Paul Junge (MI-08) Research Report the Following Report Contains Research on Paul Junge, a Republican Candidate in Michigan’S 8Th District
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Paul Junge (MI-08) Research Report The following report contains research on Paul Junge, a Republican candidate in Michigan’s 8th district. Research for this research book was conducted by the DCCC’s Research Department between April and May 2020. By accepting this report, you are accepting responsibility for all information and analysis included. Therefore, it is your responsibility to verify all claims against the original documentation before you make use of it. Make sure you understand the facts behind our conclusions before making any specific charges against anyone. Paul Junge Republican Candidate in Michigan’s 8th Congressional District Research Book – 2020 Last Updated May 2020 Prepared by the DCCC Research Department Paul Junge (MI-08) Research Book | 1 Table of Contents Table of Contents ....................................................................................... 1 Key Findings .............................................................................................. 2 Thematics .................................................................................................. 3 Junge Was a Wanderer With Few Michigan Ties ...................................... 4 Junge Spread Misinformation During A Pandemic .................................. 20 Key Visuals.............................................................................................. 26 Personal & Professional History .............................................................. 28 Biography ................................................................................................ 29 Personal Finance ...................................................................................... 63 Junge Family Businesses ......................................................................... 65 Political Career ........................................................................................ 77 Relationships ........................................................................................... 85 Issues ....................................................................................................... 88 Abortion & Women’s Health Issues ........................................................ 89 Crime & Public Safety Issues .................................................................. 91 Election Law & Campaign Finance Issues............................................... 99 Financial Protections & Wall Street ....................................................... 101 Foreign Policy Issues ............................................................................. 105 Gun Issues ............................................................................................. 107 Health Care Issues ................................................................................. 108 Labor & Working Families .................................................................... 116 Seniors’ Issues ....................................................................................... 117 Trade & Outsourcing Issues ................................................................... 118 Appendix I – Personal Financial Disclosures ......................................... 119 Appendix II – Campaign Finance .......................................................... 123 Appendix III – Paid Media Summary .................................................... 127 Appendix IV – Business Contracts And Legal Summary ...................... 128 Paul Junge (MI-08) Research Book | 2 Key Findings Junge Was A Wanderer With Few Michigan Ties Junge Was Raised In California And Spent The Vast Majority Of His Life Outside Of Michigan. Junge claims roots in the State of Michigan, but has spent the vast majority of his life outside the state. Junge’s family moved to California when he was 8 years old and he attended high school, college, and law school there. In total, Junge only spent 10 years of his life in Michigan (mostly as a young child) and 43 years outside of it. Junge’s father later established a scholarship at the University of Michigan, his alma mater, which Junge would not have been eligible for as a Californian. One of Junge’s first jobs was the San Diego office manager for Senator Pete Wilson, which he began shortly after his father contributed $2,000 to Wilson’s 1988 reelection bid. Junge Was A Failed California Lawyer Who Endangered Victims Of Domestic Abuse. Junge became a Deputy District Attorney in Ventura County, CA in 1994. Junge’s incompetence became the subject of news coverage in the Los Angeles Times later that year when he barged into a meeting between a public defender and a victim of domestic violence to serve a subpoena. Junge’s rash action caused the case to be ruled a mistrial and for charges to be nearly dropped against the victim’s accused abuser. While the case was ultimately retried in a new trial, Junge was removed from the case and ended his employment with the Ventura DA’s Office in early 1995. Junge Was A TV Anchor Who Spent Little Time In Michigan. After his debacle at the Ventura DA’s office, Junge decided to take his talents elsewhere and proceeded to begin a decade of wandering from state to state, working as a local TV anchor in Colorado, Arkansas, Missouri, and even for a short time in Michigan. Junge Continued To Wander From Job To Job, Working The Chamber Of Commerce In California, Which Opposed The ACA. Junge decided once again to change his career path, and took a job with the Oakland (California) Chamber of Commerce where he supported outsourcing manufacturing to Canada and supported heavy State law enforcement presence on the streets of Oakland. Junge took a job with the California Chamber of Commerce next, which had recently opposed the state ACA Exchange signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger. Junge then found himself on the other side of the country, serving as the President of the St. Mary’s County, Maryland Chamber of Commerce in an exurb of Washington, DC. Junge Spread Misinformation During A Pandemic Junge Helped Perpetuate Dangerous Misinformation Regarding COVID-19. As part of a virtual campaign event, Junge hosted Michigan GOP operative and doctor Robert Steele to discuss the COVID-19 Pandemic. In this event with the attentive ear of Junge, Steele proceeded to peddle a series of falsehoods regarding the pandemic. Steele equated COVID-19 to the seasonal flu, despite the overwhelming scientific consensus that this was not the case. Steele downplayed the important role of testing in getting states reopened, again flying in the face of accepted scientific reality. Steele also accused frontline medical professionals of inflating COVID-19 statistics, something Dr. Anthony Fauci has categorically stated is not occurring. Junge Expressed Skepticism Regarding Immunizations And Showed Ignorance Of Medical Fact. Just before COVID-19 lockdowns in early 2020, Junge expressed skepticism at a campaign event about the effectiveness of some vaccines and stated that there should be some exceptions for making them mandatory. Junge also falsely claimed that HPV is not a communicable disease and that universal immunization for that disease did not make medical sense. Paul Junge (MI-08) Research Book | 3 Thematics Paul Junge (MI-08) Research Book | 4 Junge Was a Wanderer With Few Michigan Ties Significant Findings ✓ Junge grew up in California and attended high school, college, and law school there. ✓ Fundraising promotional material by WinRed falsely claimed Junge was raised in Michigan. ✓ Prior to 2020, Junge spent approximately 10 years of his life in Michigan and 43 years outside it. ✓ One of Junge’s first jobs was as the San Diego Office Manager of Senator Pete Wilson of California. ✓ Junge started this job shortly after his father contributed $2,000 to Wilson’s reelection campaign. ✓ Junge’s father created a scholarship At The University Of Michigan that Junge would not have been eligible for as a student due to his status as a Californian. ✓ 1994: Junge was the deputy district attorney of Ventura County, California and severely bungled a domestic violence case, resulting in a mistrial and him being removed from the case. ✓ After his unsuccessful stint as a prosecutor, Junge entered the broadcast television industry and worked as a local television news anchor in Colorado, Arkansas, Missouri, and even, for a short time, Michigan. ✓ Junge continued to wander the county, working for Chambers of Commerce in California and Maryland. ✓ Junge worked for the California Chamber of Commerce shortly after they opposed the creating of an ACA Exchange that was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger. Junge Was Raised In California And Spent The Vast Majority Of His Life Outside Of Michigan Junge Grew Up In California And Attended High School, College, And Law School There 1974: Junge’s Family Moved To San Diego When He Was 8 Years Old John P. Junge, Junge’s Father, Moved To San Diego In 1974 When Paul Junge Was 8 Years Old. “A job with Rohr Industries lured John Junge to San Diego in 1974. In 1976 he began working in the military family housing maintenance business where he would dedicate the bulk of his career, ultimately acquiring and operating his own company, All Star Maintenance, which he oversaw until his retirement a few years ago. John lived most of his adult life in California but never forgot his Michigan roots.” [MLive Obituaries, 7/29/19] Junge Campaign Fundraising Through WinRed Falsely Claimed That He Was “Raised By His Middle-Class Parents In Michigan” Junge Campaign Fundraising Through