Claudia Peschiutta
GLENDALE -- A national antinuclear weapons group is targeting a local
congressional candidate in its quest to cut military spending and bring
about global disarmament.
Peace Action plans to begin running advertisements Wednesday on local
cable television systems attacking Rep. James Rogan (R-Glendale) for his
record on defense spending.
The ad criticizes the National Missile Defense program and urges
voters to call Rogan and "tell him to come down to Earth and stop wasting
our money on 'Star Wars' and invest, instead, in our schools and our
health care."
Jason Roe, manager of the Rogan campaign, said the ad will only bring
"attention to Congressman Rogan's support for national security."
"Congressman Rogan doesn't support launching flawed technology," Roe
said. "What he does support is investing the necessary dollars in
research and development to develop effective technology."
Rogan is one of several political candidates Peace Action will target
with similar spots throughout the nation.
Roe does not expect the ad to hurt the incumbent congressman's chances
in his race against state Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Glendale).
Neil Prince, a local organizer for Peace Action's national voter
campaign, said neither candidate has completed the group's questionnaire
on defense issues or signed its pledge to reduce or eliminate nuclear
weapons spending.
"We don't know that Schiff is significantly better, but we suspect
that no one could be worse than Rogan," Prince said. "Rogan has a perfect
record, so far, 'F's all across the board."
In August, California Peace Action staged a press conference in front
of Rogan's Pasadena office as part of the "Missile Stop Tour," a
nationwide campaign to end nuclear weapons spending.
But Prince said the organization is not seeking to target Rogan.
"We're trying to educate the voters," he said.
