Afl-Cio Targeting Lawmakers

Organized labor launched a weeklong TV and radio ad blitz Tuesday against 22 GOP members of Congress who it said had voted for the Republican budget plan and “against working families.”

The AFL-CIO is spending about $1 million on the ads and a lobbying campaign in those House districts and 33 others represented by Republicans.

“If we don’t change their minds, we are certainly educating our members and citizens that these are not the type of cuts that America needs,” said John J. Sweeney, the new AFL-CIO president.

Two television ads say the Republican plan to balance the budget cuts Medicare, education and college loans “all to give a huge tax break to big corporations and the rich.”

Area House members targeted for ads are Helen Chenoweth, Idaho, and Rick White and Randy Tate of Washington.