U.S. Sen. Mark Begich said on Thursday afternoon that he stands by an ad his campaign produced and will continue to use it, even as U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s lawyer issued a cease and desist order, calling it “patently false.”
The ad features Skip Nelson, who claims to be a lifelong Republican who supports both Begich and Murkowski who vote as much as “80 percent of the time together.” Some of Nelson’s claims have been called into question.
“It’s a factual ad and I’ll continue to use it,” Begich said.
Questions about the ad were asked at a press conference in Anchorage that was largely focused on the U.S. Air Force announcement that it selected Eielson Air Force Base as the preferred location for squadrons of F-35 fighter aircraft in the Pacific. If it happens, it would be a large boost to Fairbanks’ economy and will likely be a boost to Begich’s campaign.
Murkowski’s lawyer’s cease and desist order was sent to the media shortly before the announcement.
“You can tell it’s a political season,” Begich said at the press conference when reporters began questioning him about the ad.
In the ad, Nelson establishes his Republican bonafides by saying that he voted for Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski. Nat Hertz of the Alaska Dispatch News reported that Nelson is registered as an independent since at least 2000, and did not vote in 2010. Nelson told the paper that he attended several Murkowski fundraisers. Murkowski’s lawyer said that there are no records of Nelson donating to the campaign.
Begich’s campaign said that Nelson never said what year he voted for Murkowski and did so not in 2010, but in 2004. The campaign also said that you can consider yourself a Republican and not be registered as one.
As to the claim that the two vote together 80 percent of the time: that’s stretching it some, but is ultimately true. In 2014, the two have voted 80 percent of the time, though nearly all the votes this year have been procedural. All told since they’re been serving together, the two vote in common about 60 percent of the time.
Murkowski’s lawyer also questions the use of a photo Begich’s campaign used of the two in the Senate office building. Begich’s campaign said it got the photo from the Associated Press.
Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com
Okay, I will explain it to you in detail since you are having a hard time understanding the difference.
1. The Dan Sullivan choose ad featured a picture of him marching in a “Choose Respect” march with several members of the community. Ms. Jackson was at the front of the line holding the sign along with Dan. The ad was about Dan’s work on the campaign to stop abuse. It did not mention Ms. Jackson once in the ad as a supporter. It did not insinuate that she supported his campaign. It was just a picture.
2. The Begich ad is about Lisa Murkowski. It is about how much they have in common and how well they work together. Besides being full of false information, it is meant to give the viewer the impression that Murkowski is a supporter of Begich. It even features a picture of Senator Murkowski alone. A picture that was not approved for use by Senator Murkowski.
Okay, so do you see the difference? I hope so, because I believe Alaskans do and no amount of spin can make this anything other than Begich falsely using Senator Murkowski’s image in order to paint a picture of support that simply is not there. Please stop the spin job. Not only is it false, but it is ignorant.
Begich isn’t choosing respect and clearly doesn’t know that no means no. AK dems, isn’t this part of the war on women?
AK Dem’s silence shows us that they’re just full of fake outrage.
Really do others see it that way too? It could show why I shouldn’t try to participate in this part of the game… I clearly didn’t explain well what I was actually thinking. I thought it was a completely ironic situation.
August and Begich plows right through requests to stop and adds more. That all seems OK to Begich and his supporters. I don’t like Begich using this line of attack at all. I thought Begich in August goes far further than showing a picture at the public rally. I thought the January quotes from Begich supporters were pretty ironic given what is happening now.
Really do others see it that way too? It could show why I shouldn’t try to participate in this part of the game… I clearly didn’t explain well what I was actually thinking. I thought it was a completely ironic situation.
August and Begich plows right through requests to stop and adds more. That all seems OK to Begich and his supporters. I don’t like Begich using this line of attack at all. I thought Begich in August goes far further than showing a picture at the public rally. I thought the January quotes from Begich supporters were pretty ironic given what is happening now.
What does this have to do with Sullivan? Goodness, you dems are obsessed with the guy . And there is a big difference between the two commercials. Stop the spin.
There have to be some really fun quotes & parallels from the D Sullivan/ Elvi Gray Jackson flap.. using the picture from the Choose Respect rally in a Sullivan ad.
Anyone else remember Mudflats saying things like … “No Means No Mr Sullivan …. Ironically, Mr. Sullivan does not in fact “choose respect” and instead refuses to honor Ms. Gray-Jackson’s request to stop misappropriating her image. He will continue to use the misleading photo for his own political purposes and against her will. Perhaps, someone needs to explain to Mr. Sullivan that “no means no.” http://www.themudflats.net/archives/41879 – 2/5/14
The junior senator first alienated our Congressman by running out front claiming credit for everything. Now, he’s managed to upset our senior senator for improperly using her image and distorting the facts about their relationship. Then, he runs an ad full of falsehoods. Stop!
Mark, didn’t your mother teach you better than this?
That Mr. Begich is a slipery snake. He always plays fast and loose with the truth. There’s usually a shred of truth in what he says, albeit often in a very miniscule amount. It would be nice to have a leader that was honest and less deceitful. In other words, I won’t be voting forBegich.