Bush campaign counters Michaud Spokesman lashes out at congressman for ‘distorting’ president’s record

BANGOR – The Bush campaign rejected claims made by Democratic U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud on Thursday that the president’s lack of funding to the National Park Service is responsible for Acadia National Park’s budget shortfall.

“John Kerry and his supporters are going out around the country, distorting and attacking the Bush administrations accomplishments,” said Danny Diaz, regional spokesperson for the Bush campaign, speaking Friday. “President Bush’s National Parks Legacy Project means $5 billion over five years to improve our national parks.”

Diaz continued to say that Michaud “has put the interests of the Kerry campaign ahead of the interests of the people of Maine.”

During a press conference Thursday, Michaud attacked the Bush administration’s lack of funding to the National Park Service, specifically citing Acadia National Park’s 2004 budget shortfall of 53 percent.

Michaud also endorsed Sen. John Kerry for president, saying that Kerry planned to increase funding of the National Park Service by $600 million.

Michaud said Kerry planned to increase National Park Service funding by updating an 1872 mining law that allows mining companies to mine public lands without paying the federal government, as well as buy public lands for 1872 prices.

Diaz explained that the president also planned to increase funding to the National Park Service.

“The president’s $2.4 billion fiscal year 2005 budget request increases National Park Service funding by nearly $100 million over the 2004 budget,” said Diaz.

Diaz said that the Bush administration had increased funding to Acadia National Park by $3.3 million.

“John Kerry has a very disconnected vision for America,” Diaz added. “He’s left to nothing but resorting to scare and attack tactics.”

Diaz said that Bush’s record on environmental issues “speaks to results.” He also questioned why Kerry hadn’t addressed the proposed wind farm off the coast of Cape Cod.

“If John Kerry is such an environmentalist, why doesn’t he speak to a Cape Cod wind farm project in his own back yard?” said Diaz.