for change is now,” notes Evans. “Nunes serves in Washington at the behest of radical right-wing special interests—the much discussed ‘swamp.’ Andrew Janz will be a true advocate for delivering solutions to the Central Valley.”

People have the power. Vote on Nov. 6.

The Fresno County Democratic Party can be reached at 559-495-0606 or dems@fresnocountydemocrats.org

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