Organizations: Crossroads GPS

Crossroads GPS: “Focus”

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An ad from Crossroads GPS hits New York congressional contender Julian Schreibman over his stated support for the Affordable Care Act, leveling falsehoods about the law’s effect on Medicare spending, seniors’ care, taxes, costs, and insurance coverage. In reality, the law reduces future Medicare spending without cutting seniors’ current benefits, it helps control rising costs, and it’s expected to expand insurance coverage – all without taking health care decisions away from individuals or raising taxes on most Americans. What’s more, Schreibman’s opponent, Rep. Chris Gibson (R), voted to keep the $716 billion in savings GPS attacks Schreibman over.

Read more after the jump.

The Week In Conservative Attack Ads

After last week’s wave of House ads, conservative outside groups focused most of their attention on the Senate this week. Of the 14 ads we fact-checked, eight of them targeted Senate hopefuls (five from Karl Rove’s Crossroads groups and three from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce), compared to only two hitting House candidates (both from the Congressional Leadership Fund). We also answered presidential ads from Restore Our Future, Americans for Job Security, and American Future Fund. Finally, Americans for Prosperity joined the conservative campaign to oust three Florida Supreme Court justices.

Read more after the jump.

Crossroads GPS: “Stamp”

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An ad from Crossroads GPS complains that Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is a “rubber stamp” for spending, citing the Wall Street bailout, the Recovery Act, and the Affordable Care Act. The ad doesn’t acknowledge, however that the bipartisan bank bailout and the stimulus both rescued the economy from an even more severe downturn, while the Affordable Care Act reduces the deficit.

Read more after the jump.

Crossroads GPS: “When”

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Crossroads GPS mimics a DirecTV ad campaign with a stern narrator following a progression of cause and effect starting with the decision to elect Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). But where the original ads are zany and played for laughs, GPS uses the familiar format to sell voters on misinformation. Brown’s vote for the Affordable Care Act isn’t preventing Ohio manufacturers from hiring, as the ad suggests. Indeed, that sector has been the cornerstone of Ohio’s recovery, showing steady job gains since the recession brought on by the financial crisis.

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Crossroads GPS: “Big”

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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.

Crossroads GPS: “Addicted”

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Accusing Virginia Senate candidate Tim Kaine (D) of being “addicted” to spending, Crossroads GPS cites a budget Kaine proposed as the outgoing governor of Virginia. The plan, which would have made some tough spending cuts in order to balance Virginia’s recession-ravaged budget, would have raised the maximum state income tax rate by just one percentage point, a trade-off for preventing even deeper cuts to essential services. The ad also refers to the looming defense cuts triggered by the failure of the deficit reduction super committee. Kaine supported the creation of the super committee in a deal to raise the debt ceiling, but has laid out a plan for preventing the upcoming defense cuts.

Read more after the jump.

Crossroads GPS: “Pressure”

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Crossroads GPS attacks Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) for supporting two “trillion-dollar” bills, citing his votes for the Affordable Care Act and the Recovery Act. But the health care law actually reduces deficits, while tax cuts accounted for about one-third of the Recovery Act’s price tag. In addition to creating jobs and helping prevent an even deeper recession, the recovery bill cut taxes for up to 95 percent of working Americans.

Read more after the jump.

The Week In Conservative Attack Ads

This week, conservatives flooded the airwaves with attacks on Democratic candidates. We fact-checked a total of 21 new ads, exceeding our total from the previous three weeks combined. The increase in volume was marked by 11 spots targeting House candidates, signaling a heightened focus on lower-level races as we approach the final stretch of campaign season.

New Players, Same Money?

Karl Rove’s groups were active as usual – American Crossroads launched a misleading attack on President Obama and Crossroads GPS targeted three Senate hopefuls – but they let some of their allies lead the charge this week.

Read more after the jump.

Crossroads GPS: “Shameful”

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Crossroads GPS criticizes Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) for supporting the Affordable Care Act, which the ad says “cut Medicare spending by $700 billion” and “could give bureaucrats the power to cut Medicare spending even more.” In fact, the health care law reduces the growth of Medicare spending without cutting seniors’ current benefits – and Berkley’s opponent, Sen. Dean Heller, voted for the same “cuts” when he supported the Ryan budget as a member of both the House and the Senate. Furthermore, those “bureaucrats” tasked with finding future savings must be confirmed by the Senate and are prohibited from cutting benefits or rationing care.

Read more after the jump.

Crossroads GPS: “Dang Right”

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An ad from Crossroads GPS says Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is “out of touch with Wisconsin,” claiming that she wants to give the government more control over health care and let “unelected bureaucrats” make decisions on Medicare spending cuts. In reality, Baldwin’s priority is expanding health care coverage to all Americans, and she has floated a variety of ways to do so, while the “unelected bureaucrats” are in reality a Senate-confirmed advisory board that’s prohibited from cutting Medicare benefits. The ad’s accusation that Baldwin wants to tax middle-class families also doesn’t hold water; in August she voted to extend the Bush tax cuts for income under $250,000.

Read more after the jump.