In episode 41 of our podcast, we give you some highlights from our post-election conference on political advertising by outside groups.
For more on this episode, see:
Cash Attack Conference
Issues: Cash Attack
Cash Attack Conference
On Monday, FactCheck.org hosted a post-election conference on political advertising in the 2010 election by outside groups. Our liberal and conservative panelists played some TV ads to illustrate their points – and we couldn’t resist pointing out that we had found a few of them to be misleading. Here’s what we said about some of those ads:
"Crumble,” by California Working Families for Jerry Brown. The ad, funded by a coalition of labor unions, criticizes Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman’s years as CEO of eBay.
Outside Group Attacks Sestak on Terror Trials
The Republican Jewish Coalition says it is spending $1 million in the Pennsylvania Senate race on an ad attacking Democrat Joe Sestak for wanting to hold trials of alleged 9/11 terrorists "in our backyard" in Pennsylvania. But Sestak is not advocating holding terror trials in Pennsylvania. He said he would accept them if they were to happen, because he supports civilian, rather than military, trials for terrorists.
The ad, which began airing on Oct. 20, involves the controversial decision by the Department of Justice to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed,
Toss-ups: Pennsylvania Cash Attack
Two independent groups are spending heavily in the Pennsylvania Senate race, and we find both are airing TV ads that go a bit too far: VoteVets.org, a left-leaning veterans group, is up with an ad that claims Republican Pat Toomey supports letting Wall Street …
Commission on Hope, Growth and Opportunity
A Republican/pro-growth-leaning group headed by a Republican media consultant.
Would Miller ‘Destroy’ Alaska’s Economy?
In Alaska, a new group founded and financed by for-profit native corporations falsely charges in an ad that Republican Senate nominee Joe Miller’s proposals "would destroy a third of Alaska’s economy" by erasing "our fair share of federal dollars." A conservative, Miller advocates less federal spending — but he hasn’t said he would eliminate it, and that’s what would have to happen to "destroy a third of Alaska’s economy."
The ad also raises the possibility —
American Future Fund
Republican-leaning group formed by Iowa political figures.
60 Plus Association
Republican-leaning group that calls itself “the conservative alternative” to AARP.
Public Notice (Bankrupting America)
Conservative-leaning group that focuses on federal spending.
Super PAC for America
Conservative group formed by political strategist and TV commentator Dick Morris.