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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Ad Watch: National group targets Minnick with false claim in TV ad

A new independent ad against Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick that's airing in Idaho makes a false claim that Minnick voted in favor of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the federal stimulus bill, when Minnick actually was one of 11 Democrats who voted against the bill in the Jan. 28, 2009 House vote. SuperPAC of America, headed by GOP political strategist Dick Morris, is airing cookie-cutter versions of its "Voter Guide" ads in numerous states as part of its strategy to target 50 "second-tier" seats that Democrats view as safe, in an effort to fuel a GOP pickup of 100 seats in Congress.

"The more we spend on these 'safe Democratic seats' the more we put these incumbents in danger," Morris writes on the group's website. "The Democrats will have to tie up incredible amounts of resources to defend these second-tier 50 seats that they once thought were safe. They will not be able to help other Democrats in trouble in the first 50 seats now at risk. In football we would call this strategy 'prevent offense.'" The anti-Minnick ad began running in the Boise market last night.

The group, which says it's already raised more than $3 million for its ad push, targets other Democratic incumbents across the country for voting in favor of the health care reform bill and the stimulus bill, then touts their Republican challengers. Minnick, however, voted against both those bills. The anti-Minnick ad alters the message on health care to criticize Minnick for not backing repeal of the full health-care reform bill - Minnick maintains some parts, such as insurance reforms, are worth keeping - but then falsely claims Minnick voted for the stimulus bill. SuperPAC for America's executive director, RJ Laukitis, didn't immediately respond to a reporter's inquiry about the ad.



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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