February 14, 2012

Rep. Duffy Decried Special Interest Ads One Month Ago; Will He Tell Lobbyists To Stop Airing Pro-Duffy Ads?

Rep. Duffy Decried Special Interest Ads One Month Ago; Will He Tell Lobbyists To Stop Airing Pro-Duffy Ads?
The Chamber's pro-Sean Duffy ad

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a lobbying federation that behaves like a super PAC in terms of how much it spends on ads and get out the vote efforts, recently launched a $10 millionelection ad blitz. The Chamber’s ad campaign includes a thirty second television spot that praises Congressman Sean Duffy (R-WI).

Only one month ago, Duffy — who faces a tough reelection this year — told the Wausau Daily Herald that he supports an effort to get rid of special interests out of political campaigns. Duffy said he would support a constitutional amendment that limits both corporate and union spending in politics. “Take it all away,” Duffy reportedly said.

The Chamber’s ad presents an opportunity for Duffy to walk the walk of his reform talk. Though the Chamber does not disclose any of its backers, I’ve pieced together many of its donors, including: Dow Chemical, America’s Health Insurance Plans (a health insurance industry lobbying group), Prudential Financial, AIG, the Bahrain Petroleum Company, Procter and Gamble, among others. The Chamber, which lobbied aggressively for the bank bailouts and other giveaways to big business, perhaps best symbolizes the confluence of powerful special interest money polluting our election system.

The Chamber’s ad even contradicts Duffy’s own political positions. Despite repeated promises to his constituents that he is not fully in favor of repealing health reform, the ad states: “Thankfully…Duffy is working to repeal Obamacare.” Watch the ad below:

Will Duffy tell the Chamber to get out of his election?