MoveOn Ad Claims McConnell "Unfit to Lead"
The political action committee of the liberal group MoveOn.org has unveiled a new set of advertisements lambasting Republican senators for their opposition to financial reform.
The centerpiece of the "Unfit to Lead" series takes direct aim at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has spearheaded GOP resistance to the regulatory reform measure.
In the ad, a voice-over can be heard criticizing McConnell for holding a "secret meeting" with Wall Street bankers to solicit campaign contributions for the Republican party, presumably in exchange for favorable votes on the upcoming banking legislation.
The ad directly accuses the Kentucky senator of "killing financial reform, just like the bankers wanted him to."
According to Fox Business News, around 25 Wall Street executives sat down for a private meeting on April 8th with both McConnell and John Cornyn, a Texas Senator who controls one of the primary fundraising arms of the Republican party.
The official topic of the meeting was the regulatory reform bill currently under committee in the Senate.
Days later, McConnell officially announced his opposition to the bill. The senator maintains that the Democrat-sponsored bill would actually perpetuate government bailouts and reckless behavior, the very behaviors the measure has been drafted to prevent.
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"Saying one thing to the American public while holding secret meetings with Wall Street bankers? Senator McConnell, that makes you Unfit to Lead," the ad concludes.
The securities and investment industry has actually given more money to Democrats than Republicans in the 2010 election cycle. Both Republicans and Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, have held fundraisers and meetings with Wall Street executives.
The Washington Post reported today that key Senate republicans, including McConnell, have toned down their sharp criticism of financial reform and expressed hope in the possibility of a bipartisan solution. Sen. Richard Shelby, top Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, said he is optimistic that there will be a bipartisan bill.
Despite all this, MoveOn.org seems happy to present Republicans, and Republicans alone, as Wall Street stooges. In addition to the McConnell TV spot, they are running local radio ads targeting Senators Susan Collins of Maine and George Voinovich of Ohio.
The radio spots are essentially identical. Each accuses the lawmakers of standing behind McConnell's "back-door deals" and thereby abandoning the regular folks in their state.
The "Unfit to Lead" ads are scheduled to run through the end of the week. Moveon.org did not respond immediately for comment regarding how much they are spending on the campaign.