Download the HD version

Download these images in high resolution

Tester’s Senate campaign, Montanans for Tester, launched the new 60-second spot Monday. It will run statewide across Montana.

The commercial features the Testers sitting in the home they built themselves near Big Sandy, Mont., flipping through a photo album and talking about how both of them grew up working land homesteaded by their families.

“We’re not unique,” Jon Tester says in the ad. “This is the story of Montana: Generations before us on this land. Hard work. Responsibility.”

Tester is the Senate’s only farmer. He still works the same land homesteaded by his grandparents in 1912. Jon and Sharla will celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary this September.

“Out here, it isn’t hard to understand that things are bigger than us,” Sharla Tester says in the ad. “Caring as deeply about the next generation, as the people who came before cared about us. Now, that’s the Montana way.”

“Worrying a lot more about the next generation needs to be the American way again too,” Jon Tester says—noting his record of cutting the national deficit, improving schools, protecting clean air and water, and protecting Social Security and Medicare.

This is Tester’s sixth TV advertisement. Unlike his Senate opponent, all of Tester’s ads have focused on his record of holding himself accountable to Montana, his commitment to Montana veterans and his Montana roots.

Documentation online HERE.

Transcript:

SHARLA TESTER: Jon grew up on this land; worked alongside his folks.

JON TESTER: Sharla lived just down the road, working with her parents too. For generations, Montanans have lived this way.

SHARLA: We hope our grandkids will too.

JON: We’re not unique. This is the story of Montana: Generations before us on this land. Hard work. Responsibility.

SHARLA: Out here, it isn’t hard to understand that things are bigger than us.

JON: We care about what we leave our kids. Reducing the deficit. Better schools. Making sure kids can afford to go to college. Better care for our veterans. Protecting Social Security and Medicare. Protecting clean air and water. And protecting our way of life.

SHARLA: Caring as deeply about the next generation, as the people who came before cared about us. Now, that’s the Montana way.

JON: Worrying a lot more about the next generation needs to be the American way again too. I’m Jon Tester and I approve this message.

###

Helen Pearson Tester - Jon's Mother

By Jon Tester in the Billings Gazette

My mom, Helen Pearson Tester, was the real deal. She was the daughter of homesteaders who came to north-central Montana with very little. She was the foundation of our family, raising my two older brothers and me with Montana values of hard work and responsibility.

My mother passed away three years ago after a long, happy and productive life. This Mother’s Day, my brothers Bob and Dave and I are thinking of our mom. We are thankful and blessed.

This is a day I also remember what my mom believed in. She was a defender of women’s rights. She worked hard to make sure all of her children went to college. She taught us that the foundations of democracy are public education and family agriculture. Maybe that’s why I became both a teacher and a farmer.

Helen Tester was also a pioneer. She believed in access to affordable health care for all women — something we remember during National Women’s Health Week this week. My mom believed in good prenatal care, quality preventive health care for women and children, and nutritious food for our kids. Those are values held by most Montanans, and I am proud they are my values, too.

This past Easter, I had a conversation with my wife, Sharla, and my daughter Christine at home in Big Sandy. We got to talking about recent efforts in Congress to undermine women’s health care, education and our basic freedoms. Sadly, we’ve had to fight back efforts to cut important initiatives that provide access to preventive health care, breast cancer screenings, Head Start, affordable college and healthy school lunches.

I told Christine that the fight in Congress right now isn’t a fight that her mother had to fight. It’s a fight her grandmother Helen already fought — and won. Now it’s now a fight that we are ready to take on again.

As the son of a great mom, the husband of a great mom, and the father of a great mom, I honor them by redoubling my commitment to quality health care, better schools, making sure kids can go to college, better care for our veterans, and protecting clean air and water.

As my mother taught me, looking after future generations is the Montana way. It needs to be the American way, too.

Read the whole story >>

BILLINGS, Mont. – Multimillionaire Dennis Rehberg has spent 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, but has never requested an independent ethics review of his office—despite suspicious expenses and revolving-door relationships with lobbyists.

Jon Tester is the only member of Congress to hold himself accountable to high ethics standards by requesting regular and independnt ethics reviews of his office from Montana judges.

To help hold Rehberg accountable to Montanans, Tester’s campaign today released a first-of-its-kind ethics review of Rehberg.

The report confirms Rehberg’s history of irresponsible decisions, including taxpayer-funded reimbursements for Rehberg’s personal helicopter, the revolving door between Rehberg’s office and K Street lobbyists, and his hiding of $25,000 from campaign contributions from registered lobbyists in 2011.

The ethics report of Congressman Dennis Rehberg summarizes five key findings:

1. Rehberg exploited Congressional loopholes to fly his helicopter on the taxpayer dime.

2. Rehberg’s office is a revolving door for K-Street lobbyists.

3. Rehberg engaged in a questionable relationship with at least one associate of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

4. Rehberg hid $25,000 in campaign contributions from registered lobbyists.

5. Rehberg has spent $320,000 in taxpayer money to promote his political agenda.

Click to view the report

###

BILLINGS, Mont. – Taking a page out of the playbook of his secretly funded corporate allies, Congressman Dennis Rehberg’s new TV ad criticizes “dishonest attacks” before pulling facts and news headlines facts out of thin air.

The new attack ad is Rehberg’s first Senate campaign commercial. A full fact-check is online HERE.

“Congressman Dennis Rehberg doesn’t have real facts or headlines to back up his claims so he did what he does best—he just invented his own,” said Tester campaign spokesman Aaron Murphy.

In fact, Rehberg’s ad features six news headlines that have never appeared in any news publication.

The multimillionaire Congressman is under fire for voting to raise his pay five times after promising Montanans he would never give himself—or accept—pay raises.

Rather than take responsibility for his votes, Rehberg’s ad instead blames Tester with the inaccurate, made-up headline: “Tester votes to raise own pay.”

“The only truth in Congressman Dennis Rehberg’s ad is the part that features Jon Tester talking about the need for honest leadership—something Jon has delivered with the highest ethics standards in Congress,” Murphy said. “Congressman Rehberg promised Montanans he would never vote to give himself a raise, then voted five times to raise his own pay. That’s about as dishonest as it gets.”

Tester this week launched a new ad highlighting his unprecedented record of transparency and accountability in the U.S. Senate.

Dennis Rehberg’s corporate allies, including the secretive Crossroads GPS, have already spent more than $2 million on ads attacking Tester. One ad was so false, a Montana cable company pulled it off the air.

###

BILLINGS, Mont. – Multimillionaire Congressman Dennis Rehberg made a dishonest call for transparency on Friday despite his history of hiding lobbyist contributions, irregular online fundraising reporting filing and continued support from secretive special interests.

While answering questions on rightwing radio, Rehberg attempted to brush aside his history of questionable practices by calling for “100 percent transparency” in campaign spending—something Jon Tester supports.

“Every single dime [of campaign contributions] ought to be identified by the individual that contributed that dollar,” Rehberg said Friday. “And I don’t care if it’s a union, a corporation, or an individual, dollar one ought to be identified—and it ought to be done within the 24 hour period and you can put it on the Internet.”

But last year, Rehberg was caught hiding $25,000 in donations he took from registered lobbyists.

And despite calling for a 24-hour online filing period, Rehberg waited 10 days post his latest fundraising report online. That’s 216 hours late by Rehberg’s standard.

Rehberg has also benefited from more than $2 million in TV attack ads from secretive groups like Crossroads GPS, which are allowed to accept limitless anonymous donations. The organization responsible for secret campaign spending, Citizens United, endorsed Rehbergon September 21.

Tester voluntarily submits his FEC reports electronically and has introduced a bipartisan billto require all Senate candidates to follow his lead. Tester believes current disclosure requirements are “like farming with a horse and plow.”

“After spending 35 years as a career politician, Montanans can’t trust Congressman Dennis Rehberg,” said Montanans for Tester spokesman Aaron Murphy. “While Congressman Rehberg claims he’s for transparency, Jon Tester is actually setting the standard. And unlike Congressman Rehberg, Jon believes all Montanans deserve to know who contributes to political campaigns.”

###

BILLINGS, Mont. – Jon Tester’s newest TV ad features three prominent Montanans who vouch for the Montana farmer’s unprecedented ethics and accountability to the people he serves.

Click here to view the ad on Facebook

The 30-second spot, which begins airing across the Big Sky State Monday, showcases Tester’s record as the first member of Congress to post his public schedule online.

Click here to view the ad on YouTube

Tester is also the only member of Congress who has judges conduct regular ethics reviews of his office. Former Montana Supreme Court Justice William Leaphart recently gave Tester “high marks” in Tester’s latest ethics audit.

Tester’s new ad touts a new website summarizing his record on ethics, transparency, and accountability: testerethicsrecord.com.

Tester’s TV commercial features former Montana Congressman Pat Williams, former federal prosecutor Sherry Matteucci and teacher Cathy Kuntz.

“He’s a man of intelligence and integrity,” Kuntz says in the ad. “And his actions prove it every single day.”

This is Tester’s fifth TV ad. Recent ads showcased Tester’s Montana roots, and his success in fighting for Montana veterans who have defended America’s freedoms.

Documentation online HERE.

Transcript:

SHERRY MATTEUCCI [Federal Prosecutor, ret.]: “Jon Tester promised us he’d be a different kind of senator, and he is.”

CATHY KUNTZ [Teacher]: “He’s a man of intelligence and integrity. And his actions prove it every single day. He posts his schedule online, so we know who he’s meeting with.”

PAT WILLIAMS [Former Member of Congress]: “He’s cracked down on lobbyists. Refused their trips.”

MATTEUCCI: “And has retired Montana judges conduct tough ethics audits to make sure he’s following his own rules.”

WILLIAMS: “See for yourself, and you’ll know too.”

MATTEUCCI: “Jon Tester is working for Montana—”

ALL: “—Every single day.”

JON TESTER: “I’m Jon Tester and I approve this message.”

###

On the conservative radio show Voices of Montana, Rehberg said he “doesn’t get” the war on women.

“It’s all fabricated, this ‘war on women,’” Rehberg claimed.  “We do everything we possibly can to see that everybody has an opportunity.”

But as chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees funding for health care, Rehberg tried twice last year to zero out funding for Planned Parenthood. [HR 1, Vote 93, 2/18/11; New York Times, 2/17/11; Billings Gazette, 10/9/11]

Why?  Dennis Reberg says Planned Parenthood isn’t necessary.

“We have what’s called Medicaid,” Rehberg said today.  “It’s for our low-income women.”

But last year, Rehberg voted to cut Medicaid by $500 billion. [HR 2560, Vote 606, 7/20/11; New America Media, 7/26/11]

Then Rehberg said cuts to Planned Parenthood and attempts to restrict contraception are part of a made-up distraction to “divert the attention” away from economic issues.

“We’re doing everything we possibly can to provide the same opportunity for everyone in America,” Rehberg claimed.

Same opportunity?  Dennis Rehberg voted twice against guaranteeing equal pay for women for equal work.  [HR 2831, Vote 768, 7/31/07; S. 181, Vote 37, 1/27/09]

BILLINGS, Mont. – Multimillionaire Congressman Dennis Rehberg is dealing with his opposition to college tuition tax credits while trying to convince Montana students he’s on their side.

Rehberg tried to deny families and students the ability to write off a portion of their tuition by voting against the the American Opportunity Tax Credit in 2009 and 2010. [CQ Bill Analysis HR 1; HR 1, Vote 70, 2/13/09] [HR 4853, Vote 647, 12/17/10]

Jon Tester supported the tax credit which helped 25,000 Montana families and individuals receive an average rebate of $1,900 on tuition costs and fees in 2011–$49,000,000 total in Montana.

Rehberg offered up his personal beliefs on tuition assistance in 2011 when he called Pell Grants “welfare.”

“Jon Tester understands making college more affordable is an essential part of moving our economy forward and building a strong foundation for Montana’s future,” said Motanans for Tester spokesman Aaron Murphy. “Meanwhile, multimillionaire Congressman Dennis Rehberg has characterized tuition assistance as unnecessary with his deep cuts to student loans, his opposition to tuition-based tax credits and his belief Pell Grants are ‘welfare.’”

###

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana Postal Workers Union (MPWU) is delivering a unanimous endorsement to Montana farmer Jon Tester in his campaign for his reelection to the U.S. Senate, citing his fight to protect rural post offices and the jobs of rural postal workers.

The MPWU has not endorsed candidates for federal office in years, but made an exception after Tester “put up the fight of his life” to protect rural Postal Service workers.

The union offered a strong rejection of Congressman Dennis Rehberg because of his opposition to their collective bargaining rights and his efforts towards privatizing the U.S.Postal Service (see endorsement resolution below).

“From the first time we first approached Jon about postal issues, he’s been a tireless advocate for us in the U.S. Senate,” said Gary Phillippe, President of the Montana Postal Workers Union. “The fact that Congressman Rehberg sued firefighters in Billings says everything we need to know about the way he treats public servants.”

Rehberg in 2010 sued the City of Billings and its fire department after a wildfire burned near his Billings subdivision. Rehberg’s lawsuit cost taxpayers $21,000.

The Montana Postal Workers Union includes more than 500 dues-paying clerks and maintenance workers in Montana’s small and mid-size communities.

Jon Tester is Montana’s only member of the Senate committee that oversees the Postal Service and serves on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that allocates funds for the Postal Service.

This year Jon Tester delivered several victories for Montana post offices. He saved 28 Montana jobs by stopping the closure of Missoula’s mail processing facility. Closure would have shipped Montana mail to Spokane, Wash., for sorting.

Tester stepped up transparency requirements and standards necessary to close rural post offices in a recent Postal Service reform bill passed by the U.S. Senate. A Tester amendment included in the bill will prevent the closure of 85 Montana post offices for at least one year if passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Resolution Text:

Jon Tester Endorsement

Whereas: The Montana Postal workers are convened here for the 2012 State convention and

Whereas: This Union and its members face one of the most vital political races in the nation and

Whereas: Senator Jon Tester has put up the fight of his life in Washington DC and at home to protect us and our jobs and

Whereas: Denny Rehberg has not supported our cause as a union and

Whereas: Rehberg would support privatization of the US Postal Service

Be it Resolved: That the Montana Postal Workers Union, as assembled here, Endorsees Jon Tester for the US Senate from the great state of Montana

And Be It Further Resolved: That the Montana Postal Workers assist in Jon’s reelection to the fullest extent we can under the law.

Signed by the delegates assembled:

###