Maryland's Eighth Congressional District

Chris Van Hollen Still Silent On Debate Invitation

It has been one month and 13 days since Chris Van Hollen was invited to participate in a debate.

The Van Hollen campaign has still not responded to this request.

Dr. Hudson released the following statement "If Chris Van Hollen truly cares about the people of the 8th district he will agree to have a debate.  This 2008 election cycle is about change - clearly a change is necessary in Congress since they enjoy the lowest approval ratings ever.  The administration has failed in many areas, and so too has Congress.  So how about a debate Mr. Van Hollen? Do you not agree that our district deserves the best?"

The Steve Hudson for Congress campaign issued the following challenge on June 10, 2008 to Congressman Chris Van Hollen:

I write to respectfully request your participation in several debates and town hall meetings over the next few months before the November election to be hosted throughout our district.

I know you have a busy schedule as Chairman of the DCCC; however, I hope that you will find the time to participate.  As an elected official, you are held to be totally accountable to the people, as if I am elected, I recognize this as well.  Regardless of the outcome of our race, it is important that we both strive to bring a positive message for people in our District. 

For more information on Dr. Hudson's campaign please visit us at http://www.stevehudson2008.com/.

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Paid for by Hudson for Congress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   

CONTACT: Daniel Campos

Phone: 240-277-9941

SILVER SPRING, MD- Eighth District Congressional Candidate Dr. Steve Hudson was recently identified by faculty at the Marist College School of Management as an exemplary graduate alumnus.  Marist College consistently ranks in the top tier of graduate schools according to the U.S. News and World Report.  Dr. Hudson earned his Masters in Public Administration (M.P.A.) in 2007.  "My public administration education at Marist helped me understand how our government should work and why it's not working.  If I am fortunate enough to earn the trust of my fellow citizens in Maryland's Eighth District, I will help restore true leadership and bipartisan cooperation in Congress.  It really is time to stop the gridlock and get back to work.  Our Country can't wait anymore," Hudson said.

Dr. Hudson also holds an M.D. from the Uniformed Services University School of Medicine in Bethesda and a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law, where he received the Joseph Bernstein Prize for excellence in legal writing and was an associate editor of the Maryland Law Review.

Since 2005, Chris Van Hollen has supported measures that benefit Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs).  In March 2008, he cosponsored H.R. 1147, the REIT Investment Diversification and Empowerment Act.  The real estate industry consistently ranks in Van Hollen's top five campaign contributors, including REITPAC, the political action committee of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT). 

Van Hollen's former finance director, Lindsay Mark Lewis, was recently named the senior manager of REITPAC.  Lewis has also raised funds for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) that Van Hollen currently chairs.

With such a clear and convincing nexus between Van Hollen's official actions as a member of Congress and his campaign and DCCC contributions, his objectivity must be called into question.  Dr. Steve Hudson said, "What we are interested in knowing is why he didn't see the subprime issue coming, and if he did, how could he stand by and watch his constituents lose their homes while mortgage lenders and REITs scored windfall profits?"   

In a November 2007 interview with Roll Call, Van Hollen emphasized that the mortgage crisis could play out as a winner for him. "You are already hearing candidates talk about it," Van Hollen said.  Instead of proposing legislation to fix the problem, Van Hollen was happy with the "status quo" of the housing crisis because of its potential political value.  Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of American homeowners suffered.

In 2005, Chris Van Hollen criticized the House leadership for having "decided to put a host of special interests ahead of the interests of the American people."  However, in 2006 Van Hollen ranked 12th among House members who are dependent on special interest groups in a report by Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group. Hudson continued "It should be unconscionable to the residents of Maryland's 8th District that he is able to spout this kind of rhetoric and do exactly the opposite of what he preaches, especially in the business of real estate." 

While Van Hollen was relaxing during a week-long break from his duties as a member of Congress over the July 4th holiday recess, the New York Times estimated that another 55,000 homes sank into foreclosure over the past week.

The Gazette recently reported that "home foreclosures are skyrocketing in Montgomery County, jumping six-fold over the last year, hitting Silver Spring, Germantown, Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village the hardest, according to a recently released state report.  Foreclosure activity in Montgomery County - defined as mortgage defaults, sales of foreclosed home and lender purchases of foreclosed homes - jumped nearly 800 percent in the last year, up from 183 events in the first quarter of 2007 to 1,646 events for the first quarter of this year, according to May 2008 foreclosure report from the state Department of Housing and Community Development."  

In Maryland, Montgomery County trails only Baltimore City and Prince George's County in foreclosures, according to the Metropolitan Council of Governments.  The 8th District includes Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties, both foreclosure epicenters.

Now, after labeling the mortgage crisis as a political winner, Van Hollen claims that he is "working to remedy the lending crisis that has resulted in thousands of Americans losing their homes and that has wreaked havoc in the lives of families across the country." 

Hudson concluded, "During Van Hollen's three terms in Congress, home prices skyrocketed while he heavily supported special interests in the real estate industry.  His campaign coffers grew along with the housing bubble." 

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Paid for by Hudson for Congress

Dr. Steve Hudson Urges Van Hollen To Abandon "Use It Or Lose It" Policy Towards American Oil Companies And Find Real Solutions

On June 10, 2008, the Steve Hudson for Congress campaign issued the following challenge to the Congressman Chris Van Hollen:

I write to respectfully request your participation in several debates and town hall meetings over the next few months before the November election to be hosted throughout our district.

I know you have a busy schedule as Chairman of the DCCC; however, I hope that you will find the time to participate.  As an elected official, you are held to be totally accountable to the people, as if I am elected, I recognize this as well.  Regardless of the outcome of our race, it is important that we both strive to bring a positive message for people in our District. 

Hudson Urges Immediate Congressional Action On Metropolitan Infrastructure Protection, Disaster Coordination, And Planning

SILVER SPRING, MD - The recent water main break in Montgomery county has highlighted many problems that extend way beyond the inconvenience of having to "boil water" for a few days. This incident identified issues with the integrity of our infrastructure, capacity of the emergency communications systems, preparedness to react and implement resources to an emergency situation in a timely manner, lack of public information, awareness and preparedness. Had this been a terrorist incident, we would have been paralyzed thanks to total a lack of preparedness on the part of our elected leaders.

While my opponent appears to be concerned about our environment, it is all smoke and mirrors.  His policies are highly destructive for our economy.  Eighth District voters, and all Americans, need to know the truth.

Hudson Urges Immediate Action By Congress On Energy Crisis

SILVER SPRING, MD - Dr. Steve Hudson, congressional candidate in CD-8, urges immediate Congressional action concerning energy markets and the impact of recent national weather events.