Ads target Corbett
It's an interesting time for Gov. Tom Corbett.
A Democratic-tied SuperPAC non-profit will begin televising the ad above in Pittsburgh and other markets this week, assailing the second-year governor for what it says are damaging cuts to the middle class.
The non profit (a 501c4 social welfare organization much like a SuperPAC*) is called the American Working Families Action Fund and is chaired by Democratic ad-maker Bud Jackson of Alexandria, Va. "Tom Corbett chose tax-breaks for gas drillers over health care for children and chose to take taxpayer-funded SUVs and give-out pay-raises for his staff while slashing Pennsylvania schools by more than $1 billion," Jackson said in a statement. "Corbett has already inflicted serious damage to the middle-class for generations to come. Our messaging will draw attention to his record."
UPDATE: The governor's spokesman Kevin Harley dismissed the attack, calling it a "hit-and-run job" from "the political left":
"This is just another hit-and-run job by a political front group for the political left. Tom Corbett has been bringing Pennsylvania out of a recession by attracting new business while reining in spending. American Working Families, the sponsor of these attack ads, is run by a political consultant with a history of pushing tax-and-spend candidates into office."
Today is also the day the governor is set to meet with high-level supporters and staff to discuss his messaging. On Sunday Robert Vickers at the Patriot-News did a big roundup on the challenges facing the guv.
* An explainer from the Action Fund release:
Funding for the ad campaign was generated entirely from Pennsylvania. American Working Families Action Fund is a 501c4 organization dedicated to educating citizens about public policy, and the people who influence public policy, on issues important to working families and the middle-class.
Jackson is a Democratic strategist who consulted for Roland Burris, Barack Obama's replacement in the U.S. Senate, before having a public break with him in the wake of the Rod Blagojevich scandal in Illinois.
The script and backup links for the SuperPAC ad are after the jump:
"Making Things Harder" (Script with Documentation):30 TV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgNvT0Q8V0k
Voiceover: But Tom Corbett isn't spending less on his corporate friends and campaign donors. He chose to give them tax-breaks.
["energy companies aren't paying taxes"
-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 3/10/2011
www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/state/lack-of-tax-on-gas-decried-211795/]
["Corbett under fire for business tax breaks"
-Pittsburgh Tribune Review 3/5/2011 (link broken)]
His staff, pay-raises.
And new SUVs for himself and his wife.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/06/gov_tom_corbett_says_he_didnt.html]
While eliminating health care for children.
[ "89,000 poor PA kids slashed from Medicaid"
Philadelphia Daily News 4/3/12
www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20120403_Uncovering_kids__89_000_poor_Pa__kids_slashed_from_Medicaid.html]
And cutting our schools by more than one billion dollars.
Tom Corbett isn't spending less. He's just making thing harder for the middle-class.