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CA State Representative Carl DeMaio is blasting an ad campaign launched this weekend by the California Democratic Party at the behest of CA State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas as “dishonest and defamatory.”
While political ads on both sides may sometimes flirt with shades of truth, the ads being run by Democrats are “flat out lies – which makes them libelous,” DeMaio says.
FALSE CLAIMS IN DEMOCRAT ADS:
The Democrat ad buy claims that DeMaio – along with several other Assembly Republicans – “voted against stronger laws protecting 16 and 17 year old victims of sex trafficking.”
THE TRUTH:
DeMaio and all Assembly Republicans voted NO on an amendment that REMOVED felony convictions for buying 16 and 17 year olds for sex. Democrats voted FOR the amendment to eliminate protection for 16 and 17 year old victims of sex trafficking.
Ashely Zavala with KCRA reported: "The California Democratic Party over the weekend began running misleading ads on Facebook claiming Republican lawmakers 'voted against stronger laws protecting 16 and 17-year-old victims of sex trafficking.' The ads come after a contentious vote in the California Assembly when Democratic leaders last week refused to move forward with a proposal that would make it an automatic felony to purchase or solicit 16 and 17-year-olds for sex."
DEMAIO ANNOUNCES RETALITION PLAN:
DeMaio is not taking the dishonest ad attacks lying down. This morning, DeMaio’s campaign committee launched retaliatory ads in five targeted Assembly Districts currently held by vulnerable Democrats:
DeMaio says the counter-ad campaign is only the beginning – and that he is meeting with attorneys to explore all legal options to hold the California Democratic Party accountable for their defamation.
STATEMENT FROM DEMAIO ON AD CONTROVERSY:
“Last week, California Democrats voted to kill a bill that would have made it a felony to purchase 16 and 17 year old minors for sex. If that were not bad enough, now Democrats are lying to the voters with dishonest and libelous ads that try to pin the blame on Republicans. Unlike in the past when California Republicans would just roll over and take it, there will be consequences for these lies – and it begins with a counter-ad campaign that I am directing the Reform California movement to fund against five top target seats currently held by vulnerable Democratic Assemblymembers who voted to gut AB 379. We are currently meeting with our lawyers and additional consequences are forthcoming.”
EXHIBIT 1: DEMOCRATIC PARTY FALSE ADS
EXHIBIT 2: RETALIATION ADS
