American Action Network's new attack ad against U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy drew a sharp response from the Democratic congressman.
"This special interest group, which won't disclose who is funding their assault on me, is trying to steal this election,'' Murphy said in a prepared statement, a few hours after hosting a press conference with supporters to highlight his criticism. "They want to steal it so they can try to outsource your job, turn back the clock on consumer protection reforms, and send us back to the George Bush economic policies that got us into this mess. People here don't buy these types of smear campaigns, and we are fighting back.''
The ad, which does not appear to be available on YouTube, says Murphy "and Nancy Pelosi rammed through government healthcare without Congress reading all the details.''
Those details, the ad alleges, include "$500 billion in medicare cuts, free healthcare for illegal immigarnts. Even Viagra for convicted sex offenders."
Murphy's Republican opponent, state Sen. Sam Caligiuri, points out that he had nothing to do with the spot, which was paid for by the American Action Network, an indepenent expenditure group with ties to leading Republicans (it's CEO is former Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman and its board includes former Virginia governor George Allen, former congressman Vin Weber and former Senator Mel Martinez, among other prominent names. Ironically for a group targeting the idea of providing access to Viagra to prisoners, it's board also includes the vice president of government affairs for Pfizer, which makes the medication)
"I just saw it last night for the first time,'' Caligiuri said. "I didn't see anything in the ad that was factually inaccurate..if Chris disgarees with anything in the ad, he ought just speak up and tell us what he thinks is factually wrong with it.''
Caligiuri said the fact that outside groups are spending big money on his behalf shows that his campaign has momentum. He recalled the ads run by MoveOn.org on Murphy's behalf in 2006, when the Democrat was looking to unseat Nancy Johnson.
"I'm happy that outside groups see what we see: that this is a race we're in a very good position to win.''