The House GOP’s political arm last week successfully pressured a liberal group to modify political ads targeting three battleground Republican incumbents, arguing that language in the TV spots was inaccurate.
The alterations to the ads were ultimately minor, and a new version of the TV spots continued to run after the changes were made. But officials at the National Republican Congressional Committee, which led the pressure effort, say their success is evidence they’ll be able to deflect some attacks from Democrats in next year’s midterms.
At issue were three ads from Environmental Defense Fund Action focusing on rising costs and cuts to Medicaid in this year’s Republican tax law. The ads were running against Republican Reps. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin and Tom Barrett of Michigan.
NRCC officials objected to language in the ads that said the lawmakers had forced one-quarter of nursing homes to close. In three letters from late last month obtained by NOTUS, the NRCC’s counsel asked TV stations located in the congressmen’s districts to take down the ads, saying that the nursing-homes figure was inaccurate.
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EDF Action officials initially objected to the demands. But before the TV stations could decide whether to comply with the NRCC’s request, the liberal advocacy group changed the ads on Sept. 29.
Instead of saying that Medicaid cuts forced “a quarter” of nursing homes “to close,” the new ads say that “nursing homes may be forced to close.”
In a statement, EDF Action’s president, David Kieve, defended the ads.
“We stand by the ads and added a small clarification so there can be no confusion: Derrick Van Orden, Tom Barrett and Scott Perry voted for a bad law that will put health care at risk while jacking up energy costs for their constituents,” Kieve said.
Altering the content of TV ads after they’ve been running is rare in politics, even if campaigns accuse their opponents of dishonest and defamatory tactics. NRCC officials say it’s the second time this year they’ve successfully forced a change to Democratic-aligned messaging, citing billboard ads that the liberal group House Majority Forward commissioned earlier this year.
NRCC officials touted the change to the EDF Action ads, saying they plan to pursue similar pressure campaigns in the future.
“Democrats have no message, no facts and no shame,” said Mike Marinella, an NRCC spokesperson. “Every time their lies about Republicans get challenged, they collapse under the weight of their own dishonesty.”
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