King, Opponents Increase Spending In Final Days Before Recall

MON governor fighting for survival in state's first recall election


TREETON, MONOMI--Governor Scott King is spending millions of dollars to save himself from an agressive recall effort aimed at removing him from office.

The embattled governor has just two days before Monomi voters decide his fate in a special recall election. And both sides are sprinting to the finish line.

King has reportedly spent $3.6 million, mostly of his own money, on defending himself against claims made by his opponents. He has bought several TV spots and radio ads, as well as a full newspaper page in The Treeton Sun newspaper.

In one ad from the governor, running on stations state-wide, the narrator touts King's record as governor, saying he "created 500,000 jobs, lowered taxes on the middle class, and fought to secure our borders." The narrator then says, "He's been a good governor, and a good man. Keep Scott King in office."

In another ad from King's campaign, the governor is featured talking with seniors and children, while the narrator says "Scott King's opponents are trying to smear him and ruin his good name. The truth is, Scott King has stood up for seniors, children, and families all across Monomi. Don't let radical conservatives defeat our governor and defeat our state."

But attack ads from the other side are less friendly.

One ad from Citizens to Recall Scott King, the main group behind the recall effort, slams the governor for "running an inside job in Treeton" and "deceiving the public to protect his person interests."

"If Scott King is innocent, why has he refused to talk to the media?" the narrator asks. "It just doesn't make sense. Scott King is hiding the truth, and WE are paying for it," a caption says.

Citizens to Recall Scott King reports it spent about $4.7 million in a last-minute campaign spending spree. Supporters of the effort are also calling voters, urging them to turnout and vote to remove King from office.

In order to be recalled, 60% of voters must vote in favor of the recall, Monomi Secretary of State Sharon Dimaggio (CNS) said.

It's unclear just what to expect on Monday, when voters go to the polls. At the height of the governor's scandal, which involved allegations of corruption and even prostitution, a strong majority (70%) supported recalling him from office.

But as the dramatic process has slogged on for several months, support for the recall has dropped immensely, as many voters believe such upheaval in the state's leadership is unhealthy and not worth it, with King already scheduled to leave office due to term limits in January 2011.

Many also do not favor the recall, because, if successful, it would mean Lieutenant Governor Erica Kinsley (NAT) would assume the governorship, a move many feel would only be political posturing for the ambitious young lieutenant governor, who openly called for King's resignation following the onset of the scandal.

"The way to fix this is not by removing Scott King from office and replacing him with Erica Kinsley. The real way to fix this is to wait until [the] December [2010 election] and vote someone new in there," said 64-year-old Lee Scholl, a retired carpenter from Heydworth.

So far, almost all of the state's Conservative members in the National Assembly have called on King to resign or be recalled. Democratic-Reformist Senator Willy Locke, however, is the only one of the state's five senators to call for the same.