Newt Gingrich (R-GA, Former House Speaker) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) endorsed Republican candidate in New Yorks 23rd Congressional district Dede Scozzafava. The press is writing that Scozzafava is a centrist or moderate but this is the furthest thing from the truth.

In fact, after ditching her bid for election, Scozzafava dropped out of the race a few days before the election, and endorsed her Democrat opponent Bill Owens.

Doug Hoffman, the local Conservative Party’s candidate, received no money and no backing from the GOP nationally or locally.

“The special election for the 23rd Congressional District is an important test leading up to the mid-term 2010 elections,” Gingrich said of Scozzafava’s candidacy in a statement to supporters, as reported by the The Post-Standard. “Our best chance to put responsible and principled leaders in Washington starts here, with Dede Scozzafava.”

The Club for Growth, Concerned Women of America, evangelical leader Gary Bauer, former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) and a host of other GOP supporters and lawmakers endorsed Hoffman.

Gingrich championed Scozzafava’s candidacy before the election as the future of the party — not necessarily the harbinger for a lingering party divide.

“The Republican Revolution in 1994 started very much like what we see today,” the former speaker said.  “Like then, our country is reeling from misguided liberal policies, high taxes and out-of-control spending. This special election in New York’s 23rd Congressional District could be the first election of the new Republican Revolution, but we need the momentum to get it started.”

As NY State Assemblywoman Scozzafava had been re-elected several times on the ballot line of the Empire State’s far-left Working Families Party, one of whose co-founders is ACORN. (ACORN head Bertha Lewis, who was much in the news for corruption, doubles as vice chairman of the Working Families Party).

Founded in 1998, Working Families Party has focused on Democrats and this “enabled it to accumulate surprising influence over Democratic officials, yanking them left on economic issues like the minimum wage, which the party was instrumental in helping to raise in New York State, in exchange for its support.”  (American Prospect Magazine, May 2006).

Last November, while Dede Scozzafava carried the endorsement of the ultra-liberal Working Families Party she shared their ticket with Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Four years earlier she was on the ticket with John Kerry and John Edwards.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) was simultaneously raising support for Scozzafava and trying to defund ACORN. OOPS!

“I think this [cutting off ACORN] will have a chilling effect on their election activities and anyone that has a relationship with them [ACORN],” Boehner told his colleagues following the House vote by 347-to-75 to deny federal funds to ACORN.  

When John Gizzi of Human Events mentioned Scozzafava’s ties to the ACORN-run WFP, Boehner political operative Don Seymour insisted this did not change his boss’s support for her or his desire to have a Republican succeed Rep. (and incoming Secretary of the Army) John McHugh in the special election likely to be held November 3rd.

“. . .Mr. Boehner takes very seriously his job of making sure we have Republican candidates who fit their districts, and can compete and win all across the country,” Seymour told me, “We think Dede Scozzafava will be a strong voice for our men and women in uniform, and for curbing spending and getting control of the debt in Washington.”

Every year the NY Conservative Party publishes a “Legislative Scorecard” which focuses on a broad spectrum of legislation (social, economic, criminal justice, etc) that state senators and Assembly members vote on in Albany. Last year Ms. Scozzafava scored a 15 percent out of 100 percent, only 5 points higher than Assembly Majority Leader Sheldon Silver, an individual, who the majority of New Yorkers would agree is a liberal.

The more shocking fact found in the scorecard is this: 46 Democratic members of the New York state Legislature had a more conservative voting record than Dede Scozzafava!

Scozzafava consistently votes for gay marriage, abortion, tax increases and unchecked spending.

NARAL Pro-Choice New York launched a campaign on Scozzafava’s behalf that included mail to more than 10,000 households and volunteer phone banking “highlighting Scozzafava’s many pro-choice, pro-active votes in the State Assembly and her distinction as the only 100% pro-choice candidate in the race,” according to a news release from the group.

After suspending her campaign Scozzafava actually recorded a “robocall” for Democrat candidate Bill Owens (audio available here, transcript below, h/t Tweeter EndTheRoboCalls):

Hi, this is Dede Scozzafava calling on behalf of Bill Owens.  And I wanted to let you know that I am supporting Bill for Congress.

Since beginning my campaign I have said that this election is not about me, it’s about the people of this district.  It’s not in the cards for me to be your representative but I strongly believe Bill Owens is the only candidate who can build upon John McHugh’s lasting legacy in Congress.

In Bill Owens I see a sense of duty and integrity.  He will be an independent voice, devoted to doing what is right for New York.  To address the tough challenges ahead we must rise above partisanship and politics, and work together.

Please join me in voting for Bill Owens on Tuesday.

Markos Moulitsas, founder of the Daily Kos, the ultra left-wing nut house endorsed Scozzafava in the beginning of October.

Club for Growth darling Doug Hoffman is running on the Conservative Party line, and has even garnered the endorsement of Fred Thompson. The guy has legitimate traction, fueled by the fact that Dede Scozzafava, the Republican, is actually the most liberal candidate in the race.

Sure, she is a Republican, and opposes the public option. But she’s been willing to raise taxes when budgets require it, and is to the left of most Democrats on social issues (including supporting gay marriage). That’s why conservatives are panicked about her — for a party that is becoming more regional, more conservative, more ideologically rigid, Scozzafava’s brand of moderate conservatism is grating. Hence, Hoffman has a real shot at not just playing spoiler and undermining the GOP candidate’s chances, but also of potentially winning.

As a congresswoman, she could either move even more to the left to properly represent her progressive-trending district and be a pain in the side of the GOP caucus (they have nothing like our Blue Dogs), or Democrats can field a real Democrat to challenge her in 2010.

With all of this information available on Scozzafava we find it extremely irresponsible for Newt Gingrich and John Boehner to have publicly endorsed Scozzafava. If Gingrich and Boehner wish to call themselves Conservatives then they might start acting like it, endorse real Conservatives or get out of the way.

Until actions speak louder then words Gingrich and Boehner are Moonbats, Indeed!

Moonbat is a special feature of Liberally Conservative and posted each Saturday. For previous awards visit Moonbat Awards.