(Sen-FL) Bill Nelson Asks Florida TV Stations Not to Air U.S. Chamber Ad

Tampa Bay Times ^ | May 14th, 2012 | Staff

[Jacquerie]

Laywers for Sen. Bill Nelson have written to Florida TV stations asking them not to air an ad that includes a false claim about Medicare cuts.

From a news release: In the wake of the recent Citizens United case, in which the Supreme Court allowed unlimited and undisclosed corporate money to be spent on such ads, TV stations have a greater responsibility to protect the public from the spread of false and deceptive information, Kendall Coffey, a lawyer for Nelson wrote in a letter to the stations today.

“On behalf of our client, we respectfully insist that you take this inaccurate ad off the air immediately,” Coffey wrote. “As a media outlet, this station has a duty to protect the public from the spread of false information and deliberate deception.

The U.S. Chamber announced the 30-second ad last week and it repeats a widely used Republican claim that Democrats cut $500 billion from Medicare. It wasn't a cut, according to Politifact. It was a reduction in future growth (the size of the Medicare program will increase dollar-wise).

[Jacquerie]

In 2009, Politifact declared Sarah Palin's assertion of Death Panels contained in Obamacare to be the "Lie of the Year."

Now that's credibility.

[AppyPappy]

“It was a reduction in future growth”

Which the Democrats always referred to as a “cut”.

[Red Badger]

[rwilson99]

Stupid laywers!

[Cowboy Bob]

Lawyers for Sen. Bill Nelson have written to Florida TV stations asking them not to air an ad that includes an allegedly false claim about Medicare cuts.

Isn't that the word the Libs always use? Why did they forget to use it here?

[jimfree]

Ask Katie Couric about the Gingrich school lunch cuts.

[Jacquerie]

Yeah, I left is as printed.

In the bigger picture, Nelson must be real nervous six months out to resort to veiled threats of litigation over political adverts.

[RatRipper]

Exactly! The COC needs to prepare another ad explaining the long-standing base-line budgeting language that the Democratic Party routinely uses to scam and scare voters against the Republicans. Run that ad awhile, then alter the ad Nelson is screaming about to shine a bright light on the deceitful hypocrisy of the Rats.

[Yashcheritsiy]

IIRC, the Romney campaign successfully pulled this off with Newt’s ads the week before the FL primary, which contributed greatly to Newt’s sudden downturn.

[MCF]

“Which the Democrats always referred to as a “cut”.

This is a classic case of being Hoisted by your own Petard.

[Texas_Jarhead]

"It wasn't a cut, according to Politifact. It was a reduction in future growth (the size of the Medicare program will increase dollar-wise)."

We all know how much the Rats love to call reductions in future spending "cuts". It's one of their fav scare tactics. So when the Rats call this very same thing, a reduction in future spending, a "spending cut" the Repubs should be able to request that such ads not be run on the very same grounds. That about right?

[baddog 219]

[the_Watchman]

The Dems modus operandi is far more gregarious! They routinely propose budget increases and then complain that the Republicans are engaging in cuts when, in fact, the Republicans are simply reducing the proposed increases which have been penciled in by the Dems.

I suspect that the Chamber is calling attention to actual program changes resulting in future budgeted increases being reduced; i.e., not merely reigning in budget proposals.

[Lancey Howard]

“It was a reduction in future growth” Which the Democrats always referred to as a “cut”.

Yep.
"Baseline budgeting" allows every politician to talk out both sides of their stinking mouths. All the US Chamber needs to do is provide clip after clip after clip of rats claiming the Republicans are "cutting" services for the bums, deadbeats, and parasites who comprise the Democrat party base because they sought to reduce the rate of growth. I'm sure there are plenty of clips of Nelson joining that chorus.

[Jacquerie]

Yeah, if Newt was the nominee, Baby-Doc would be bleeding from his nose and ears. Instead, Romney is the one on his heels.

[BerryDingle]

Hey Nelson, how’s the space shuttle program coming along?

[Jacquerie]

It is frightening that a sitting Senator would sic lawyers on media outlets. Nelson acts like the cornered rat he is. I hope this gets national attention.

Isn't this something? We long ago stopped expecting our Senators and Congressmen to act in the national, Constitutional interest. Instead, they will threaten to violate 1st Amendment rights in order to retain their lofty and financially rewarding positions. My gosh, how far we have fallen.

[George from New England]

What about forcing Nelson to stop all the lies he makes on his email spamming to constituents ???

[txrefugee]

The only way the Liar-in-Chief could say that ObamaCare wouldn’t bankrupt the country was to cut Medicare by $500 Billion. Now when the Republican ads point this out, Democrats such as Nelson squawk. It seems all the Democrats know that Obama never intended to cut Medicare and yes, the country will go broke when ObamaCare gets rolling.

[rwilson99]

Laywers is one of my favorite misspellings due to my own mistakes... I don’t understand why first amendment lawsuits can’t be filled for damages in a scenario like this.