The Week In Conservative Attack Ads

It’s no surprise that conservative outside groups are ramping up their ad spending as November approaches. Counting spots released last Friday afternoon, we fact-checked 36 conservative attack ads this week, our highest one-week tally yet. The large total was driven by an increased focus on House races, which accounted for two-thirds of the ads we answered.

Once again, Karl Rove’s groups dominated the airwaves. As it does most weeks, American Crossroads issued a new attack on President Obama, this one attempting to undermine clear signs that the economy is picking up. Meanwhile, Crossroads GPS targeted eight House candidates go to along with six Senate candidates, which notably included Maine independent Angus King.

Read more after the jump.

Americans for Tax Reform: “Energy Tax”

Americans for Tax Reform hits Kentucky Democrat Ben Chandler over his support for a 2009 cap-and-trade bill, claiming it violates the “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” Chandler signed, but the costs to families of the American Clean Energy and Security Act have been exaggerated by conservatives. The ad also clips a 2008 interview then-candidate Obama gave describing his position on a generic climate change bill, using it to suggest that Chandler voted for a scheme to kill coal, even though the bill he actually supported would have allowed for the construction of new coal-powered plants, provided they installed carbon capture technology.

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Americans for Tax Reform: “Tax Raising Politician Sean Maloney (NY-18)”

Americans for Tax Reform targets New York congressional candidate Sean Maloney’s (D) support for ending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, which the group claims will hurt small businesses and kill jobs. However, conservatives rely on a dubious definition of “small business,” and allowing the top tax bracket to return to its pre-Bush level would not affect many actual employers. In addition, ATR’s charge that phasing out the tax breaks would cause job losses is based on a flawed study that assumes the revenue will not go toward deficit reduction, which is exactly what Maloney and other Democrats have proposed.

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Americans for Tax Reform: “Charlie Wilson – Boxer”

Grover Norquist’s anti-tax organization, Americans for Tax Reform, released an ad blaming Rep. Charlie Wilson (D-OH) for the country’s spending and debt. The ad derides the bipartisan bank bailout, which helped avoid an economic depression, and the Recovery Act without mentioning the conditions that made both actions necessary. The ad’s emphasis on the debt is disingenuous given Norquist’s rigid “Taxpayer Protection Pledge,” which commits signers to oppose tax increases and undermines any balanced solution to the nation’s fiscal troubles.

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Americans for Tax Reform: “Wrong Prescription for Georgia”

Americans for Tax Reform attacks Rep. John Barrow (D-GA) over the Affordable Care Act, distorting the law’s impact and Barrow’s positions. The truth is that Barrow voted against the ACA when it passed in 2010, but he has also opposed GOP repeal efforts, citing the need to preserve several of the law’s most important and popular provisions. Indeed, repeal would have negative consequences for millions of Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions and young adults who are covered by their parents’ plans. Furthermore, the ACA does not raise taxes on most Americans, and it reduces future Medicare spending without cutting seniors’ benefits.

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Americans for Tax Reform: “Wrong Prescription for Colorado”

Americans for Tax Reform attacks congressional candidate Sal Pace (D-CO) for supporting the Affordable Care Act, relying on a series of distortions about the law’s impact. In reality, the ACA does not raise taxes on most Americans, and it actually reduces the burden on many middle-class families. Moreover, the law reduces future Medicare spending without cutting seniors’ benefits – in fact, Pace’s opponent, Rep. Scott Tipton (R), voted to preserve the “cuts” as part of the House GOP budget – and the Senate-confirmed board responsible for finding additional savings is forbidden from cutting benefits or rationing care.

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Americans for Tax Reform: “Wrong Prescription for Pennsylvania”

Americans for Tax Reform attacks Rep. Mark Critz (D-PA) for opposing repeal of the Affordable Care Act, relying on a series of distortions about the law’s impact. In reality, the ACA does not raise taxes on most Americans, and it actually lessens the burden on many middle-class families. Moreover, the law reduces future Medicare spending without cutting seniors’ benefits, and the Senate-confirmed board responsible for finding additional savings is forbidden from cutting benefits or rationing care. Repealing the health care law would have negative consequences for millions of Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions or young adults who are covered by their parents’ insurance plans.

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Americans for Tax Reform: “Wrong Prescription for California”

Americans for Tax Reform attacks congressional candidate Scott Peters (D-CA) for supporting the Affordable Care Act, relying on a series of distortions about the law’s impact. In reality, the ACA does not raise taxes on most Americans, and it actually reduces the burden on many middle-class families. Moreover, the law reduces future Medicare spending without cutting seniors’ benefits – in fact, Peters’ opponent, Rep. Brian Bilbray (R), voted to preserve the “cuts” as part of the House GOP budget – and the Senate-confirmed board responsible for finding additional savings is forbidden from cutting benefits or rationing care.

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Crossroads GPS: “Big”

Crossroads GPS accuses Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) of supporting “the largest tax increase in American history,” as well as “a plan to raise taxes on nearly a million small businesses next year.” Both charges are based on the scheduled expiration of the Bush tax cuts, and both are false. The Bush tax cuts were passed with an end date – an agreement in late 2010 extended them for two years – and allowing them to expire would not be the biggest tax increase ever. In addition, Berkley only wants to phase out tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, which would not affect many actual small businesses or harm job creation.

Read more after the jump.

Gaffney: ATR’s Norquist Is “Working For A Bunch Of Islamists” And “Fragging His Own Team”

On the August 15 edition of his radio show, Center for Security Policy founder and president Frank Gaffney made the following comments about Americans for Tax Reform president Grover Norquist’s support for cuts to defense spending:

And Grover, obviously, is less concerned about the national security, shall we say. I believe that he’s been working for a bunch of Islamists for a long time, which may further explain what he’s doing here. But at the very minimum he’s got his eye exclusively on the taxes issue. And Jim, I guess what I’m really worried about is, to the extent you have somebody in Republican circles fragging his own team, as Grover Norquist is doing, it can only benefit the opponents and the people who are trying to bring about this train wreck. And maybe that, again, is in the interests of the Muslim Brotherhood – I certainly don’t think it’s in the interests of the United States.